Accused Capitol rioter had 'Foxitis,' his attorney says: He 'started believing what was being fed to
Source: Washington Post
Accused Capitol rioter had Foxitis, his attorney says: He 'started believing what was being fed to him
In the six months leading up to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Anthony Antonio spent his days watching Fox News a habit that actually made him ill, his attorney told a D.C. federal magistrate judge on Thursday.
His ailment? Foxitis, his attorney said, the HuffPost reported. He became hooked with what I call
Foxmania.
In the virtual hearing, which went awry when another alleged Capitol rioter interrupted with obscenities, Antonios attorney, Joseph Hurley, claimed that Fox Newss decision to regularly air then-President Donald Trumps false claims of mass election fraud contributed to Antonios decision to participate in the insurrection.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/05/07/fox-news-anthony-antonio-capitol-riot/
Ah! The old Twinkie defense!
MissMillie
(38,585 posts)Being drunk doesn't excuse anyone for driving drunk and killing someone. Why should this defense fly?
OldBaldy1701E
(5,167 posts)But, I also know how insane our justice system can get, so I won't say it 'can't'.
hot2na
(358 posts)reACTIONary
(5,788 posts)The hearing grew increasingly chaotic when another alleged rioter, who was waiting for his own hearing, interjected repeatedly.... At the mention of Foxitis, he yelled, I object," F--- all of you, I dont like you people and You cant come get me if I dont want you to,. The judge ordered him evaluated for mental competency.
OldBaldy1701E
(5,167 posts)And, once it is shown that they were in their right minds, and that their actions were the result of arrogance and massive Dunning Kruger Syndrome, then we can stop with the attempts to prove these insurrectionists were anything other than asshats. And, dangerous ones at that for buying into anything some flashy television how tells them is real. Their only 'ailment' is stupidity, which is devastating, but is not illegal inandof itself.
twodogsbarking
(9,840 posts)I say he would.
reACTIONary
(5,788 posts)oldsoftie
(12,623 posts)And if he REALLY spent his "days" watching nothing but Fox, the prosecution can show plenty of clips from actual NEWS people to contradict the blathering from Tucker et al.
Hell, Fox was the first network to call the election for Biden!
mpcamb
(2,878 posts)machoneman
(4,012 posts)Yonnie3
(17,497 posts)KS Toronado
(17,358 posts)FQX needs to go down the drain for the good of the country. Maybe we should push the DOJ or FCC to do something.
Justice matters.
(6,944 posts)KS Toronado
(17,358 posts)since he's the owner. Fairly certain we can extradite him if necessary, besides I believe he's in this country
quite a bit.
TexasBushwhacker
(20,220 posts)He hasn't lived in Australia in decades and became an American citizen in 1985.
Justice matters.
(6,944 posts)Rupert MuRdoch's Evil EmpiRe has been handed down to his two sons, James & Lachlan. James Murdoch resigned from his post over the Evil-EmpiRe's standing on Climate Change (denying it). Lachlan, the remaining CEO of the Evil EmpiRe, recently moved to COVID-free Australia because he wanted to live in a COVID-free environment.
The Wizard
(12,551 posts)NCjack
(10,279 posts)LudwigPastorius
(9,190 posts)assfluenza
dolt-theria
cretinpox
twit-itus
kooktussis
clownulosis
and
Acquired Graymatter Deficiency Syndrome
Best_man23
(4,910 posts)Unless they can prove someone at Faux strapped him to a chair in front of a TV w/Faux News and forced his eyes open, like in Robot Chicken.
ancianita
(36,147 posts)Defense lawyers can put lipstick on the stupidity pig, but it insults both judges and pigs.
whopis01
(3,525 posts)He still still bears the full blame and consequences of his actions. But pointing out the role that Fox and other media sources played in this is important.
This movement didnt happen because a bunch of independently thinking people came to the same conclusion and then decided to band together. These people were told what to believe and what to do and then happily went along with it. The large media entities pushing the lies and stoking the fears played an integral role in what happened.
He deserves no absolution based on this. But at the same time, Fox, and other entities, should be held responsible as well.
As more and more people come out and say 'I did it because Fox told me to,' Fox should be held more and more accountable for what they say. They're not just screaming fire in a crowded theatre, they're screaming it across the country and people have already lost their lives as a result. Fucker Carlson and the rest have blood on their hands.
Wednesdays
(17,439 posts)Fox is a scourge on this country.
And yet, wasn't it the Repug Party that, for two generations, endlessly repeated "Personal responsibility! Personal responsibility!"?
Justice matters.
(6,944 posts)R there extradition treaties with Aussies?
Though he still bares responsibility for his actions, it is good to call out Fox News whenever possible. I hope more lawyers try to use this defense so Fox can be indicted along side the insurrectionists. Perhaps it will help to loosen Fox's grip on some Americans. Maybe it will eventually lead to some class action lawsuits as well.
Skittles
(153,212 posts)I bet these idiots are still watching Fox News
FailureToCommunicate
(14,025 posts)Last edited Fri May 7, 2021, 09:24 AM - Edit history (1)
Montauk6
(8,080 posts)...because they suffered from Goebbelsitis?
Or we should look the other way on racist White supremacist/separatist groups because they're victims of "Lost Cause"-itis?
GTFOH!!!
rpannier
(24,341 posts)That's the one where you are highly contagious and need to be totally isolated from everyone for 15-20 years
TNNurse
(6,929 posts)but it is not a defense.
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,372 posts)niyad
(113,600 posts)johnthewoodworker
(694 posts)Baitball Blogger
(46,765 posts)I heard of the "You made me do it" defense. And now it's the "Fox made me do it" defense.
NewHendoLib
(60,024 posts)we have nearly half of the population infected with Rushitis, Hannityitis, Foxmania, etc - but IT WORKS. It is NOT a defense for the listener - it is a warning that the half of us who maintains our sanity can't take it lightly - somehow it must be confronted. That the BIG LIE persists is an utter failure of our system, and our media.
lonely bird
(1,689 posts)Our society does not encourage critical thinking. Faux Noise in particular and conservatism in general do not want people thinking. Add in instant gratification and poor impulse control and what do we get? Mass idiocy and the maturity of spoiled 4 year olds.
NewHendoLib
(60,024 posts)summer_in_TX
(2,762 posts)The documentary "The Brainwashing of My Dad" is a real example of the changes a diet of RW media had on a man, and then how his personality changed again when his wife and daughter made it impossible for him to have a solely RW media diet anymore.
An earlier documentary, "Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism," showed some of the techniques they used.
Heck, Jon Stewart illustrated the Republicans' brainwashing techniques perfectly. The administration spokesperson would use a new turn of phrase in the morning, then every pundit and anchor on RW media would use the exact same phrase. Studies into Hitler and Goebbels' techniques showed the power of repetition ("broken record technique" and the "bandwagon effect" (a desire to join what seems to be a trend).
The notion that Obama wasn't born in the U.S. was given credence and wings by the toxic stew of RW media plus a few well-dressed members of Congress plus a certain loud-mouthed billionaire along with repetition.
Not that those who fall for the lies aren't responsible for their actions. But theirs isn't the only culpability here.
louis-t
(23,297 posts)Take fox down with them.
Paladin
(28,276 posts)So I'm good with this Capitol rioter spending the rest of his miserable life behind bars.
AllaN01Bear
(18,511 posts)foxitis . oh laywers are now drs .?
Devil Child
(2,728 posts)I couldve sworn these types also claimed they were the critical thinkers!?
woodsprite
(11,930 posts)taking high profile cases in DE like Capano, Grossberg/Peterson, etc.
Supposedly he dropped Capano before the hearing because he had a message from God during a church service.
Wonder what God is telling him about Antonio?
reACTIONary
(5,788 posts).... his defense strategy sounds like something a billboard lawyer with a 1-800 number would come up with.
JohnSJ
(92,433 posts)Aristus
(66,468 posts)"It's not my fault, Your Honor! I have a syndrome! I have a condition! I'm the victim here!"
Marcuse
(7,522 posts)BumRushDaShow
(129,634 posts)We are going to need a whole new medical dictionary for what "ails" the GOP loons!
Response to reACTIONary (Original post)
The Unmitigated Gall This message was self-deleted by its author.
hadEnuf
(2,217 posts)but it still identifies Fox as the subversive and brainwashing propaganda toll that it is.
Fox needs to be broken up and identified for what it really is.
IronLionZion
(45,550 posts)and other RW media like hate radio.
keroro gunsou
(2,223 posts)are you kidding me? seriously?
The Unmitigated Gall
(3,836 posts)We had Mansonitis!!! Um....no.
ThatJustHappened
(78 posts)Get ready for lots more of this
Cuz the Capitol Rioters
Are the dumbest of the dumb
The one thing the radicalized / indoctrinated
Have in common
Is extreme unintelligence and ignorance
It's what all extremists have in common:
Opus Dei, ISIS, Heaven's Gate, David Koresh
Ruby Ridge, McVeigh, Militia Members, Nazis
Religious nutbags (i.e., ~80% of the GOP)
Covid/Mask/Vaxx/Climate/Science/Reality-deniers
Sure, there's some incidence of schizotypals
(~5x the national average of 4% of population)
And the folks at the top are more evil than stupid
But the followers are dumber than bricks
Which is why the newfound criticism of liberal woke-ism
Being too judgemental/moralistic/blaming of the alt-reich
From James Carville and the like is wrong headed
Cuz ya gotta call a spade a spade
And ignorant = dumb = indoctrinated = lies = evil
UpInArms
(51,285 posts)👍🏼
malthaussen
(17,217 posts)Your defendant was suffering from "Foxitis," eh? Fine, he gets a double sentence.
-- Mal
Jetheels
(991 posts)czarjak
(11,298 posts)Wingus Dingus
(8,059 posts)SpankMe
(2,970 posts)They live their lives hanging on every word FoxNews says. When confronted with facts and contrary evidence, they cry out "fake news - deep state - conspiracy", and they go on believing in the almighty Fox.
Then, when they get caught committing criminal acts, their lawyers are all of a sudden "oh, they were duped by this tricky FoxNews organization. They're not responsible for their actions. It was Fox foolery!"
If we could convert "hate" into electrical energy, the amount of hate I have for Republicans and today's flavor of conservatism each day could power a modern Air Force base. During business hours. In the peak of summer. With back-up power capability.
Dr. T
(97 posts)"radical left wing liberal" line of crap every chance they get on any venue that will have them. Why isn't ANYBODY using the term "radical right wing conservative agenda/terrorist/policy"? These bastards need to be labeled for what they are. Might make some of them think.
AngryOldDem
(14,061 posts)....yet they prove on a daily basis that theyre dumber than a box of rox.
If this defense holds up, Fox should be declared a menace to public health and be dealt with accordingly.
Eyeball_Kid
(7,434 posts)LudwigPastorius
(9,190 posts)should not be held liable for breaking the law."
Ever heard of ignorantia juris non excusat, counselor?
DallasNE
(7,403 posts)He hung on every word Heater said. Farm prices were good so he could indulge in his favorite pastime. Then under Eisenhower farm prices collapsed and times were suddenly hard. Then along came a change to extend Social Security to farmers where they could draw full benefits after paying in for a short period of time. Gabriel Heater was suddenly no longer on the radio. And he re-registered as a Democrat. Impact the pocketbook and attitudes change. At least for some.
ThatJustHappened
(78 posts)Is the official legal defense
perfect encapsulation of every Fox viewer and the entire GOP
As explained by former senior FBI official Chuck Rosenberg
Which simply means that my client is too stupid to tell the difference between truth and fiction
Therefore he could not have formed true intent
Cuz he's just an idiot robot who cannot think for himself
It's a lame defense and will not suffice
But it does perfectly explain the overlapping Venn Diagrams of the religious right, the GOP, FOX viewers and MAGA scum