Far-right media outlet One America News (OAN) routinely promoted former President Donald Trump's lies that the 2020 election was stolen from him—the same lies that prompted a mob of pro-Trump extremists to storm the United States Capitol in a deadly failed insurrection.
Believing the fantasy that the 2020 election saw widespread fraud coordinated by Democrats which amounted to a coup, these supporters shattered windows, ransacked offices, and called for the execution of elected officials they saw as disloyal to Trump—including former Vice President Mike Pence. Their goal was to upend the joint congressional session acknowledging then-President-elect Joe Biden's victory.
But OAN was apparently undeterred by the display of far-right extremism on January 6, because one of its hosts—Pearson Sharp—is calling for mass executions of those responsible for the nonexistent widespread election fraud he believes took place.
Watch the shocking video below.
There's a real fascist vibe to this One America News personality calming calling for the execution of potentially tens of thousands of Americans over fake voter fraud claims.pic.twitter.com/wm4E0qVJaf— Will Sommer (@Will Sommer) 1624510510
Sharp cited the baseless conservative "audit" of Maricopa County, Arizona's votes—which have already been counted, recounted, and examined—as evidence that Trump's lies would be vindicated. He also suggested audits in other states, which haven't occurred yet, would further prove Trump's election fraud fantasies.
In the video, riddled with falsehoods, Sharp asks:
"What are the consequences for traitors who meddled with our sacred Democratic process and tried to steal power by taking away the voices of the American people? What happens to them?"
The next part is chilling.
Sharp says:
"Well, in the past, America had a very good solution for dealing with such traitors: execution."
For years, believers of the deranged QAnon conspiracy web—which hinges on the belief that Trump was sent to save the nation from a secret network of satanic cannibal pedophiles—have awaited a day of mass arrests and executions of those they see as political enemies.
Will Sommer of the Daily Beast said QAnoners were excited by the Sharp's words, seeing it as evidence that this day would finally come.
I came across the clip because QAnon people are see it as proof that the mass executions are right around the corner. Lots of glee in the Q chat rooms, demands for how exactly their imagined executions will be carried out and complaints they had to wait too long.
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) June 24, 2021
People saw the video as completely unhinged.
Let me be clear: more people will die bc of craven propaganda like this. People who believe election was a \u201ccoup\u201d + view gov\u2019t officials as traitors will seek what they view as \u201cjustice.\u201d When there are no arrests bc this is all a lie they will take matters into their own hands.https://twitter.com/willsommer/status/1407925243000365057\u00a0\u2026— Rep. Peter Meijer (@Rep. Peter Meijer) 1624543885
Sinister and disturbing. This network is sponsoring the fake Arizona recount while calling for executions based on the bogus fraud claims it peddles.https://twitter.com/willsommer/status/1407925243000365057\u00a0\u2026— Brendan Nyhan (@Brendan Nyhan) 1624539461
No biggie, just the favorite news channel of the former President calling for mass executions of US citizens.https://twitter.com/willsommer/status/1407925243000365057\u00a0\u2026— Seth Cotlar (@Seth Cotlar) 1624512795
This plays like something out of V for Vendetta.https://twitter.com/willsommer/status/1407925243000365057\u00a0\u2026— Bradley P. Moss (@Bradley P. Moss) 1624538919
OAN is extremely dangeroushttps://twitter.com/willsommer/status/1407925243000365057\u00a0\u2026— Jennifer Hayden (@Jennifer Hayden) 1624539924
They called on cable companies or the Federal Communications Commission to intervene against the incendiary lies.
There needs to be a more robust effort to pressure cable providers to not include @OANN in their packages. This is dangerous, radicalizing content.https://twitter.com/willsommer/status/1407925243000365057\u00a0\u2026— Ahmed Baba (@Ahmed Baba) 1624542025
I once again ask @ATT why they continue to fund this network that is now openly calling for mass executionshttps://twitter.com/willsommer/status/1407925243000365057\u00a0\u2026— Timothy Burke (@Timothy Burke) 1624538745
This stuff just runs normally as part of your cable news package. America, 2021.https://twitter.com/willsommer/status/1407925243000365057\u00a0\u2026— Mehdi Hasan (@Mehdi Hasan) 1624541415
the FCC just letting US broadcast nets operate as american ISIS propaganda huhhttps://twitter.com/willsommer/status/1407925243000365057\u00a0\u2026— kilgore trout, dna harvester (@kilgore trout, dna harvester) 1624539580
With the airing of this clip, Sharp and OAN have further entrenched viewers in deranged fantasies that may end in violence.
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