San Antonio political observers are accustomed to Bexar County Republican Chairwoman Cynthia Brehm spinning conspiracy webs. After all, just last month she claimed the coronavirus was a Democratic hoax and has long maintained that county officials engage in widespread voter fraud.
This time, though, Brehm appears to have outdone herself.
In a now-deleted Facebook post, the local GOP leader theorized that the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody might be a "staged event" meant to undermine President Donald Trump's chances with black voters.
Express-News political columnist Gilbert Garcia shared a screen shot of Brehm's post on Twitter yesterday.
The Bexar County Republican Party chair has a new conspiracy theory. #satx #txelex pic.twitter.com/6T7GxT5DYG
— Gilbert Garcia (@gilgamesh470) June 3, 2020
“These officers were involved in something, I’m not sure exactly what, but something is just not adding up," Brehm wrote.
"Also this supposed officer is now missing from his home, no where to be found has the smell of MK Ultra activation.
“I think that there is at the very least the `possibility’, that this was a filmed public execution of a black man by a white cop, with the purpose of creating racial tensions and driving a wedge in the growing group of anti deep state sentiment from common people, that have been already been psychologically traumatized by COVID 19 fears.
“Historically, in election years and politically contested areas or groups, racial or gun violence incidents are becoming common place.
“Considering the rising approval level of President Trump in the black community an event like this was entirely ‘Predictable.’”
Brehm's "MK Ultra activation" statement is a clear reference to Project MKUltra, a series of mind-control experiments on human subjects undertaken by the CIA from the '50s through the early '70s.
The Bexar County Republican Party chair has a new conspiracy theory. #satx #txelex pic.twitter.com/6T7GxT5DYG
— Gilbert Garcia (@gilgamesh470) June 3, 2020
Republican officials were largely silent after Brehm's May 22 rally where she claimed the Democrats had ginned up the coronavirus pandemic to "undo all the good President Trump has done for our country."
However, this time it appears at least one Republican elected official felt the need to draw the line.
In a tweet, freshman U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, who's running to keep a seat representing the Texas Hill country and part of San Antonio, said Brehm should resign "if this is an accurate email." Roy, himself no stranger to wild claims, shared the screen capture of Brehm's post.
If this is an accurate email - she should resign. https://t.co/Af1RyHyZAR
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) June 3, 2020
Naturally, Democrats seized on Brehm's claim, citing it as evidence that the Trump-era GOP has divorced itself from reality. In an emailed statement, the Texas Democratic Party called on Republican State Sen. Pete Flores, Governor Abbott and the Republican Party of Texas to denounce her words.
“The dangerous and hateful conspiracies we are seeing Cynthia Brehm put out are a result of the Republican party abandoning truth," said Texas Democratic Party spokesman Abhi Rahman. "Texas’ Republican leaders can and have lied to the public whenever it is politically expedient. Reality is just a concept to them now."
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