Scientists Plotting Sedition? Michael Caputo’s Perfect Conspiracy Theory

The Trump loyalist sows fear and hatred by pulling all the classic levers of conspiracism

Scientists are in cahoots, plotting to overthrow the president in an act of sedition, Michael Caputo, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services, claimed over the weekend. Caputo accused scientists “deep in the bowels of the CDC” of giving up on science and becoming “political animals,” as The Washington Post puts it. These scientists are plotting “how they’re going to attack Donald Trump.” Then Caputo rachets the fear up 10 notches in a frightening call to action akin to yelling “fire” in movie theater: “And when Donald Trump refuses to stand down at the inauguration, the shooting will begin,” he said in a Facebook video. “The drills that you’ve seen are nothing. If you carry guns, buy ammunition, ladies and gentlemen, because it’s going to be hard to get.”

Caputo reportedly apologized to his staff today for drawing negative attention to the administration’s health care strategy, according to Politico, blaming his outburst on a combination of physical health issues and the toll of fielding death threats against his family.