The MAGA/Trump community, knowing that the GOP is in trouble for the midterms, is showing its desperation every day.
MAGA ‘influencers’ and self-described ‘reporters’ Nick Sortor and Russian-paid podcaster Benny Johnson posted an AI-created audio file that suggested that James Talarico, Democratic candidate for Senator from Texas, had spent time in Lindner Center of Hope, a facility in Ohio that treats mental illness.
The truth of the matter is, Talarico, who suffers from Type 1 Diabetes, spent 10 days off the campaign trail because he came down with the flu while in Dallas. He went to an urgent care facility there, then visited his own doctor when he got back to Austin. He is fully recovered now and has stated that these allegations are not only ridiculous, but that he has never even BEEN to Ohio!
Additionally, on October 12, the Lindner Center of Hope posted on X that Talarico was never there.
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Who is Benny Johnson?
Over his career, Johnson has been employed by or contracted to write and produce content for several high-profile right-leaning organizations, including Turning Point USA, The Daily Caller, Newsmax TV, Breitbart, and TheBlaze. Earlier in his career, he was a journalist for BuzzFeed, from which he was fired in 2014 for plagiarism. According to the September 2024 U.S. Department of Justice federal indictment, the Russian state-backed network RT (Russia Today) funneled nearly $10 million through a network of shell companies to fund Tenet Media. From that total pool of money, Tenet Media paid out a combined $8.7 million to its roster of conservative commentators. Johnson received a $100,000 signing bonus and his agreement required him to produce four weekly videos.
Who is Nick Sortor?
On October 2, 2025, the conservative social media influencer was arrested by the Portland Police Bureau outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland, Oregon. He was booked into the Multnomah County Jail on a misdemeanor charge of second-degree disorderly conduct following a physical altercation involving demonstrators. Nick Sortor is widely described by media outlets and critics as a MAGA influencer who spreads unproven claims and conspiracy theories targeting Democrats. As a right-wing social media personality with over a million followers on X (formerly Twitter), his reporting style frequently leverages polarization and high-friction narratives under the guise of independent investigative journalism. News outlets and watchdogs, including The Bulwark and MeidasTouch, reported that the claim completely fell apart within hours of being posted. Critics characterized the incident as a clear example of MAGA provocateurs turning unproven outrage and questionable assertions into viral clicks, masquerading misinformation as news. Sortor has another record in Kentucky.
Read about these two ne’er-do-wells Benny Johnson and Nick Sortor and how they are facing criticism for spreading unverified mental health claims about James Talarico’s absence:
Sadly, like other bogus theories (‘Michelle Obama is a man’ or ‘Ilhan Omar married her brother’) they will continue to hold onto this story forever, because they can never admit they made a mistake.
Who is Ken Paxton, Talarico’s GOP opponent?
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– Gave an Epstein style sweetheart deal to his friend, a self admitted pedophile.
– Indicted on fraud charges.
– Impeached by his own party for corruption.
– Stole a $1,000 pen and refused to give it back until threatened with legal action.
– Multiple mistresses and extra marital affairs.
– Spent $10 million of our tax dollars on luxury vacations and billed them as work expenses.
– Owns 15 homes on a government salary of $175,000/year.
– Committed mortgage fraud, listing three different properties as primary residence to obtain favorable loans.
– Fired four employees for being whistleblowers on his corruption. Forced to pay $6 million of our tax dollars to settle their lawsuits.
– Hundreds of blank workdays per year, extensive global travel when he should be on the clock.