Social media users and far-right figures online have spread a baseless conspiracy theory from a supposed whistleblower claiming that Democra
Alex Kaplan at MMFA:
Social media users and far-right figures online have spread a baseless conspiracy theory from a supposed whistleblower claiming that Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was involved in the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, last July. Even though prosecutors previously dismissed the alleged whistleblower’s claims and have said her claims were not credible and “read more like a novel,” far-right figures have claimed the conspiracy theory is “probably a pretty good theory,” a “credible accusation,” and meant Shapiro was “going to prison.” The conspiracy theory has also earned tens of thousands of reposts and hundreds of thousands of views on social media, according to a Media Matters review.
The complaint, reportedly filed on February 7, “details unfounded assertions that Shapiro conspired with other officials to orchestrate the attack as part of a political scheme” and mirrors a similar complaint the supposed whistleblower filed in July. As the Daily Dot notes, the complaint to the Butler County district attorney from the supposed whistleblower, Hadassah Feinberg, “alleged that Shapiro ‘facilitated, organized and carried out his plan’ to assassinate Trump.” Last July, Feinberg “filed a similar complaint that the local district attorney tossed, citing the myriad investigations into the assassination attempt.” [Daily Dot, 2/10/25; Semafor, 2/11/25]
Far-right pundits concoct a baseless conspiracy theory that Pennsylvania Governor and potential 2028 Democratic Presidential contender Josh Shapiro was involved in the assassination attempt against Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, PA in July 2024.
