# Stupid Republican idea of the day **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 26, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897 "2009-03-26T18:48:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1596
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31902 "2016-12-05T05:11:50Z")
A good guy with a gun went into Comet Ping Pong pizza in Washington DC to investigate the fake news report that Hillary and John Podesta were running a child sex ring out of the pizza place. After firing one shot, he was taken into custody. > **[Comet Ping Pong Gunman Said He Was Investigating Fictitious Conspiracy...](https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/man-with-assault-rifle-arrested-at-comet-ping-pong-in-nw-dc/111295/)** > > A gunman investigating a fake news story about Hillary Clinton running a child sex ring out of a Washington, D.C., pizzeria was arrested after firing inside the restaurant, police said. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31903 "2016-12-05T11:37:05Z")
Who names a pizza parlor “Comet Ping Pong”? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31904 "2016-12-05T11:47:45Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Who names a pizza parlor “Comet Ping Pong”? Someone who never in their wildest dreams imagined they’d become the focal point of a far-right conspiracy theory, one assumes. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31905 "2016-12-05T12:58:21Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > A good guy with a gun went into Comet Ping Pong pizza in Washington DC to investigate the fake news report that Hillary and John Podesta were running a child sex ring out of the pizza place. After firing one shot, he was taken into custody. > [http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Man-With-Assault-Rifle-Arrested-at-Comet-Ping-Pong-in-NW-DC-404634716.html?cid=sm\_fb](http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Man-With-Assault-Rifle-Arrested-at-Comet-Ping-Pong-in-NW-DC-404634716.html?cid=sm_fb) And Trump’s NSA’s son, Michael Flynn Jr., [continues to promote](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/fake-news-weaponized) this ridiculous (and apparently dangerous) conspiracy theory. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31906 "2016-12-05T17:05:36Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > And Trump’s NSA’s son, Michael Flynn Jr., [continues to promote](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/fake-news-weaponized) this ridiculous (and apparently dangerous) conspiracy theory. You know what I really like ? It’s customary in US news articles to tack on basic factoids on the principals at the end of the story, but here the innocuous "Flynn will become the White House National Security Advisor in a month and a half."manages to sound both contemptuous and like a looming threat. Good show, Josh Marshall. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31907 "2016-12-05T17:30:10Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > A good guy with a gun went into Comet Ping Pong pizza in Washington DC to investigate the fake news report that Hillary and John Podesta were running a child sex ring out of the pizza place. After firing one shot, he was taken into custody. > [http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Man-With-Assault-Rifle-Arrested-at-Comet-Ping-Pong-in-NW-DC-404634716.html?cid=sm\_fb](http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Man-With-Assault-Rifle-Arrested-at-Comet-Ping-Pong-in-NW-DC-404634716.html?cid=sm_fb) So many questions. 1\> Has the owner already sued the fuck out of everyone involved? 2\> How is this a ‘good guy’? 3+\> So this chucklefuck thought he’d just show up to this pizza place with a gun and get to the bottom of serious criminal allegations that clearly, no actual police are bothering to investigate? I always wonder what the thinking is here. Like everyone just marches out with their hands up, surrenders peaceably and everyone hails him as a hero while they pull two dozen women out of cages in the back? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31908 "2016-12-05T17:32:52Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > So many questions. > > 2\> How is this a ‘good guy’? Anti-Clinton I assume. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and all that. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31909 "2016-12-05T17:39:00Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > So many questions. > > 1\> Has the owner already sued the fuck out of everyone involved? > 2\> How is this a ‘good guy’? > 3+\> So this chucklefuck thought he’d just show up to this pizza place with a gun and get to the bottom of serious criminal allegations that clearly, no actual police are bothering to investigate? I always wonder what the thinking is here. Like everyone just marches out with their hands up, surrenders peaceably and everyone hails him as a hero while they pull two dozen women out of cages in the back? > [@Procrustus](#): > > Anti-Clinton I assume. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and all that. It’s a common sarcastic phrase applied to anyone who shoots up a place. Since the NRA likes to say that the only thing that will stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun, and since everyone naturally should have a gun, then everyone with a gun is necessarily a good guy with a gun. Until they’re not. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31910 "2016-12-05T21:38:30Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > So many questions. > > 1\> Has the owner already sued the fuck out of everyone involved? > {…} Almost without a doubt, he (and almost all of the other people “accused”) really can’t because of [_New York Times Co. v. Sullivan_, 376 U.S. 254 (1964)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Times_Co._v._Sullivan). CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31911 "2016-12-05T22:49:56Z")
That’s for public figures. You could reasonably argue that just being a small businessman does not make you a “public figure”. Then malice would not need to be proved. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31912 "2016-12-05T23:15:46Z")
I hope the pizza shop shooter has mental issues. If you hear that Hillary Clinton is running a child sex ring from a pizza joint… Nevermind the gun and the vigilante justice overreaction… If you hear that Hillary Clinton is running a child sex ring from a pizza joint, and you believe it, that’s deplorable, and you are as dumb as they come. Unless you have issues. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31913 "2016-12-05T23:34:09Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > I hope the pizza shop shooter has mental issues. If you hear that Hillary Clinton is running a child sex ring from a pizza joint… Nevermind the gun and the vigilante justice overreaction… If you hear that Hillary Clinton is running a child sex ring from a pizza joint, and you believe it, that’s deplorable, and you are as dumb as they come. Unless you have issues. I agree. [And I would assume that Michael Flynn also has mental issues.](http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/05/politics/mike-flynn-jr-son-pizza-gate-conspiracy-theory-donald-trump/) > [@](#): > > The son of Donald Trump’s incoming national security adviser continued to push a fictitious online conspiracy theory about a Washington, DC, pizza restaurant on Sunday as police arrested an armed man who said he had come to investigate. Seriously. How sad is this that this dude STILL CLINGS to this insane theory, even now. But then, as we’ve been told by Trump’s closest advisors, facts don’t matter anymore. They can simply say whatever shit pops into their heads, and it becomes the truth, because Trump got voted in. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31914 "2016-12-05T23:37:41Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Almost without a doubt, he (and almost all of the other people “accused”) really can’t because of [_New York Times Co. v. Sullivan_, 376 U.S. 254 (1964)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Times_Co._v._Sullivan). > > CMC fnord! Is the owner of the Pizza parlor a public figure? Because they’re certainly defaming him and his business. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31915 "2016-12-06T00:39:32Z")
> [@Punoqllads](#): > > That’s for public figures. You could reasonably argue that just being a small businessman does not make you a “public figure”. Then malice would not need to be proved. > [@Chimera](#): > > Is the owner of the Pizza parlor a public figure? Because they’re certainly defaming him and his business. Given that,James Alefantis is the ex-boyfriend of David Brock, which led to him being ranked No. 49 in GQ’s 2012 edition of the 50 most powerful people in Washington, because of his fund raising efforts for the Democratic Party,I seriously doubt that anyone he sues isn’t going to claim he’s a “public figure\*” and, almost certainly, prevail on that issue in court. \*Remember, just because you,and I, haven’t heard of the person doesn’t make them not a _public figure_. The entire reason he and his restaurant are part of this story is because he’s involved in fund raising for the Democratic Party . . . they didn’t pick his name out of the phone-book. CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31916 "2016-12-06T01:05:14Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Given that,James Alefantis is the ex-boyfriend of David Brock, > which led to him being ranked No. 49 in GQ’s 2012 edition of the 50 most powerful people in Washington, > because of his fund raising efforts for the Democratic Party,I seriously doubt that anyone he sues isn’t going to claim he’s a “public figure\*” and, almost certainly, prevail on that issue in court. > > \*Remember, just because you,and I, haven’t heard of the person doesn’t make them not a _public figure_. The entire reason he and his restaurant are part of this story is because he’s involved in fund raising for the Democratic Party . . . they didn’t pick his name out of the phone-book. > > CMC fnord! I’m weak on the law in cases like this. Are you implying that it’s OK to spread false rumours about a business, put these rumours up on the internet, an if those false statements then leads to an armed man shooting the place up… No harm-no foul, as long as the owner is a “public figure”? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31917 "2016-12-06T01:24:33Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I’m weak on the law in cases like this. Are you implying that it’s OK to spread false rumours about a business, put these rumours up on the internet, an if those false statements then leads to an armed man shooting the place up… > > No harm-no foul, as long as the owner is a “public figure”? Not just no but, HELL no! CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31918 "2016-12-06T02:15:04Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I’m weak on the law in cases like this. Are you implying that it’s OK to spread false rumours about a business, put these rumours up on the internet, an if those false statements then leads to an armed man shooting the place up… > > No harm-no foul, as long as the owner is a “public figure”? No. But to successfully sue them you have to prove (preponderance of the evidence, i.e., more likely than not) that they spread the rumors with “actual malice” (know it to be false or reckless disregard for truth). But to be a “public figure” I feel would require more than just getting written up in an article on “powerful” people. The usual examples are politicians, sports stars, movie stars, rock stars, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31919 "2016-12-06T05:06:35Z")
> [@Punoqllads](#): > > No. But to successfully sue them you have to prove (preponderance of the evidence, i.e., more likely than not) that they spread the rumors with “actual malice” (know it to be false or reckless disregard for truth). Would Flynn’s son continuing to spread the rumor AFTER all of the media surrounding the arrest of the deranged moron count as ‘reckless disregard’? Damn sure would if I was on the jury. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31920 "2016-12-06T05:27:44Z")
[Things did not go well for Eric Trump when he tweeted that the money spent on the Wisconsin recount could have saved the lives of 5000 children.](http://usuncut.news/2016/12/06/twitter-roasts-eric-trump-for-saying-the-wisconsin-recount-killed-5000-children-tweets/) ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/31921 "2016-12-06T17:01:18Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > Would Flynn’s son continuing to spread the rumor AFTER all of the media surrounding the arrest of the deranged moron count as ‘reckless disregard’? Damn sure would if I was on the jury. Me too. His lawyer would have to present some good evidence of mental infirmity for me to believe that the did not have reckless disregard… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1595) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=1597)