Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) was apparently invited to go on Tucker Carlson’s Fox show this week, which he — predictably — declined, and in a video message explaining his position, Kinzinger tore into Carlson’s rhetoric that essentially amounts to pro-Putin propaganda amid the war in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion of the country. Kinzinger laid out in that video message how Carlson’s “insistence that the West was provoking war with Putin, his spreading lies about biolabs, and his continued spewing of conspiracy theories are nothing but complete evil.” Pretty blunt! Kinzinger also called Carlson a “self-serving showboat clamoring for more clicks tonight.” Well, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) — one of the leaders in the far-right — took notice, but Kinzinger… let’s just say he wasn’t impressed.
Tucker Carlson Republicans love Putin and hate freedom. #SoftOnRussia https://t.co/1al4RTKH1e
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) March 15, 2022
Addressing Kinzinger, Greene babbled in response to his video: “You are terrified to face [Tucker Carlson] so you are using this to collect emails for fundraising. Since you are so desperate, you should stick to your usual tactics like sharing war propaganda, which unfortunately seems to working on most. This is gross.” In Kinzinger’s video message, he outlined how he was collecting donations for humanitarian assistance for those affected by the Ukraine conflict. More broadly, what Greene appears to be referring to as “war propaganda” apparently constitutes messages in support of Ukraine. Kinzinger commented in response:
‘”Sharing propaganda which seems to be working on most, unfortunately.” So that “propaganda” is pro-Ukraine? I know you’re having a bad month, but to cheer you up: I hear the white nationalists got ahold of a space laser! Double win for you!’
Kinzinger’s “space laser” comments mockingly refer to conspiracy theories in which the Georgia Congresswoman has dabbled — to put it lightly. As summarized by Media Matters for America, Greene made comments on Facebook regarding a 2018 California fire “that echoed QAnon conspiracy theorists and falsely claimed that the real and hidden culprit behind the disaster was a laser from space triggered by some nefarious group of people.” Obviously, that’s all brazen nonsense. More acutely, Greene has been among those spreading pro-Putin rhetoric in the context of the unfolding war in Ukraine — she’s fallen on the Putin regime’s side even more broadly than what Kinzinger pointed out. As Greene recently claimed, “Biden’s weakness was displayed for all the world to see with his embarrassing failures in Afghanistan. This is why, Putin invaded Ukraine, Iran is firing missiles at our consulate in Iraq, & China is dominating.” Appearing to try and partly excuse Putin’s government for the invasion of Ukraine — and even passingly implying that he was goaded into war, which is where Greene’s ally Carlson has explicitly taken the argument — shouldn’t be remotely acceptable.
Meanwhile on #Russia's state TV: yet another clip of Tucker Carlson, who brought back his "Russia expert" Clint Ehrlich to argue that Putin actually benefits from our sanctions. Note that Ehrlich has been groomed by Russia's Foreign Ministry in Moscow (thread).#TuckyoRose pic.twitter.com/y7m5ik57ks
— Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) March 15, 2022
