m →Charge of Holocaust denial: Wikilink Andrew Anglin directly |
m names of newspapers; mos:quote chars, replaced: the New York Times → ''The New York Times'', ''New York Times'' → ''The New York Times'', =Washington Post → =The Washington Post, “ → " (2), ” → " (2), ’ → ' (3) Tag: AWB |
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'''Charles Carlisle Johnson''' (born October 22, 1988) is an American [[Far-right politics|far-right]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://mashable.com/2018/01/08/charles-johnson-sues-twitter-right-wing-activist-breitbart/#JlqgVaPQ2mqc|title=Former Breitbart reporter sues Twitter for banning him|last=Flynn|first=Kerry|work=Mashable|access-date=2018-09-16|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916235329/https://mashable.com/2018/01/08/charles-johnson-sues-twitter-right-wing-activist-breitbart/#JlqgVaPQ2mqc#JlqgVaPQ2mqc|archive-date=2018-09-16|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Political Activist|political activist]]. A self-described "[[Investigative journalism|investigative journalist]]",<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://charlescjohnson.com/about/|title=About Charles C. Johnson, investigative journalist and author.|work=Charles C. Johnson|access-date=2018-09-16|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150829072131/http://charlescjohnson.com/about|archive-date=2015-08-29|url-status=dead}}</ref> Johnson is often described as an [[internet troll]], and has been involved in the proliferation and spread of multiple [[fake news]] stories.<ref name=Slate>{{cite web |last=Hess |first=Amanda |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/users/2015/05/chuck_c_johnson_suspended_from_twitter_why.html |title=Chuck C. Johnson suspended from Twitter: Why? | |
'''Charles Carlisle Johnson''' (born October 22, 1988) is an American [[Far-right politics|far-right]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://mashable.com/2018/01/08/charles-johnson-sues-twitter-right-wing-activist-breitbart/#JlqgVaPQ2mqc|title=Former Breitbart reporter sues Twitter for banning him|last=Flynn|first=Kerry|work=Mashable|access-date=2018-09-16|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916235329/https://mashable.com/2018/01/08/charles-johnson-sues-twitter-right-wing-activist-breitbart/#JlqgVaPQ2mqc#JlqgVaPQ2mqc|archive-date=2018-09-16|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Political Activist|political activist]]. A self-described "[[Investigative journalism|investigative journalist]]",<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://charlescjohnson.com/about/|title=About Charles C. Johnson, investigative journalist and author.|work=Charles C. Johnson|access-date=2018-09-16|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150829072131/http://charlescjohnson.com/about|archive-date=2015-08-29|url-status=dead}}</ref> Johnson is often described as an [[internet troll]], and has been involved in the proliferation and spread of multiple [[fake news]] stories.<ref name=Slate>{{cite web |last=Hess |first=Amanda |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/users/2015/05/chuck_c_johnson_suspended_from_twitter_why.html |title=Chuck C. Johnson suspended from Twitter: Why? |website=Slate.com |date=2015-05-28 |access-date=2015-08-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822092949/http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/users/2015/05/chuck_c_johnson_suspended_from_twitter_why.html |archive-date=2015-08-22 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=riverfront>{{cite web |last=Wicentowski |first=Danny |url=http://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2015/06/08/st-louis-lawyer-fighting-to-reinstate-troll-king-charles-johnson-on-twitter |title=St. Louis Lawyer Fighting to Reinstate Troll King Charles Johnson on Twitter|newspaper=Riverfront Times |date=2015-06-08 |access-date=2015-08-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150829002034/http://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2015/06/08/st-louis-lawyer-fighting-to-reinstate-troll-king-charles-johnson-on-twitter |archive-date=2015-08-29 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Forbes>{{cite magazine |last=Mac |first=Ryan |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattdrange/2017/01/09/chuck-johnson-troll-trump-transition-team/#2db11fdc5c12 |title=A Troll Outside Trump Tower Is Helping To Pick Your Next Government |magazine=Forbes.com |date=2017-01-09 |access-date=2017-01-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109221933/http://www.forbes.com/sites/mattdrange/2017/01/09/chuck-johnson-troll-trump-transition-team/#2db11fdc5c12#2db11fdc5c12 |archive-date=2017-01-09 |url-status=live }}</ref> Johnson was owner of the websites GotNews.com, WeSearchr.com, and Freestartr.com, all of which were short-lived.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Barrouquere |first1=Brett |title=Once an outlet for conspiracies, GotNews.com now shuttered without explanation |url=https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/09/19/once-outlet-conspiracies-gotnewscom-now-shuttered-without-explanation |access-date=September 21, 2018 |work=Hatewatch |publisher=Southern Poverty Law Center |date=September 19, 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922024628/https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/09/19/once-outlet-conspiracies-gotnewscom-now-shuttered-without-explanation |archive-date=2018-09-22 |url-status=live }}</ref> He wrote two books, both published by [[Encounter Books]] in 2013. |
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==Education== |
==Education== |
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==Controversies== |
==Controversies== |
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===Bob Menendez=== |
===Bob Menendez=== |
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Johnson was involved in the creation of a ''[[The Daily Caller|Daily Caller]]'' story that accused U.S. Senator [[Bob Menendez]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]]-[[New Jersey|NJ]]) [[Bob Menendez#Federal Investigations of Menendez|of soliciting underage prostitutes]] in the [[Dominican Republic]]. A criminal investigation of the case found no evidence, and the women making the allegations later admitted they had been paid by a local lawyer to make the claims.<ref name="atlantic-post">{{cite web|work=The Atlantic |date=March 8, 2013 |url=http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/03/only-daily-caller-thought-daily-callers-scoop-was-scoop/62906/ |title=Daily Caller's Prostitution 'Scoop' Was So Thin Even the ''"New York Post"'' Passed |first=Philip |last=Bump |access-date=March 13, 2013 |archive-date=June 30, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/03/only-daily-caller-thought-daily-callers-scoop-was-scoop/62906/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=wapo-politics-03192013>{{cite news|last=Lazo|first=Luz|title=Dominican police: 3 women paid to make false claims about Menendez|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/dominican-police-3-women-paid-to-make-false-claims-about-menendez/2013/03/18/f2ff253c-8fe7-11e2-9abd-e4c5c9dc5e90_story.html|access-date=March 19, 2013|newspaper=[[Washington Post]]|date=March 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130319025217/http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/dominican-police-3-women-paid-to-make-false-claims-about-menendez/2013/03/18/f2ff253c-8fe7-11e2-9abd-e4c5c9dc5e90_story.html|archive-date=2013-03-19|url-status=live}}</ref> |
Johnson was involved in the creation of a ''[[The Daily Caller|Daily Caller]]'' story that accused U.S. Senator [[Bob Menendez]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]]-[[New Jersey|NJ]]) [[Bob Menendez#Federal Investigations of Menendez|of soliciting underage prostitutes]] in the [[Dominican Republic]]. A criminal investigation of the case found no evidence, and the women making the allegations later admitted they had been paid by a local lawyer to make the claims.<ref name="atlantic-post">{{cite web|work=The Atlantic |date=March 8, 2013 |url=http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/03/only-daily-caller-thought-daily-callers-scoop-was-scoop/62906/ |title=Daily Caller's Prostitution 'Scoop' Was So Thin Even the ''"New York Post"'' Passed |first=Philip |last=Bump |access-date=March 13, 2013 |archive-date=June 30, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/03/only-daily-caller-thought-daily-callers-scoop-was-scoop/62906/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=wapo-politics-03192013>{{cite news|last=Lazo|first=Luz|title=Dominican police: 3 women paid to make false claims about Menendez|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/dominican-police-3-women-paid-to-make-false-claims-about-menendez/2013/03/18/f2ff253c-8fe7-11e2-9abd-e4c5c9dc5e90_story.html|access-date=March 19, 2013|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=March 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130319025217/http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/dominican-police-3-women-paid-to-make-false-claims-about-menendez/2013/03/18/f2ff253c-8fe7-11e2-9abd-e4c5c9dc5e90_story.html|archive-date=2013-03-19|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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===Cory Booker=== |
===Cory Booker=== |
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On October 14, 2013, Johnson published an article in ''The Daily Caller'' claiming that [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]] mayor and then [[United States Senate|senatorial]] candidate [[Cory Booker]] never lived in Newark, citing neighbors of Booker's alleged address as evidence. Booker's campaign provided a reporter from ''[[Buzzfeed]]'' with rental checks and other documents for the address going back several years, and Booker's communication director dismissed Johnson's allegations as "laughable". According to Booker's campaign, he lived there from late 2006 to shortly before he was elected Senator in 2013. Johnson stands by his reporting, claiming that Booker may well have paid rent but did not live in Newark.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Cramer|first1=Ruby|title=Cory Booker: Yes, I Live In Newark|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/rubycramer/cory-booker-yes-i-live-in-newark|access-date=June 10, 2016|work=Buzzfeed|date=October 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530192434/https://www.buzzfeed.com/rubycramer/cory-booker-yes-i-live-in-newark|archive-date=2016-05-30|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Weigel |first=David |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/10/15/birther_director_claims_that_cory_booker_does_not_live_in_newark.html |title=Birther director claims Cory Booker does not live in Newark | |
On October 14, 2013, Johnson published an article in ''The Daily Caller'' claiming that [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]] mayor and then [[United States Senate|senatorial]] candidate [[Cory Booker]] never lived in Newark, citing neighbors of Booker's alleged address as evidence. Booker's campaign provided a reporter from ''[[Buzzfeed]]'' with rental checks and other documents for the address going back several years, and Booker's communication director dismissed Johnson's allegations as "laughable". According to Booker's campaign, he lived there from late 2006 to shortly before he was elected Senator in 2013. Johnson stands by his reporting, claiming that Booker may well have paid rent but did not live in Newark.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Cramer|first1=Ruby|title=Cory Booker: Yes, I Live In Newark|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/rubycramer/cory-booker-yes-i-live-in-newark|access-date=June 10, 2016|work=Buzzfeed|date=October 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530192434/https://www.buzzfeed.com/rubycramer/cory-booker-yes-i-live-in-newark|archive-date=2016-05-30|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Weigel |first=David |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/10/15/birther_director_claims_that_cory_booker_does_not_live_in_newark.html |title=Birther director claims Cory Booker does not live in Newark |website=Slate.com |date=2013-10-15 |access-date=2015-08-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924152528/http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/10/15/birther_director_claims_that_cory_booker_does_not_live_in_newark.html |archive-date=2015-09-24 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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===David D. Kirkpatrick=== |
===David D. Kirkpatrick=== |
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In January 2014, Johnson published an article reporting that ''[[The |
In January 2014, Johnson published an article reporting that ''[[The New York Times]]'' reporter [[David D. Kirkpatrick]] was arrested for exhibitionism and had previously posed for ''[[Playgirl]]''. Johnson's source for the ''Playgirl'' claim was a January 22, 1990, article in ''[[The Daily Princetonian]]'', which was later revealed to be satirical.<ref name=slate2>{{cite web |last=Weigel |first=David |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2014/01/06/daily_caller_cites_24_year_old_fake_princeton_newspaper_to_attack_the_nyt.html |title=''Daily Caller'' Cites 24-Year-Old Fake Princeton Newspaper to Attack the ''NYT''{{'}}s Benghazi Reporter |website=Slate.com |date=2014-01-06 |access-date=2015-08-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150819040648/http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2014/01/06/daily_caller_cites_24_year_old_fake_princeton_newspaper_to_attack_the_nyt.html |archive-date=2015-08-19 |url-status=live }}</ref> Johnson apologized to Kirkpatrick. |
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===Malaysia Airlines Flight 370=== |
===Malaysia Airlines Flight 370=== |
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During the [[Ferguson unrest]], Johnson published the [[Instagram]] account of shooting victim [[Shooting of Michael Brown|Michael Brown]] and stated that the account "shows a violent streak that may help explain what led to a violent confrontation with Police officer Darren Wilson".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wilstein|first1=Matt|title=Conservative Blogger Tries to Prove 'Violent Streak' with Michael Brown's Photos|url=http://www.mediaite.com/online/conservative-blogger-tries-to-prove-violent-streak-with-michael-browns-instagram-photos/|access-date=September 5, 2015|work=Mediaite|date=September 5, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926142529/http://www.mediaite.com/online/conservative-blogger-tries-to-prove-violent-streak-with-michael-browns-instagram-photos/|archive-date=2015-09-26|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson also filed a lawsuit to have Brown's juvenile records released. In Brown's home state of Missouri, the records of minors are private, but Johnson argued that the matter was of pressing public interest under the state's [[Freedom of information in the United States|sunshine law]]. The county court disagreed.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Zara|first1=Christopher|title=Mike Brown Juvenile Record? Lawsuit Seeks Alleged Arrest History Of Slain Missouri Teen|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/mike-brown-juvenile-record-lawsuit-seeks-alleged-arrest-history-slain-missouri-teen-1672574|access-date=September 5, 2015|work=International Business Times|date=August 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924131653/http://www.ibtimes.com/mike-brown-juvenile-record-lawsuit-seeks-alleged-arrest-history-slain-missouri-teen-1672574|archive-date=2015-09-24|url-status=live}}</ref> Further appeal attempts by Johnson to unseal the records went as far as the State Supreme Court of Missouri, which denied his request. |
During the [[Ferguson unrest]], Johnson published the [[Instagram]] account of shooting victim [[Shooting of Michael Brown|Michael Brown]] and stated that the account "shows a violent streak that may help explain what led to a violent confrontation with Police officer Darren Wilson".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wilstein|first1=Matt|title=Conservative Blogger Tries to Prove 'Violent Streak' with Michael Brown's Photos|url=http://www.mediaite.com/online/conservative-blogger-tries-to-prove-violent-streak-with-michael-browns-instagram-photos/|access-date=September 5, 2015|work=Mediaite|date=September 5, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926142529/http://www.mediaite.com/online/conservative-blogger-tries-to-prove-violent-streak-with-michael-browns-instagram-photos/|archive-date=2015-09-26|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson also filed a lawsuit to have Brown's juvenile records released. In Brown's home state of Missouri, the records of minors are private, but Johnson argued that the matter was of pressing public interest under the state's [[Freedom of information in the United States|sunshine law]]. The county court disagreed.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Zara|first1=Christopher|title=Mike Brown Juvenile Record? Lawsuit Seeks Alleged Arrest History Of Slain Missouri Teen|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/mike-brown-juvenile-record-lawsuit-seeks-alleged-arrest-history-slain-missouri-teen-1672574|access-date=September 5, 2015|work=International Business Times|date=August 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924131653/http://www.ibtimes.com/mike-brown-juvenile-record-lawsuit-seeks-alleged-arrest-history-slain-missouri-teen-1672574|archive-date=2015-09-24|url-status=live}}</ref> Further appeal attempts by Johnson to unseal the records went as far as the State Supreme Court of Missouri, which denied his request. |
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In a separate incident during the unrest, Johnson published the addresses of two ''New York Times'' reporters, claiming that they published the known addresses of [[Darren Wilson (police officer)|Darren Wilson]].<ref name=NYT /> ''The New York Times'' has said the reporters only revealed the street on which Wilson once lived.<ref name=NYT /> |
In a separate incident during the unrest, Johnson published the addresses of two ''The New York Times'' reporters, claiming that they published the known addresses of [[Darren Wilson (police officer)|Darren Wilson]].<ref name=NYT /> ''The New York Times'' has said the reporters only revealed the street on which Wilson once lived.<ref name=NYT /> |
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===University of Virginia rape article=== |
===University of Virginia rape article=== |
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In December 2014, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' columnist [[Sabrina Erdely]] published an article entitled "[[A Rape on Campus]]" about the alleged gang rape of a [[University of Virginia]] (UVA) student named "Jackie" in 2012 at the [[Phi Kappa Psi]] fraternity house at UVA. The article was later found to be fabricated.<ref name=NYT>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/15/business/media/sowing-mayhem-one-click-at-a-time.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2017-03-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223062358/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/15/business/media/sowing-mayhem-one-click-at-a-time.html |archive-date=2017-02-23 |url-status=live }}.</ref> Johnson publicly identified Jackie, but in the selection of photos he used had the wrong photo of Jackie,<ref name=DD>{{cite web |last=Howell |first=Patrick |url=http://www.dailydot.com/news/charles-johnson-uva-jackie-dox/ |title=Journalist publishes alleged name and photo of UVA rape victim | |
In December 2014, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' columnist [[Sabrina Erdely]] published an article entitled "[[A Rape on Campus]]" about the alleged gang rape of a [[University of Virginia]] (UVA) student named "Jackie" in 2012 at the [[Phi Kappa Psi]] fraternity house at UVA. The article was later found to be fabricated.<ref name=NYT>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/15/business/media/sowing-mayhem-one-click-at-a-time.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2017-03-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223062358/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/15/business/media/sowing-mayhem-one-click-at-a-time.html |archive-date=2017-02-23 |url-status=live }}.</ref> Johnson publicly identified Jackie, but in the selection of photos he used had the wrong photo of Jackie,<ref name=DD>{{cite web |last=Howell |first=Patrick |url=http://www.dailydot.com/news/charles-johnson-uva-jackie-dox/ |title=Journalist publishes alleged name and photo of UVA rape victim |website=Dailydot.com |date=2014-12-07 |access-date=2015-08-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923230834/http://www.dailydot.com/news/charles-johnson-uva-jackie-dox/ |archive-date=2015-09-23 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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===Banning from Twitter=== |
===Banning from Twitter=== |
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=== Katie Walsh === |
=== Katie Walsh === |
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In February 2017, Johnson's website GotNews.com claimed that deputy chief of staff [[Katie Walsh (politician)|Katie Walsh]] was |
In February 2017, Johnson's website GotNews.com claimed that deputy chief of staff [[Katie Walsh (politician)|Katie Walsh]] was "the source behind a bunch of leaks" in the White House without offering any concrete evidence.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/15/donald-trump-fake-news-238379|title=How Trump gets his fake news|work=POLITICO|access-date=2017-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170515112731/http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/15/donald-trump-fake-news-238379|archive-date=2017-05-15|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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=== Charlottesville Rally === |
=== Charlottesville Rally === |
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=== Trump campaign WikiLeaks liaison === |
=== Trump campaign WikiLeaks liaison === |
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In September 2016, Johnson published a story on GotNews about a soon-to-launch anti-Trump website called PutinTrump.org.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Charles C. |title=BREAKING: George Soros-Tied Group Launching Trump-Russia Conspiracy Theory Website |url=http://gotnews.com/breaking-george-soros-tied-group-launching-trump-russia-conspiracy-theory-website/ |access-date=September 21, 2018 |work=GotNews.com |date=September 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922001139/http://gotnews.com/breaking-george-soros-tied-group-launching-trump-russia-conspiracy-theory-website/ |archive-date=September 22, 2016}}</ref> [[Trump campaign–Russian meetings|WikiLeaks]] forwarded the story in private to [[Donald Trump Jr.]] before publicly tweeting it. ''[[Business Insider]]'' speculated that Johnson's story in September on GotNews may have marked the beginning of Donald Trump Jr.'s—and the Trump campaign's—back-channel contact with [[Julian Assange]] and Wikileaks. (Johnson wrote after Wikileaks tweeted the story, "About 2 hours after our original article, Julian Assange's WikiLeaks repeated our discoveries. Guess which big leaks organization reads GotNews & WeSearchr on the downlow! Come on Julian, let's work together. WikiLeaks & WeSearchr is a match made in heaven. We can take down Hillary together.")<ref>Bertrand, Natasha (November 15, 2017) [http://www.businessinsider.com/wikileaks-donald-trump-jr-charles-johnson-2017-11 "A notorious far-right blogger may have provoked WikiLeaks' outreach to Donald Trump Jr."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116104548/http://www.businessinsider.com/wikileaks-donald-trump-jr-charles-johnson-2017-11 |date=2017-11-16 }} ''Business Insider''. (Retrieved November 11, 2017.)</ref> In August 2017, Johnson brokered and attended a meeting in London between GOP Rep. [[Dana Rohrabacher]] and Julian Assange to discuss a presidential pardon for Assange.<ref>Mai-Duc, Christine (August 17, 2017) [https://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-right-wing-blogger-charles-c-johnson-1502992726-htmlstory.html "Rohrabacher on meeting with |
In September 2016, Johnson published a story on GotNews about a soon-to-launch anti-Trump website called PutinTrump.org.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Charles C. |title=BREAKING: George Soros-Tied Group Launching Trump-Russia Conspiracy Theory Website |url=http://gotnews.com/breaking-george-soros-tied-group-launching-trump-russia-conspiracy-theory-website/ |access-date=September 21, 2018 |work=GotNews.com |date=September 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922001139/http://gotnews.com/breaking-george-soros-tied-group-launching-trump-russia-conspiracy-theory-website/ |archive-date=September 22, 2016}}</ref> [[Trump campaign–Russian meetings|WikiLeaks]] forwarded the story in private to [[Donald Trump Jr.]] before publicly tweeting it. ''[[Business Insider]]'' speculated that Johnson's story in September on GotNews may have marked the beginning of Donald Trump Jr.'s—and the Trump campaign's—back-channel contact with [[Julian Assange]] and Wikileaks. (Johnson wrote after Wikileaks tweeted the story, "About 2 hours after our original article, Julian Assange's WikiLeaks repeated our discoveries. Guess which big leaks organization reads GotNews & WeSearchr on the downlow! Come on Julian, let's work together. WikiLeaks & WeSearchr is a match made in heaven. We can take down Hillary together.")<ref>Bertrand, Natasha (November 15, 2017) [http://www.businessinsider.com/wikileaks-donald-trump-jr-charles-johnson-2017-11 "A notorious far-right blogger may have provoked WikiLeaks' outreach to Donald Trump Jr."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116104548/http://www.businessinsider.com/wikileaks-donald-trump-jr-charles-johnson-2017-11 |date=2017-11-16 }} ''Business Insider''. (Retrieved November 11, 2017.)</ref> In August 2017, Johnson brokered and attended a meeting in London between GOP Rep. [[Dana Rohrabacher]] and Julian Assange to discuss a presidential pardon for Assange.<ref>Mai-Duc, Christine (August 17, 2017) [https://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-right-wing-blogger-charles-c-johnson-1502992726-htmlstory.html "Rohrabacher on meeting with WikiLeaks' Assange: We talked about 'what might be necessary to get him out.'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116224852/http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-right-wing-blogger-charles-c-johnson-1502992726-htmlstory.html |date=2017-11-16 }} ''Los Angeles Times''. (Retrieved November 16, 2017.)</ref> |
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===Fraudulent sexual harassment claim against Senator Charles Schumer=== |
===Fraudulent sexual harassment claim against Senator Charles Schumer=== |
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On December 11, 2017 Johnson wrote on his [[Facebook]] page, |
On December 11, 2017 Johnson wrote on his [[Facebook]] page, "[[Mike Cernovich|Michael Cernovich]] & I are going to end the career of a U.S. Senator." Johnson claimed to have uncovered a sexual harassment lawsuit against Senator [[Charles Schumer]]. The lawsuit, however, turned out to be a forgery. Moreover, language in the forged lawsuit was copied verbatim from a real sexual-harassment complaint filed against Rep. [[John Conyers]]. Schumer referred the matter to [[United States Capitol Police|Capitol police]] for investigation.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sullivan|first1=Eileen|author-link1=Eileen Sullivan|date=December 13, 2017|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/13/us/politics/schumer-fraudulent-document-harassment.html|title=Schumer Files Police Report After Fraudulent Document Emerges|website=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=March 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307023046/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/13/us/politics/schumer-fraudulent-document-harassment.html|archive-date=2018-03-07|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Weill|first1=Kelly|date=December 13, 2017|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/mike-cernovich-chuck-johnson-alt-right-hyped-anti-schumer-forgery-that-plagiarized-conyers-complaint|title=Alt-Right Hyped Sexual Harassment Hoax to Attach Schumer|website=[[The Daily Beast]]|access-date=March 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126215252/https://www.thedailybeast.com/mike-cernovich-chuck-johnson-alt-right-hyped-anti-schumer-forgery-that-plagiarized-conyers-complaint|archive-date=2018-01-26|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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=== Charge of Holocaust denial === |
=== Charge of Holocaust denial === |
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Johnson once posted on a [[Reddit]] [[/r/IAmA|Ask Me Anything]] "I do not and never have believed the six million figure" (referring to the number of people killed in the [[Holocaust]]) and "I agree with <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Holocaust denial|Holocaust denier]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> [[David Cole (journalist)|David Cole]] about [[Auschwitz]] and the gas chambers not being real."<ref name="Smith2018">{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Adam C |title=Matt Gaetz's State of the Union guest admits he questioned Holocaust |url=https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/02/05/matt-gaetzs-state-of-the-union-guest-admits-he-questioned-holocaust/ |access-date=15 August 2020 |work=[[The Tampa Bay Times]] |date=February 6, 2018}}</ref> When Rep. [[Matt Gaetz|Matthew Gaetz]] brought Johnson to President Donald Trump's [[2018 State of the Union Address]] as a guest of Florida, the national director of the [[Anti-Defamation League]] cited these statements — along with Johnson's website WeSearchr having raised more than $150,000 for the legal defense of neo-Nazi propagandist [[Andrew Anglin]] and other actions — in urging Gaetz to "discontinue any association with Johnson and to publicly repudiate his views immediately".<ref>Greenblatt, Jonathan A. (February 1, 2018) [https://www.adl.org/news/letters/adl-letter-to-congressman-matthew-gaetz-regarding-charles-johnson "ADL Letter to Congressman Matthew Gaetz Regarding Charles Johnson."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303105921/https://www.adl.org/news/letters/adl-letter-to-congressman-matthew-gaetz-regarding-charles-johnson |date=2018-03-03 }} Anti-Defamation League.org. (Retrieved March 2, 2018.)</ref><ref name=thehill>{{Cite news|url=http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/371644-gop-rep-invited-alt-right-troll-to-the-state-of-the-union|title=GOP rep invited alt-right activist to the State of the Union|author=Delk, Josh|work=[[The Hill (website)|The Hill]]|date=January 31, 2018|access-date=2018-01-31|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131211320/http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/371644-gop-rep-invited-alt-right-troll-to-the-state-of-the-union|archive-date=2018-01-31|url-status=live}}</ref> |
Johnson once posted on a [[Reddit]] [[/r/IAmA|Ask Me Anything]] "I do not and never have believed the six million figure" (referring to the number of people killed in the [[Holocaust]]) and "I agree with <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Holocaust denial|Holocaust denier]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> [[David Cole (journalist)|David Cole]] about [[Auschwitz]] and the gas chambers not being real."<ref name="Smith2018">{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Adam C |title=Matt Gaetz's State of the Union guest admits he questioned Holocaust |url=https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/02/05/matt-gaetzs-state-of-the-union-guest-admits-he-questioned-holocaust/ |access-date=15 August 2020 |work=[[The Tampa Bay Times]] |date=February 6, 2018}}</ref> When Rep. [[Matt Gaetz|Matthew Gaetz]] brought Johnson to President Donald Trump's [[2018 State of the Union Address]] as a guest of Florida, the national director of the [[Anti-Defamation League]] cited these statements — along with Johnson's website WeSearchr having raised more than $150,000 for the legal defense of neo-Nazi propagandist [[Andrew Anglin]] and other actions — in urging Gaetz to "discontinue any association with Johnson and to publicly repudiate his views immediately".<ref>Greenblatt, Jonathan A. (February 1, 2018) [https://www.adl.org/news/letters/adl-letter-to-congressman-matthew-gaetz-regarding-charles-johnson "ADL Letter to Congressman Matthew Gaetz Regarding Charles Johnson."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303105921/https://www.adl.org/news/letters/adl-letter-to-congressman-matthew-gaetz-regarding-charles-johnson |date=2018-03-03 }} Anti-Defamation League.org. (Retrieved March 2, 2018.)</ref><ref name=thehill>{{Cite news|url=http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/371644-gop-rep-invited-alt-right-troll-to-the-state-of-the-union|title=GOP rep invited alt-right activist to the State of the Union|author=Delk, Josh|work=[[The Hill (website)|The Hill]]|date=January 31, 2018|access-date=2018-01-31|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131211320/http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/371644-gop-rep-invited-alt-right-troll-to-the-state-of-the-union|archive-date=2018-01-31|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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Johnson denies he is a Holocaust denier. He said "I support Israel as a Jewish state and Zionism as a concept" in the same Reddit thread where his Holocaust denial statements appeared,<ref name="Smith2018"/> is a donor to the [[Simon Wiesenthal Center]], and is currently suing the [[Huffington Post]] over claims that he is a Holocaust denier. |
Johnson denies he is a Holocaust denier. He said "I support Israel as a Jewish state and Zionism as a concept" in the same Reddit thread where his Holocaust denial statements appeared,<ref name="Smith2018"/> is a donor to the [[Simon Wiesenthal Center]], and is currently suing the [[Huffington Post]] over claims that he is a Holocaust denier.<ref>https://setexasrecord.com/stories/523948332-huffington-post-writer-face-1-million-libel-suit-plaintiff-alleges-he-was-falsely-labeled-white-supremacist</ref> |
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==Books== |
==Books== |
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Johnson has written two books published through [[Encounter Books]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Charles C. Johnson - Encounter Books |url=https://www.encounterbooks.com/authors/charles-c-johnson/ |website=Encounter Books |access-date=21 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924115600/https://www.encounterbooks.com/authors/charles-c-johnson/ |archive-date=2018-09-24 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Why Coolidge Matters'' (2013, {{isbn|1-59403-669-1}}); an essay collection encompassing various points in [[Calvin Coolidge]]'s political career,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/14/book-review-why-coolidge-matters/|title=BOOK REVIEW: 'Why Coolidge Matters'| |
Johnson has written two books published through [[Encounter Books]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Charles C. Johnson - Encounter Books |url=https://www.encounterbooks.com/authors/charles-c-johnson/ |website=Encounter Books |access-date=21 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924115600/https://www.encounterbooks.com/authors/charles-c-johnson/ |archive-date=2018-09-24 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Why Coolidge Matters'' (2013, {{isbn|1-59403-669-1}}); an essay collection encompassing various points in [[Calvin Coolidge]]'s political career,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/14/book-review-why-coolidge-matters/|title=BOOK REVIEW: 'Why Coolidge Matters' |author=The Washington Times |work=The Washington Times |access-date=2018-09-16|language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916235445/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/14/book-review-why-coolidge-matters/ |archive-date=2018-09-16|url-status=live}}</ref> and ''The Truth About the IRS Scandals'' (2013), {{isbn|9781594037443}}; a book covering the [[IRS targeting controversy]] and alleging the since-debunked assertion that the agency targeted primarily conservative and right-leaning groups.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newsweek.com/remember-irs-scandal-it-was-fake-news-all-along-681674|title=Remember the IRS Scandal? It was fake news all along|date=2017-10-10|work=Newsweek|access-date=2018-09-16|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917034207/https://www.newsweek.com/remember-irs-scandal-it-was-fake-news-all-along-681674|archive-date=2018-09-17|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/10/debunked-irs-scandal-shows-theres-no-sane-wing-of-the-gop.html|title=The Debunked IRS Targeting Scandal Shows There Is No Sane Wing of the GOP|last=Chait|first=Jonathan|work=Daily Intelligencer|access-date=2018-09-16|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916235513/http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/10/debunked-irs-scandal-shows-theres-no-sane-wing-of-the-gop.html|archive-date=2018-09-16|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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==Gawker lawsuit== |
==Gawker lawsuit== |
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Johnson was the founder of three websites, all of which are defunct. |
Johnson was the founder of three websites, all of which are defunct. |
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In early 2014, Johnson created GotNews, an alt-right news website.<ref name=murphy>Murphy, Tim (December 6, 2014) [https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/12/charles-chuck-johnson-gotnews-rolling-stone/ "The Rise and Fall of |
In early 2014, Johnson created GotNews, an alt-right news website.<ref name=murphy>Murphy, Tim (December 6, 2014) [https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/12/charles-chuck-johnson-gotnews-rolling-stone/ "The Rise and Fall of Twitter's Most Infamous Right-Wing Troll."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001220508/https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/12/charles-chuck-johnson-gotnews-rolling-stone/ |date=2018-10-01 }} Mother Jones. (Retrieved October 1, 2018.)</ref> The site closed on September 17, 2018.<ref>Barrouquere, Brett (September 19, 2018) [https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/09/19/once-outlet-conspiracies-gotnewscom-now-shuttered-without-explanation "Once an outlet for conspiracies, GotNews.com now shuttered without explanation."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922024628/https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/09/19/once-outlet-conspiracies-gotnewscom-now-shuttered-without-explanation |date=2018-09-22 }} Southerner Poverty Law Center. (Retrieved October 1, 2018).</ref> GotNews filed for [[bankruptcy]] in May 2019. The bankruptcy petition lists GotNews' total liabilities as between $500,000 and $1 million.<ref>Merlan, Anna (May 6, 2019) [https://splinternews.com/far-right-news-site-gotnews-has-filed-a-chapter-7-bankr-1834553359 "Far-Right News Site GotNews Has Filed a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Petition."] Splinternews. (Retrieved May 27, 2019.)</ref> |
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In 2015, Johnson created WeSearchr, a [[Crowdfunding|crowd-funding]] website. By 2017, the site became a fundraising platform for [[alt-right]] causes, though Johnson claimed that was not his intention. [[Neo-Nazism|Neo-Nazi]] Andrew Anglin, founder of ''[[The Daily Stormer]]'', used the website to raise money to defend himself against a lawsuit brought by the [[American Civil Liberties Union]] (ACLU) on behalf of a woman trolled by followers of Anglin.<ref name="castillo">{{cite news |last1=Castillo |first1=Michelle |title=The far right uses this site to fund favorite causes, and its founder aims to be 'very profitable' |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/24/wesearchr-charles-johnson-alt-right-causes.html |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=CNBC |date=June 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802101845/https://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/24/wesearchr-charles-johnson-alt-right-causes.html |archive-date=2018-08-02 |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition to crowdfunding legal battles, the site was also designed to crowd-fund bounties on reporting goals. According to Johnson, he used the site to receive money for information he had already acquired.<ref name=singal>{{cite news |last1=Singal |first1=Jesse |title=Chuck Johnson's WeSearchr Is Having a Bit of a Meltdown |url=https://nymag.com/selectall/2017/05/chuck-johnsons-wesearchr-is-having-a-bit-of-a-meltdown.html |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=Select All | |
In 2015, Johnson created WeSearchr, a [[Crowdfunding|crowd-funding]] website. By 2017, the site became a fundraising platform for [[alt-right]] causes, though Johnson claimed that was not his intention. [[Neo-Nazism|Neo-Nazi]] Andrew Anglin, founder of ''[[The Daily Stormer]]'', used the website to raise money to defend himself against a lawsuit brought by the [[American Civil Liberties Union]] (ACLU) on behalf of a woman trolled by followers of Anglin.<ref name="castillo">{{cite news |last1=Castillo |first1=Michelle |title=The far right uses this site to fund favorite causes, and its founder aims to be 'very profitable' |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/24/wesearchr-charles-johnson-alt-right-causes.html |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=CNBC |date=June 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802101845/https://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/24/wesearchr-charles-johnson-alt-right-causes.html |archive-date=2018-08-02 |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition to crowdfunding legal battles, the site was also designed to crowd-fund bounties on reporting goals. According to Johnson, he used the site to receive money for information he had already acquired.<ref name=singal>{{cite news |last1=Singal |first1=Jesse |title=Chuck Johnson's WeSearchr Is Having a Bit of a Meltdown |url=https://nymag.com/selectall/2017/05/chuck-johnsons-wesearchr-is-having-a-bit-of-a-meltdown.html |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=Select All |journal=New York Magazine |date=May 16, 2017 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829072207/http://nymag.com/selectall/2017/05/chuck-johnsons-wesearchr-is-having-a-bit-of-a-meltdown.html |archive-date=2018-08-29 |url-status=live }}</ref> The site closed in May 2017.<ref name=singal/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Lenz |first1=Ryan |title=One Year Later: Leaders from 'Unite the Right' Fall From Grace |url=https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2018/one-year-later-leaders-%E2%80%98unite-right%E2%80%99-fall-grace |access-date=28 August 2018 |work=Intelligence Report |publisher=Southern Poverty Law Center |date=August 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829072156/https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2018/one-year-later-leaders-%E2%80%98unite-right%E2%80%99-fall-grace |archive-date=2018-08-29 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Menegus |first1=Bryan |title=World's Worst Website Goes Down (Again) |url=https://gizmodo.com/worlds-worst-website-goes-down-again-1795266216 |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=Gizmodo |date=May 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829072114/https://gizmodo.com/worlds-worst-website-goes-down-again-1795266216 |archive-date=2018-08-29 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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Johnson also started the crowdfunding site Freestartr, which collected funds for white nationalist [[Richard B. Spencer]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kirkland |first1=Allegra |title=After Struggle To Raise Funds, Spencer Finally Gets Lawyer In C'ville Case |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/richard-spencer-manages-find-attorney-federal-charlottesville-case |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=Talking Points Memo |date=May 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829072251/https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/richard-spencer-manages-find-attorney-federal-charlottesville-case |archive-date=2018-08-29 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Far-right politics|far-right]] activist [[Tommy Robinson (activist)|Tommy Robinson]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dearden |first1=Lizzie |title=Tommy Robinson is richer and has more international support after two-month imprisonment, research shows |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/tommy-robinson-wealth-supporters-far-right-prison-freed-crime-a8473536.html |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=The Independent |date=August 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816121647/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/tommy-robinson-wealth-supporters-far-right-prison-freed-crime-a8473536.html |archive-date=2018-08-16 |url-status=live }}</ref> Canadian nationalist [[Faith Goldy]],<ref name="sommer">{{cite news |last1=Sommer |first1=Will |title=Big Finance is Hitting the Far Right in the Wallet |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/far-right-fuming-after-big-finance-chokes-off-money-flow |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=The Daily Beast |date=August 21, 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828053858/https://www.thedailybeast.com/far-right-fuming-after-big-finance-chokes-off-money-flow |archive-date=2018-08-28 |url-status=live }}</ref> Johnson himself,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Guynn |first1=Jessica |title='Alt-right' escalates war against Silicon Valley, pledges to expose bias against conservatives |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2018/01/18/alt-right-escalates-war-against-silicon-valley-pledges-expose-bias-against-conservatives/1037524001/ |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=USA Today |date=January 18, 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829035025/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2018/01/18/alt-right-escalates-war-against-silicon-valley-pledges-expose-bias-against-conservatives/1037524001/ |archive-date=2018-08-29 |url-status=live }}</ref> and others. In mid-2018, Freestartr stopped accepting funds, as the site was banned by [[Stripe (company)|Stripe]] and [[PayPal]], which Freestartr used to process payments.<ref name="sommer"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Fisher |first1=Alyssa |title=Far-Right Organizations Get Banned From PayPal, Beg Followers For Help |url=https://forward.com/fast-forward/406567/far-right-organizations-get-banned-from-paypal-beg-followers-for-help/ |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=The Forward |date=July 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725015352/https://forward.com/fast-forward/406567/far-right-organizations-get-banned-from-paypal-beg-followers-for-help/ |archive-date=2018-07-25 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
Johnson also started the crowdfunding site Freestartr, which collected funds for white nationalist [[Richard B. Spencer]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kirkland |first1=Allegra |title=After Struggle To Raise Funds, Spencer Finally Gets Lawyer In C'ville Case |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/richard-spencer-manages-find-attorney-federal-charlottesville-case |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=Talking Points Memo |date=May 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829072251/https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/richard-spencer-manages-find-attorney-federal-charlottesville-case |archive-date=2018-08-29 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Far-right politics|far-right]] activist [[Tommy Robinson (activist)|Tommy Robinson]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dearden |first1=Lizzie |title=Tommy Robinson is richer and has more international support after two-month imprisonment, research shows |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/tommy-robinson-wealth-supporters-far-right-prison-freed-crime-a8473536.html |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=The Independent |date=August 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816121647/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/tommy-robinson-wealth-supporters-far-right-prison-freed-crime-a8473536.html |archive-date=2018-08-16 |url-status=live }}</ref> Canadian nationalist [[Faith Goldy]],<ref name="sommer">{{cite news |last1=Sommer |first1=Will |title=Big Finance is Hitting the Far Right in the Wallet |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/far-right-fuming-after-big-finance-chokes-off-money-flow |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=The Daily Beast |date=August 21, 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828053858/https://www.thedailybeast.com/far-right-fuming-after-big-finance-chokes-off-money-flow |archive-date=2018-08-28 |url-status=live }}</ref> Johnson himself,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Guynn |first1=Jessica |title='Alt-right' escalates war against Silicon Valley, pledges to expose bias against conservatives |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2018/01/18/alt-right-escalates-war-against-silicon-valley-pledges-expose-bias-against-conservatives/1037524001/ |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=USA Today |date=January 18, 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829035025/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2018/01/18/alt-right-escalates-war-against-silicon-valley-pledges-expose-bias-against-conservatives/1037524001/ |archive-date=2018-08-29 |url-status=live }}</ref> and others. In mid-2018, Freestartr stopped accepting funds, as the site was banned by [[Stripe (company)|Stripe]] and [[PayPal]], which Freestartr used to process payments.<ref name="sommer"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Fisher |first1=Alyssa |title=Far-Right Organizations Get Banned From PayPal, Beg Followers For Help |url=https://forward.com/fast-forward/406567/far-right-organizations-get-banned-from-paypal-beg-followers-for-help/ |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=The Forward |date=July 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725015352/https://forward.com/fast-forward/406567/far-right-organizations-get-banned-from-paypal-beg-followers-for-help/ |archive-date=2018-07-25 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Charles C.}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Charles C.}} |
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[[Category:1988 births]] |
[[Category:1988 births]] |
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[[Category:Alt-right writers]] |
[[Category:Alt-right writers]] |
Revision as of 06:05, 22 February 2021
Charles C. Johnson | |
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Born | Charles Carlisle Johnson October 22, 1988 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Education | Claremont McKenna College |
Occupation | Political activist |
Years active | 2013 – present |
Charles Carlisle Johnson (born October 22, 1988) is an American far-right[1] political activist. A self-described "investigative journalist",[2] Johnson is often described as an internet troll, and has been involved in the proliferation and spread of multiple fake news stories.[3][4][5] Johnson was owner of the websites GotNews.com, WeSearchr.com, and Freestartr.com, all of which were short-lived.[6] He wrote two books, both published by Encounter Books in 2013.
Education
Johnson attended Milton Academy high school on scholarship. He attended Claremont McKenna College from 2007 to 2011.[7] At college he was awarded the Eric Breindel Collegiate Journalism Award and the Publius Fellowship at the Claremont Institute.[8][9]
Controversies
Bob Menendez
Johnson was involved in the creation of a Daily Caller story that accused U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) of soliciting underage prostitutes in the Dominican Republic. A criminal investigation of the case found no evidence, and the women making the allegations later admitted they had been paid by a local lawyer to make the claims.[10][11]
Cory Booker
On October 14, 2013, Johnson published an article in The Daily Caller claiming that Newark mayor and then senatorial candidate Cory Booker never lived in Newark, citing neighbors of Booker's alleged address as evidence. Booker's campaign provided a reporter from Buzzfeed with rental checks and other documents for the address going back several years, and Booker's communication director dismissed Johnson's allegations as "laughable". According to Booker's campaign, he lived there from late 2006 to shortly before he was elected Senator in 2013. Johnson stands by his reporting, claiming that Booker may well have paid rent but did not live in Newark.[12][13]
David D. Kirkpatrick
In January 2014, Johnson published an article reporting that The New York Times reporter David D. Kirkpatrick was arrested for exhibitionism and had previously posed for Playgirl. Johnson's source for the Playgirl claim was a January 22, 1990, article in The Daily Princetonian, which was later revealed to be satirical.[14] Johnson apologized to Kirkpatrick.
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370
Johnson told the ABC news affiliate in Fresno that he knows where Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is. The airplane disappeared on March 8, 2014 while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. "I just need the funding to go there," he told news reporters.[15]
2014 Mississippi Republican primary election
On June 30, 2014, Johnson published a story on GotNews accusing Mississippi senator Thad Cochran of bribing African-Americans to vote for him in the Mississippi Senate Republican primary.[16] The story came days after Cochran had defeated Tea Party challenger Chris McDaniel in a run-off election. Johnson claimed that a black pastor named Stevie Fielder had told him he was paid by Cochran's campaign to bribe black Democrats into voting for Cochran. Johnson paid the pastor for his statements, a controversial practice sometimes known as "checkbook journalism".[16] Fielder later partially recanted his story, saying that he had been speaking hypothetically, that he had turned down the offer, and that Johnson's recording of his interview had been selectively edited, a claim Johnson denies.[17]
During the election, Johnson also accused the Cochran campaign of being responsible for Mississippi Tea Party leader Mark Mayfield's suicide and encouraged his Twitter followers to flood a Cochran campaign conference call.[16][18]
Ferguson
During the Ferguson unrest, Johnson published the Instagram account of shooting victim Michael Brown and stated that the account "shows a violent streak that may help explain what led to a violent confrontation with Police officer Darren Wilson".[19] Johnson also filed a lawsuit to have Brown's juvenile records released. In Brown's home state of Missouri, the records of minors are private, but Johnson argued that the matter was of pressing public interest under the state's sunshine law. The county court disagreed.[20] Further appeal attempts by Johnson to unseal the records went as far as the State Supreme Court of Missouri, which denied his request.
In a separate incident during the unrest, Johnson published the addresses of two The New York Times reporters, claiming that they published the known addresses of Darren Wilson.[21] The New York Times has said the reporters only revealed the street on which Wilson once lived.[21]
University of Virginia rape article
In December 2014, Rolling Stone columnist Sabrina Erdely published an article entitled "A Rape on Campus" about the alleged gang rape of a University of Virginia (UVA) student named "Jackie" in 2012 at the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house at UVA. The article was later found to be fabricated.[21] Johnson publicly identified Jackie, but in the selection of photos he used had the wrong photo of Jackie,[22]
Banning from Twitter
On May 24, 2015, Johnson sent a tweet asking his followers for donations to help him "take out" Black Lives Matter activist Deray McKesson. McKesson shared the tweet and took the tweet as a threat. Johnson was permanently banned from Twitter after several users reported him for harassment.[3] In 2018, Johnson sued Twitter for banning him on the grounds that Twitter violated his First Amendment right to free speech. The California Superior Court in Fresno struck down Johnson's lawsuit on June 6.[23]
Katie Walsh
In February 2017, Johnson's website GotNews.com claimed that deputy chief of staff Katie Walsh was "the source behind a bunch of leaks" in the White House without offering any concrete evidence.[24]
Charlottesville Rally
In August 2017, Johnson's website GotNews falsely accused a Michigan man of being responsible for the car attack on 12 August 2017 that killed and injured anti-racist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia.[25] The Michigan man was subsequently harassed, and was advised by police to flee his home following a slew of death threats.[25][26] Together with his father, the Michigan man filed a defamation lawsuit against 22 corporate and individual defendants, including Johnson.[27][28] On June 1, 2018, Johnson and GotNews agreed to pay $25,000 to settle the lawsuit.[29]
Trump campaign WikiLeaks liaison
In September 2016, Johnson published a story on GotNews about a soon-to-launch anti-Trump website called PutinTrump.org.[30] WikiLeaks forwarded the story in private to Donald Trump Jr. before publicly tweeting it. Business Insider speculated that Johnson's story in September on GotNews may have marked the beginning of Donald Trump Jr.'s—and the Trump campaign's—back-channel contact with Julian Assange and Wikileaks. (Johnson wrote after Wikileaks tweeted the story, "About 2 hours after our original article, Julian Assange's WikiLeaks repeated our discoveries. Guess which big leaks organization reads GotNews & WeSearchr on the downlow! Come on Julian, let's work together. WikiLeaks & WeSearchr is a match made in heaven. We can take down Hillary together.")[31] In August 2017, Johnson brokered and attended a meeting in London between GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and Julian Assange to discuss a presidential pardon for Assange.[32]
Fraudulent sexual harassment claim against Senator Charles Schumer
On December 11, 2017 Johnson wrote on his Facebook page, "Michael Cernovich & I are going to end the career of a U.S. Senator." Johnson claimed to have uncovered a sexual harassment lawsuit against Senator Charles Schumer. The lawsuit, however, turned out to be a forgery. Moreover, language in the forged lawsuit was copied verbatim from a real sexual-harassment complaint filed against Rep. John Conyers. Schumer referred the matter to Capitol police for investigation.[33][34]
Charge of Holocaust denial
Johnson once posted on a Reddit Ask Me Anything "I do not and never have believed the six million figure" (referring to the number of people killed in the Holocaust) and "I agree with [Holocaust denier] David Cole about Auschwitz and the gas chambers not being real."[35] When Rep. Matthew Gaetz brought Johnson to President Donald Trump's 2018 State of the Union Address as a guest of Florida, the national director of the Anti-Defamation League cited these statements — along with Johnson's website WeSearchr having raised more than $150,000 for the legal defense of neo-Nazi propagandist Andrew Anglin and other actions — in urging Gaetz to "discontinue any association with Johnson and to publicly repudiate his views immediately".[36][37]
Johnson denies he is a Holocaust denier. He said "I support Israel as a Jewish state and Zionism as a concept" in the same Reddit thread where his Holocaust denial statements appeared,[35] is a donor to the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and is currently suing the Huffington Post over claims that he is a Holocaust denier.[38]
Books
Johnson has written two books published through Encounter Books,[39] Why Coolidge Matters (2013, ISBN 1-59403-669-1); an essay collection encompassing various points in Calvin Coolidge's political career,[40] and The Truth About the IRS Scandals (2013), ISBN 9781594037443; a book covering the IRS targeting controversy and alleging the since-debunked assertion that the agency targeted primarily conservative and right-leaning groups.[41][42]
Gawker lawsuit
In June 2015, Johnson sued Gawker for defamation in Missouri for $66 million for Gawker's publication of rumours that Johnson defecated on the floor while a student at Claremont McKenna College, and filed a similar suit in California in December.[43] In January 2016, the Missouri suit was dismissed.[44] Johnson settled with Gawker's estate in 2018.[45]
Websites (GotNews, WeSearchr, Freestartr)
Johnson was the founder of three websites, all of which are defunct.
In early 2014, Johnson created GotNews, an alt-right news website.[7] The site closed on September 17, 2018.[46] GotNews filed for bankruptcy in May 2019. The bankruptcy petition lists GotNews' total liabilities as between $500,000 and $1 million.[47]
In 2015, Johnson created WeSearchr, a crowd-funding website. By 2017, the site became a fundraising platform for alt-right causes, though Johnson claimed that was not his intention. Neo-Nazi Andrew Anglin, founder of The Daily Stormer, used the website to raise money to defend himself against a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of a woman trolled by followers of Anglin.[48] In addition to crowdfunding legal battles, the site was also designed to crowd-fund bounties on reporting goals. According to Johnson, he used the site to receive money for information he had already acquired.[49] The site closed in May 2017.[49][50][51]
Johnson also started the crowdfunding site Freestartr, which collected funds for white nationalist Richard B. Spencer,[52] far-right activist Tommy Robinson,[53] Canadian nationalist Faith Goldy,[54] Johnson himself,[55] and others. In mid-2018, Freestartr stopped accepting funds, as the site was banned by Stripe and PayPal, which Freestartr used to process payments.[54][56]
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