VICTOR JOECKS: Conservative conspiracy theories keep coming true

Yesterday’s right-wing conspiracy theories are today’s conventional wisdom. That’s long been true, but recent events provide a plethora of examples.

Hunter Biden is on trial for a federal firearm infraction. On Tuesday, prosecutors presented a key part of their case, a laptop that the younger Biden left at a computer repair shop. FBI Special Agent Erika Jensen verified that the laptop belonged to Hunter. It contains heaps of evidence that Biden was a drug addict when he purchased a gun in 2018. That includes photos and text messages confirming his drug use. Jensen said the information on the laptop matched files from Hunter’s iCloud account.

This isn’t the first time this laptop made news. It’s the same laptop that the New York Post exposed in October 2020. Its bombshell report didn’t just show Hunter behaving badly. It contained emails directly linking now-President Joe Biden to Hunter’s shady business dealings. The corruption, especially his actions involving the Ukrainian energy company Burisma, could have cost Biden the election.

But discussing the laptop quickly became verboten. It “has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation,” a letter signed by more than 50 senior intelligence officials said. It was worse than that. As journalist Michael Shellenberger showed in the Twitter Files, the FBI and intelligence community spent months priming Twitter to believe the Hunter laptop was Russian disinformation. Twitter and Facebook suppressed the story. Twitter even locked down the Post’s account.

But as the FBI just acknowledged in court, the laptop and its contents were Hunter’s all along.

Dr. Anthony Fauci sounds different these days, too. He recently testified before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. Before the hearing, the panel released a transcript of closed-door testimony Fauci gave in January. Fauci said he “was not aware of studies” that supported the 6-foot social distancing rule. “It sort of just appeared,” he testified. Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between “science” and magic.

Captain Double-Masking was asked if he reviewed any studies about the effectiveness of masking children. “I don’t recall specifically that I did. I might have,” he said.

He also said the lab leak theory is “a possibility.” Facebook once banned posts asserting the virus was man-made.

Republicans have long argued Biden’s policies created the border crisis. In January, President Biden was asked if there was anything more he could do to stop it. “I’ve done all I can do,” he said. The upcoming election and his bad poll numbers changed his tune. On Tuesday, he announced “new actions to secure the border,” a White House release read. Even though his moves are full of holes, they show the falseness of his previous claim.

Democrats have long scoffed at questions around Biden’s mental fitness. In 2022, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she couldn’t “keep up with him.” In 2023, Biden’s physician said he was “vigorous.” When special counsel Robert Hur declined to prosecute Biden because of his age and memory lapses, Biden snapped back, “My memory is fine.” He then forgot who the president of Egypt was.

Viral videos show an elderly man in decline. There’s one of Biden freezing after exiting his SUV. There’s one of Biden awkwardly squatting on stage. There’s one of Biden appearing to doze off during a speech. And that’s just from his trip to France in honor of D-Day. The Wall Street Journal put out a piece Tuesday noting, “Behind closed doors, Biden shows signs of slipping.”

The left would rather permanently torch the credibility of society’s institutions than admit the obvious. It’s why conservative conspiracy theories keep coming true.

Contact him at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4698. Follow @victorjoecks on X.