Ted Nugent criticized for circulating conspiracy theory about Florida students
Conservative rocker Ted Nugent is being criticized for sharing an article on Facebook that alleges that a survivor of the Florida school shooting was coached to push for gun control.
On Tuesday, Nugent shared an article from Natural News, a publication known for publishing fake science news and conspiracy theories.
The article alleges that one of the student survivors of last week’s Florida school shooting that left 17 dead and 14 wounded was coached on what to say for TV interviews.
The article singled out 17-year-old David Hogg, who has frequently appeared on television to call for gun control since the shootings, accusing him of being coached and reciting his lines.
Nugent, a National Rifle Association board member, also liked a comment on his Facebook post that said Hogg was not even a student and was instead a 26-year-old actor.
Hogg has been the target of numerous conspiracy theories since he began appearing on television, with some alleging that he has been coached by his father, a retired FBI agent.
“I'm not a crisis actor,” Hogg told CNN's Anderson Cooper on Tuesday. “I'm someone who had to witness this and live through this and I continue to be having to do that.”
An aide to Florida state Rep. Shawn Harrison was fired after he told a Tampa Bay Times reporter via email that two survivors of the shooting who appeared in a CNN interview were actually crisis actors.
Nugent has previously been criticized for anti-Semitic and racist comments. In 2016 he also faced heat for sharing a mock video of Hillary Clinton being shot.
Nugent visited the White House last year with fellow rocker Kid Rock and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and was photographed in the Oval Office.
http://thehill.com/homenews/news/374863-ted-nugent-criticized-for-cycling-conspiracy-theory-about-florida-students