White House Still Won't Denounce Sandy Hook Conspiracy Theories Despite Newtown's Pleas  

By Molly Osberg  |  December 14, 2017 | 6:02pm
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Five years after the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, the residents of Newtown, CT, have yet to hear back from the Trump administration. In February, the town asked the president to publicly confirm that the shooting, which claimed 26 lives, was not in fact a government conspiracy played out by hired actors.

In February, as first reported by the Columbia Journalism Review, Newton’s troubled Board of Education sent a letter to the administration requesting its help. The letter, which cited conspiracy theorist and anti-government wellness grifter Alex Jones’ coziness with the president, pointed to the “continued rumors and viciousness spread by many people outside of our homes who believe that our tragedy was a staged government event that never happened,” as a result of Jones’ legitimacy in the eyes of the White House.

Michelle Ku, a member of Newtown’s Board of Education, confirms that nine months after the request, the Trump Administration has yet to respond.

Jones, a figure known for his high metabolism for all manner of insane and anti-Semetic theories, frequently brags about having a (largely unverified) line directly to the president. As recently as this April, parents of children killed by Adam Lanza in Newtown consider themselves “lucky” to get only a handful of death threats a year. There have been at least two arrests of Sandy Hook hoaxers, who descend on the town up each spring to “investigate.” The school superintendent told CJR Sandy Hook truthers continue to bombard the school with “inappropriate” calls, messages, and visits.

The board’s requests were straightforward:

• Recognize that 20 children and 6 adults were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012; and
• Denounce any and all who spread lies that the tragedy was a hoax; and
• Remove your support from anyone who continues to insist that the tragedy was staged or not real.

A request for comment asking whether the president believes Sandy Hook really happened was not returned.

 
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