Crash Course: Ken Paxton makes a run for it: Fleeing a subpoena, the Texas AG epitomizes cowardice of GOP bullies

Tying with Josh Hawley for the "running Republicans" trophy, the anti-choice lawyer cites fear of a process server. [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0Q2aHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL2xldHRlci81MjA2VwNzcGNCCmMzSyk0Y0y6nbJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpjM0spNGNMup2yUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). [Ken-Paxton] Brandon Bell/Getty Images Ken Paxton makes a run for it: Fleeing a subpoena, the Texas AG epitomizes cowardice of GOP bullies Bullies are always the biggest cowards underneath their blustery exteriors, we know that. But it is satisfying nevertheless when some of the biggest jerks of the GOP prove the point. So it was Monday, when [the Texas Tribune reported that Ken Paxton, the bellicose attorney general of Texas](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGV4YXN0cmlidW5lLm9yZy8yMDIyLzA5LzI2L3RleGFzLWF0dG9ybmV5LWdlbmVyYWwta2VuLXBheHRvbi1zdWJwb2VuYS1hYm9ydGlvbi1sYXdzdWl0L1cDc3BjQgpjM0spNGNMup2yUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), fled a subpoena like it was a magical mirror that reflects the state of a viewer's soul. All credit to the process server, Ernesto Herrera, [for his plain-written but evocative affidavit describing](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0S8aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGF0aWMudGV4YXN0cmlidW5lLm9yZy9tZWRpYS9maWxlcy9kNTg5MjhiOWJjYjAzNGYwY2RmYjI2NzNlOGE5YzYyNy9GdW5kJTIwVGV4YXMlMjB2JTIwUGF4dG9uJTIwUmV0dXJuJTIwb2YlMjBTZXJ2aWNlLnBkZj9fZ2E9Mi4xMzUzOTg5NS4xMDMwODExMDY0LjE2NjQyNzc0NzUtMzM5MjI0MzExLjE2NTM1NjQ3NTlXA3NwY0IKYzNLKTRjTLqdslIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) the response he got from Paxton, who talks tough on Twitter but ran when facing a man simply asking if he could hand him a stack of papers. "As soon as he saw me and heard me call his name out, he turned around and RAN back inside the house through the same door in the garage," Herrera describes. He then observed Paxton's wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, get in a black Chevy and leave the back door open while she started it. "A few minutes later I saw Mr. Paxton RAN from the door inside the garage towards the rear door behind the driver side," he writes. At which point the couple peeled away from the house, leaving the subpoena on the driveway where Herrera had placed it. Paxton, whose feelings were clearly hurt by the Texas Tribune reporting on the Great Chevy Escape, decided it was time to tweet through the shame. He claims that he feared for his life, seeing that man wave legal documents at him. Is it plausible that the top lawyer in Texas, a man with a law degree from the University of Virginia, does not understand what a subpoena is or that it is delivered by a process server? Of course not. These are just the mewling excuses of a man caught giving [Missouri's Sen. Josh "Running Man" Hawley stiff competition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0R9aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMjEvZm9vdGFnZS1vZi1zZW5hdG9yLWpvc2gtaGF3bGV5LWZsZWVpbmctdGhlLWNhcGl0b2wtb24tamFuNi1nZXRzLWEtYmlnLXJlYWN0aW9uLWZyb20tdHdpdHRlci9XA3NwY0IKYzNLKTRjTLqdslIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) for the prize of Biggest Republican Wiener. [Read more from Amanda Marcotte.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0R_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMjcva2VuLXBheHRvbi1tYWtlcy1hLXJ1bi1mb3ItaXQtZmxlZWluZy1hLXN1YnBvZW5hLXRoZS10ZXhhcy1hZy1lcGl0b21pemVzLWNvd2FyZGljZS1vZi1idWxsaWVzL1cDc3BjQgpjM0spNGNMup2yUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) [Donald-Trump,-Donald-Trump-Jr.] Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images Promotion from Finny [Sign up for free!] Game-based finance education for working adults! When it comes down to learning good money habits, there's so much jargon out there. Finny's newsletter, The Gist, is different. Twice a week, you'll get simple 5-minute breakdowns of top money trends, personal finance, and investing tips delivered right to your inbox - for free. We highly recommend it. [Sign up for free!](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvdDM2dWY1ZGgzY1cDc3BjQgpjM0spNGNMup2yUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) Prosecuting Boss Trump: Build a RICO case against his entire criminal empire Trump's lifetime as an outlaw and a racketeer may finally be coming to an end after more than four decades of eluding the criminal law. He is currently encircled by at least six or seven significant civil or criminal investigations.. Most legal scholars or former U.S. prosecutors will likely approach these white-collar, corporate and state crimes evidently committed by Trump and his associates as disparate and unrelated litigating conflicts. I would contend, however, that when Trump's fraudulent behavior is seen through the lenses of racketeering and the vantage point of a criminal enterprise, all his offenses or violations, whether civil or criminal, could be legally brought together and prosecuted under RICO, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Just as Trump and his allies could be prosecuted for sedition, obstruction of justice and election racketeering, in a classic "hub and spoke" [multi-pronged criminal conspiracy](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RhaHR0cHM6Ly90aGVjcmltZXJlcG9ydC5vcmcvMjAyMi8wNy8yMi90aGUtZmluYWwtMTg3LW1pbnV0ZXMtb2YtYS1tdWx0aS1wcm9uZy1jcmltaW5hbC1jb25zcGlyYWN5L1cDc3BjQgpjM0spNGNMup2yUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), the illegal activities at issue in each of these individual investigations or lawsuits can be viewed over time as spokes of the same criminal enterprise.  [Read more from Gregg Barak.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMjcvcHJvc2VjdXRpbmctYm9zcy10cnVtcC1idWlsZC1hLXJpY28tY2FzZS1hZ2FpbnN0LWhpcy1lbnRpcmUtY3JpbWluYWwtZW1waXJlL1cDc3BjQgpjM0spNGNMup2yUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Moron who has no business running for president": [Trump-DeSantis cold war](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RxaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMjcvbW9yb24taGFzLW5vLWJ1c2luZXNzLXJ1bm5pbmctZm9yLXByZXNpZGVudC1kZXNhbnRpcy1jb2xkLWRldm9sdmVzLWludG8taW5zdWx0cy9XA3NwY0IKYzNLKTRjTLqdslIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) devolves into insults - "Unpopular view": [McConnell gushes over Sinema](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0R-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMjcvdW5wb3B1bGFyLXZpZXctbWNjb25uZWxsLWd1c2hlcy1vdmVyLXNpbmVtYS1hcy1zaGUtcHVzaGVzLXRvLWhhbmQtZXZlbi1tb3JlLWZpbGlidXN0ZXItcG93ZXIvVwNzcGNCCmMzSyk0Y0y6nbJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) as she pushes to hand GOP even more filibuster power - Climate change is helping storms such as [Hurricane Ian](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0R6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMjcvY2xpbWF0ZS1jaGFuZ2UtaXMtaGVscGluZy1zdG9ybXMtc3VjaC1hcy1odXJyaWNhbmUtaWFuLXJhcGlkbHktZ2Fpbi1zdHJlbmd0aC1leHBlcnRzLXNheS9XA3NwY0IKYzNLKTRjTLqdslIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) rapidly gain strength, experts say - "You have to think about hope": [Author Silas House](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RMaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMjcvc2lsYXMtbGFyay1hc2NlbmRpbmctY2xpbWF0ZS1yZWZ1Z2Vlcy1kb2dzL1cDc3BjQgpjM0spNGNMup2yUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) on democracy's demise, climate refugees and dogs - A [love letter to Chicago’s tavern pizza](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RUaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMjcvYS1sb3ZlLWxldHRlci10by1jaGljYWdvcy10YXZlcm4tcGl6emEtaW50ZXJydXB0ZWQvVwNzcGNCCmMzSyk0Y0y6nbJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~), interrupted Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpjM0spNGNMup2yUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. [The-Bankruptcy-of-the-Liberal-Ass] Mr. Fish/Original to ScheerPost The return of fascism: Fueled by widening inequality and the bankruptcy of liberalism Extremism is the political cost of pronounced social inequality and political stagnation. Demagogues, who promise moral and economic renewal, vengeance against phantom enemies and a return to lost glory, rise out of the morass. Hatred and violence, already at the boiling point, are legitimized. A reviled ruling class, and the supposed civility and democratic norms it espouses, are ridiculed. It is not, as the philosopher Gabriel Rockhill [points out](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0QraHR0cHM6Ly93d3cueW91dHViZS5jb20vd2F0Y2g_dj1IVWNtVndvTy1QWVcDc3BjQgpjM0spNGNMup2yUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), as if fascism ever went away. "The U.S. did not defeat fascism in WWII," [he writes](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY291bnRlcnB1bmNoLm9yZy8yMDIwLzEwLzE2L3RoZS11LXMtZGlkLW5vdC1kZWZlYXQtZmFzY2lzbS1pbi13d2lpLWl0LWRpc2NyZXRlbHktaW50ZXJuYXRpb25hbGl6ZWQtaXQvVwNzcGNCCmMzSyk0Y0y6nbJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~), "it discretely internationalized it." Fascism, which has always been with us, is again ascendant. The far-right politician [Giorgia Meloni](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RGaHR0cHM6Ly9qYWNvYmluLmNvbS8yMDIwLzA0L2dpb3JnaWEtbWVsb25pLWZyYXRlbGxpLWRpdGFsaWEtZmFyLXJpZ2h0L1cDc3BjQgpjM0spNGNMup2yUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) is expected to become Italy's first female prime minister. Her Fratelli d'Italia party (Brothers of Italy) is a [close ally](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0Q7aHR0cHM6Ly9odW5nYXJ5dG9kYXkuaHUvb3JiYW4tbWVsb25pLWJyb3RoZXJzLW9mLWl0YWx5LWZkaS9XA3NwY0IKYzNLKTRjTLqdslIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) of Hungary's prime minister, Viktor Orbán. A European Parliament resolution recently [declared](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP4QKAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmVsbmFjaW9uYWwuY2F0L2VuL3dvcmxkL2V1cm9wZWFuLXBhcmxpYW1lbnQtZGVjaWRlcy1odW5nYXJ5LW5vLWxvbmdlci1mdWxsLWRlbW9jcmFjeV84ODQ3NzJfMTAyLmh0bWwjOn46dGV4dD1UaGUlMjBFdXJvcGVhbiUyMFBhcmxpYW1lbnQlMjBoYXMlMjBhZ3JlZWQlMjBpbiUyMGElMjByZXNvbHV0aW9uLHZpb2xhdGluZyUyMHRoZSUyMGNvcmUlMjB2YWx1ZXMlMjAlRTIlODAlOEIlRTIlODAlOEJvZiUyMHRoZSUyMEV1cm9wZWFuJTIwVW5pb24uVwNzcGNCCmMzSyk0Y0y6nbJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) that Hungary can no longer be defined as a democracy. Meloni and Orbán are not alone. Sweden Democrats, a party with fascist roots, [took](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RpaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZHcuY29tL2VuL3N3ZWRpc2gtZWxlY3Rpb24tdGhlLWFzdG9uaXNoaW5nLXJpc2Utb2YtdGhlLXJpZ2h0LXdpbmctc3dlZGVuLWRlbW9jcmF0cy9hLTYzMTAwNjk0VwNzcGNCCmMzSyk0Y0y6nbJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) more than 20 percent of the vote in Sweden's general election last week to become the country's second largest political party. France's Marine Le Pen [took](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0R_aHR0cHM6Ly9lZGl0aW9uLmNubi5jb20vZXVyb3BlL2xpdmUtbmV3cy9tYWNyb24tbGUtcGVuLWZyZW5jaC1lbGVjdGlvbi1yZXN1bHRzLTA0LTI0LTIyLWludGwvaF9hMDI0NGRlNmQxNjg5ODUxZTIxZWUzNDkxMDI3ZjBlMVcDc3BjQgpjM0spNGNMup2yUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) better than 41 percent of the vote in April. In Spain, the hard-right Vox party is the [third-largest](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RraHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXVyb25ld3MuY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMTAvc3BhaW4tZmFyLXJpZ2h0LXZveC1wYXJ0eS1lbnRlcnMtcmVnaW9uYWwtZ292ZXJubWVudC1mb3ItdGhlLWZpcnN0LXRpbWVXA3NwY0IKYzNLKTRjTLqdslIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) party in Spain's Parliament. The far-right German AfD or Alternative for Germany party [took more than](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0R7aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL3dvcmxkL25nLWludGVyYWN0aXZlLzIwMTcvc2VwLzI0L2dlcm1hbi1lbGVjdGlvbnMtMjAxNy1sYXRlc3QtcmVzdWx0cy1saXZlLW1lcmtlbC1idW5kZXN0YWctYWZkVwNzcGNCCmMzSyk0Y0y6nbJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) 12 percent in federal elections in 2017, making it the third-largest party, though [it lost](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL3dvcmxkLzIwMjEvc2VwLzI3L2dlcm1hbnktZWxlY3Rpb24tZmFyLXJpZ2h0LWFmZC1sb3Nlcy1zdGF0dXMtYXQtbWFpbi1vcHBvc2l0aW9uVwNzcGNCCmMzSyk0Y0y6nbJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) a few points in the 2021 elections. The U.S. has its own version of fascism, embodied in a Republican Party that coalesces in cult-like fashion around Donald Trump, embraces the magical thinking, misogyny, homophobia and white supremacy of the Christian Right and actively subverts the election process. [Read more from Chris Hedges.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0R2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMjcvdGhlLXJldHVybi1vZi1mYXNjaXNtLWZ1ZWxlZC1ieS13aWRlbmluZy1pbmVxdWFsaXR5LWFuZC10aGUtYmFua3J1cHRjeS1vZi1saWJlcmFsaXNtL1cDc3BjQgpjM0spNGNMup2yUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Ron DeSantis: The Making and Remaking (And Remaking) of a MAGA Heir," [Vanity Fair](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudmFuaXR5ZmFpci5jb20vbmV3cy8yMDIyLzA5L3Jvbi1kZXNhbnRpcy10aGUtbWFraW5nLWFuZC1yZW1ha2luZy1vZi1hLW1hZ2EtaGVpclcDc3BjQgpjM0spNGNMup2yUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "How Kevin McCarthy’s political machine worked to sway the GOP field," [The Washington Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3RvbnBvc3QuY29tL3BvbGl0aWNzLzIwMjIvMDkvMjcvbWNjYXJ0aHktbWlkdGVybXMtZ29wL1cDc3BjQgpjM0spNGNMup2yUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Why Quitting is Underrated," [The Atlantic](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RUaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlYXRsYW50aWMuY29tL2lkZWFzL2FyY2hpdmUvMjAyMi8wOS93aHktcXVpdHRpbmctaXMtdW5kZXJyYXRlZC82NzE1NjIvVwNzcGNCCmMzSyk0Y0y6nbJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "The Last, Painful Days of Anthony Bourdain," [The New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wOS8yNy9kaW5pbmcvYW50aG9ueS1ib3VyZGFpbi1iaW9ncmFwaHkuaHRtbFcDc3BjQgpjM0spNGNMup2yUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Is the Fed's Cure for Inflation Worse than the Disease?" [Intelligencer](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RiaHR0cHM6Ly9ueW1hZy5jb20vaW50ZWxsaWdlbmNlci8yMDIyLzA5L2lzLXRoZS1mZWRzLWN1cmUtZm9yLWluZmxhdGlvbi13b3JzZS10aGFuLXRoZS1kaXNlYXNlLmh0bWxXA3NwY0IKYzNLKTRjTLqdslIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Arizona abortion clinics send women to other states," [Associated Press](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RyaHR0cHM6Ly9hcG5ld3MuY29tL2FydGljbGUvYWJvcnRpb24taGVhbHRoLWFyaXpvbmEtbGVnaXNsYXR1cmUtcGxhbm5lZC1wYXJlbnRob29kLTdmNjI4NzY1NTJhMWJlNDM1ZGE1ZGM1ZTUyMDE0YTIxVwNzcGNCCmMzSyk0Y0y6nbJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) [Donald-Trump,-QAnon,-Alex-Jones] Getty Images/Salon Why Trump went full QAnon: He's desperate — and "those are the only people he's got left" During Trump's Sept. 17 rally in Youngstown, Ohio, members of the audience made a salute tied to the Qanon movement. In the week after his Ohio rally, Trump went on a Q-curious spree, posting a [video](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0Q-aHR0cHM6Ly90cnV0aHNvY2lhbC5jb20vQERyYWdvbmhlYXJ0Ny9wb3N0cy8xMDkwNDUxNjA4OTM4MDUzODRXA3NwY0IKYzNLKTRjTLqdslIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) on his Truth Social page that featured multiple QAnon slogans and [images](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0Q5aHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS93aWxsc29tbWVyL3N0YXR1cy8xNTczMjk3MDY1NDkyNDU1NDI0VwNzcGNCCmMzSyk0Y0y6nbJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) of the ex-president holding a playing card with the letter "Q" on it or striding through the center of a giant upper-case Q with a flagpole over his shoulder. On Friday, at another rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, he seemed to invoke QAnon's main themes and language — claiming that his own MAGA movement was "standing up against" "sick, sinister and evil people from within our own country" — even as the event's security team [tried](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS92aWRlby10cnVtcC1mYW5zLXFhbm9uLXNhbHV0ZS1uLWNhcm9saW5hLXJhbGx5LXRvbGQtc3RvcC0yMDIyLTlXA3NwY0IKYzNLKTRjTLqdslIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) to stop attendees from pointing their fingers in the air. All of this amounts to a stunning escalation of Trump's involvement with the conspiracy theory, after years of flirting with quasi-endorsements of it or coy claims that he had only barely heard of it. In that time, as journalist Mike Rothschild writes in "[The Storm Is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0QpaHR0cHM6Ly9ib29rc2hvcC5vcmcvYS8yNDY0Lzk3ODE2MTIxOTkyOTBXA3NwY0IKYzNLKTRjTLqdslIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)," QAnon metastasized, absorbing old conspiracist claims, applying its logic to new developments and ultimately coloring huge swaths of mainstream Republican politics as well. In a new edition of the book released last month, Rothschild writes that QAnon is "no longer the cool, secret club that you had to speak the jargon to have a chance of getting into. It [is] just 'conservatism' now." [Read Kathryn Joyce's full interview with Mike Rothschild.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMjcvd2h5LXdlbnQtZnVsbC1xYW5vbi1oZXMtZGVzcGVyYXRlLS1hbmQtdGhvc2UtYXJlLXRoZS1vbmx5LXBlb3BsZS1oZXMtZ290LWxlZnQvVwNzcGNCCmMzSyk0Y0y6nbJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmMzSyk0Y0y6nbJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlFq5IP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpjM0spNGNMup2yUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)