The Hill columnist and Fox News analyst <a href="http://www.dailywire.com/topic/juan-williams/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Juan Williams</a> threw his analysis behind failed presidential candidate <a href="http://www.dailywire.com/topic/evan-mcmullin/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evan McMullin</a>, arguing that the independent Senate candidate could win against incumbent Senator <a href="http://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-lee/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Lee</a> (R-UT) — because of &#8220;Star Wars.&#8221;
Williams laid out the case for McMullin — and for a viable third party in general — in a <a href="https://thehill.com/opinion/3660943-juan-williams-an-odd-race-in-utah-gives-hope-to-the-nation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">column</a> published by The Hill on Monday. He noted that the race was certainly a long shot, especially for a third-party candidate, and compared it to the final scene of &#8220;Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.&#8221; McMullin, he said, was no different from Luke Skywalker attempting to take out the Death Star.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
What makes <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Utah?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Utah</a> significant is that <a href="https://twitter.com/EvanMcMullin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EvanMcMullin</a> win potentially opens a new way for politicians to get out of the rut of polarized, do-nothing, two-party politics. Think of Evan as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars trying to blow up the Empire’s starship. <a href="https://t.co/4ZQ2yBctQF">https://t.co/4ZQ2yBctQF</a>
&mdash; Juan Williams (@TheJuanWilliams) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheJuanWilliams/status/1574864969304346624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Williams&#8217; column, titled &#8220;An odd race in Utah gives hope to the nation,&#8221; opened with the fact that only eight independent U.S. Senators have been elected since 1971 — and noted that the Utah race is just strange enough to possibly deliver a ninth.
Dubbed &#8220;the strangest Senate race in America&#8221; by Politico, the Utah Senate race features an incumbent Republican (Lee), no Democrat, and McMullin running as an independent. McMullin has the support of some Utah Democrats in this contest.
&#8220;What takes it beyond strange to significant is that a McMullin win potentially opens a new way for politicians to get out of the rut of polarized, do-nothing, two-party politics,&#8221; Williams opined. &#8220;Think of McMullin as Luke Skywalker, the rebel pilot in Star Wars, trying to blow up the Empire’s star ship.&#8221;
Williams went on to note that American voters have often said that they would like to see a viable <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/329639/support-third-political-party-high-point.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">third-party</a> option — but that when it came time to vote, nothing changed.
&#8220;Last year, 62 percent of voters told Gallup they want a third-party alternative to the Republicans and Democrats. Those numbers mean McMullin is an underdog in the right place at the right time to benefit from widespread discontent,&#8221; Williams explained, adding, &#8220;In other words, to continue the Star Wars analogy, a lot of people well beyond Utah’s corners are hoping &#8216;The Force&#8217; is with McMullin.&#8221;
According to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mike-lee-narrowly-leads-evan-mcmullin-utah-senate-race-poll-2022-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent polling</a>, Lee still holds a slight lead over McMullin — 36%-34% — but another 16% of those polled said that they had not yet made a decision about the race.
A previous version of this article incorrectly stated McMullin ran as a Republican in 2016. He ran as an Independent.

Jenna Bush Hager And Barbara Bush Visit “The Five”

Juan Williams Thinks Evan McMullin Could Beat Mike Lee Because Of ‘Star Wars’

Juan Williams Thinks Evan McMullin Could Beat Mike Lee Because Of 'Star Wars'

Evan McMullin

Juan Williams

Mike Lee

Star Wars

Utah

Two days after the presidential election, former presidential candidate Evan McMullin, who ran for the office along with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in 2016, promoted the idea of making a list targeting those who back Trump&#8217;s call to investigate potential voter fraud. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) agreed, calling for someone to begin &#8220;archiving&#8221; statements by &#8220;Trump sycophants.&#8221;
McMullin tweeted, “We should keep and publish a list of everyone who assists Trump’s frivolous and dangerous attacks on the election. Name and shame forever.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
We should keep and publish a list of everyone who assists Trump’s frivolous and dangerous attacks on the election. Name and shame forever.
&mdash; Evan McMullin 🇺🇸 (@EvanMcMullin) <a href="https://twitter.com/EvanMcMullin/status/1324511000763101184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The next day, McMullin was echoed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who called for the archiving of the public statements of Trump supporters, tweeting, “Is anyone archiving these Trump sycophants for when they try to downplay or deny their complicity in the future? I foresee decent probability of many deleted Tweets, writings, photos in the future.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Is anyone archiving these Trump sycophants for when they try to downplay or deny their complicity in the future? I foresee decent probability of many deleted Tweets, writings, photos in the future
&mdash; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) <a href="https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1324807776510595078?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Ocasio-Cortez’s comments inspired the formation of a group making a list of anyone who ever “represented” Trump:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Who could have seen this coming <a href="https://t.co/8cUBQxMHgP">pic.twitter.com/8cUBQxMHgP</a>
&mdash; Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) <a href="https://twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/1324819617836093445?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
McMullin got blasted for what critics slammed as fascistic tactics. Among his critics was Newsweek opinion editor and former Daily Wire writer and editor Josh Hammer: “How very fascist of you.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
How very fascist of you. <a href="https://t.co/GXLLcBQv3D">https://t.co/GXLLcBQv3D</a>
&mdash; Josh Hammer (@josh_hammer) <a href="https://twitter.com/josh_hammer/status/1325498687255048192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Political pundit Bethany Mandel tweeted: “Rich from a guy who spent four years calling Trump a fascist. This is some sh** and you know it.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Rich from a guy who spent four years calling Trump a fascist. This is some shit and you know it.
&mdash; Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) <a href="https://twitter.com/bethanyshondark/status/1325293117512294400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Author Chad Felix Greene wrote: “The party of Stalin.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The party of Stalin. <a href="https://t.co/Juc0XY1K9l">https://t.co/Juc0XY1K9l</a>
&mdash; Chad Felix Greene 🇮🇱 (@chadfelixg) <a href="https://twitter.com/chadfelixg/status/1324889263155056641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Ocasio-Cortez’s comments elicited even more blowback.
Professor Bret Weinstein: “You are an elected representative in a democratic republic and you are setting the stage for retribution against fellow citizens for the crime of holding a different opinion. It&#8217;s un-American, you should stop it and council others to do the same.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
You are an elected representative in a democratic republic and you are setting the stage for retribution against fellow citizens for the crime of holding a different opinion. It&#39;s un-American, you should stop it and council others to do the same. <a href="https://t.co/UN1tceoHVA">https://t.co/UN1tceoHVA</a>
&mdash; Bret Weinstein (@BretWeinstein) <a href="https://twitter.com/BretWeinstein/status/1324833728485494785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Radio and Fox News host Mark Levin: “Commie bastard wants to create an enemies list.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Commie bastard wants to create an enemies list <a href="https://t.co/fjYiNLeyaP">https://t.co/fjYiNLeyaP</a>
&mdash; Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) <a href="https://twitter.com/marklevinshow/status/1325097676862525441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway: “I&#8217;d say rounding up 70 million Americans for political punishment is a bit ambitious, but it is kind of on brand for a socialist I guess&#8230;”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I&#39;d say rounding up 70 million Americans for political punishment is a bit ambitious, but it is kind of on brand for a socialist I guess&#8230; <a href="https://t.co/mIhDeUlGuh">https://t.co/mIhDeUlGuh</a>
&mdash; Mollie (@MZHemingway) <a href="https://twitter.com/MZHemingway/status/1324920783358062594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Journalist Tim Pool: “The mask came right off didnt it.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The mask came right off didnt it <a href="https://t.co/ioRLaPsPo8">https://t.co/ioRLaPsPo8</a>
&mdash; Tim Pool (@Timcast) <a href="https://twitter.com/Timcast/status/1324941981676695552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Political pundit Stephen Miller pointed out: “So one of the people on the list Ocasio-Cortez called for is Sheldon Adelson. Also on the list are legally appointed judges&#8230; Are we still doing that threat to personal safety over elected officials thing or is that era officially over?”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Also on the list are legally appointed judges&#8230; Are we still doing that threat to personal safety over elected officials thing or is that era officially over?
&mdash; Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) <a href="https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/1324818867357589504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Philosopher/mathematiciam Nassim Nicholas Taleb: “AOC, must we then compile a blacklist with the names of the 70 million who voted against your preferences? Must we not also compile the list of elected representatives proposing Soviet-style purges?”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
AOC, must we then compile a blacklist with the names of the 70 million who voted against your preferences? 
Must we not also compile the list of elected representatives proposing Soviet-style purges? <a href="https://t.co/nl9Sgj2Zlh">https://t.co/nl9Sgj2Zlh</a>
&mdash; Nassim Nicholas Taleb (@nntaleb) <a href="https://twitter.com/nntaleb/status/1325050475050373122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Attorney Daniel Ravicher, who has argued before the Supreme Court, wrote: “Yes let&#8217;s make a list of everyone who disagrees with Democrats. Then we&#8217;ll make them wear special armbands so everyone can tell who they are. After that we&#8217;ll put them into the same neighborhood together and blame them for all our problems. After that, camps and final solution.” He added, “Footnote: My entire Ukrainian Jewish family, including my grandfather, was killed by Hitler. So, yeah, I kinda don&#8217;t like government officials making lists of people that don&#8217;t agree with them so they, although having violated no law, can nonetheless be ‘held accountable.’”
https://twitter.com/danravicher/status/1324905721213952000

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez  And Bernie Sanders Attend Green New Deal Rally At Howard University

Ocasio-Cortez, Evan McMullin: Let’s Make A List Of Trump Supporters. Firestorm Erupts.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

On Wednesday, The Washington Post breathlessly <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/house-majority-leader-to-colleagues-in-2016-i-think-putin-pays-trump/2017/05/17/515f6f8a-3aff-11e7-8854-21f359183e8c_story.html?utm_term=.97068fc103eb">reported</a> on the leaked audio of a meeting of House Republicans where Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy allegedly made a joke about Russian President Vladimir Putin paying off then-candidate Donald Trump. The Post, of course, reported the joke not as a joke but as a bombshell to prove the Russian/Trump collusion narrative, of which there is no evidence. 
But aside from The Post&#8217;s shameless attempt at pushing a yet-to-be-proven narrative, the real story was the leak. Who did it?
The word in Washington is that former presidential hopeful and ardent Trump hater, Even McMullin may be the culprit. On Friday, when Speaker Ryan was <a href="http://www.hughhewitt.com/speaker-house-representatives-paul-ryan/">asked</a> by conservative Hugh Hewitt about the leaker being McMullin, Ryan refused to speculate but admitted McMullin&#8217;s name is being associated with the leak (emphasis added): 
<blockquote>
HH: Second story alleged that you&#8217;re worried about tape recordings of leadership meetings. True or false?
PR: Well, that was, it was, I&#8217;ve never seen anything like this. There was somebody who taped a meeting a year ago where our Majority Leader cracked a joke, and then they released the tape of that joke out just a few days ago. And that&#8217;s a pretty bizarre thing to happen, so obviously that&#8217;s a cause of concern of ours.
HH: Do you believe it was Evan McMullin?
PR: I&#8217;m not going to speculate on who that is. That&#8217;s the name most people, you know, you hear about.
</blockquote>
As <a href="http://thehill.com/homenews/house/334209-ryan-more-audio-leaks-cause-for-concern">noted</a> by The Hill, McMullin, as a former Capitol Hill staff member, was indeed at the meeting leaked to The Post. McMullin also had access to numerous leadership meetings in Ryan&#8217;s office as a staffer to Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the Republican Conference chairwoman.
&#8220;Ryan&#8217;s leadership team has good reason to suspect McMullin leaked the audio. An outspoken Trump critic, McMullin even alluded to the 2016 meeting and McCarthy&#8217;s Russia-Trump statement in a New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/17/opinion/a-party-to-the-russian-connection.html">op-ed </a>published in February,&#8221; notes The Hill. 
&#8220;Suspect public comments like these led one senior Republican leader to dolefully inform his peers that he thought Mr. Trump was on the Kremlin&#8217;s payroll, suggesting that Mr. Trump had been compromised by Russian intelligence,&#8221; wrote McMullin.
&#8220;Other leaders were surprised by their colleague&#8217;s frank assessment, but did not dispute it,&#8221; he added. 
If one&#8217;s Twitter feed is any indication on who most desperately wants the Russian/Trump collusion story to be true, aside from full-crazy Louise Mensch, it&#8217;s probably Evan McMullin.

Did Evan McMullin Leak Audio From Republican Meeting?

Donald Trump

House Republicans

Paul Ryan

President Trump&#8217;s self-described &#8220;flexibility&#8221; may not be a liability after all. After campaigning on an isolationist foreign policy, Trump is now considering the prospect of military intervention in Syria in response to Tuesday&#8217;s sarin gas attack on civilians in rebel-held Idlib province.
&#8220;Something should happen&#8221; against Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad said the Commander-in-Chief aboard Air Force One.
&#8220;I think what Assad did is terrible. I think what happened in Syria is one of the truly egregious crimes. It shouldn&#8217;t have happened. It shouldn&#8217;t be allowed to happen,&#8221; Trump <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/06/politics/donald-trump-syria-options/">told</a> reporters. &#8220;I think what happened in Syria is a disgrace to humanity. He&#8217;s there, and I guess he&#8217;s running things, so something should happen.&#8221;
The people of Syria have been waiting six years to hear those words.
At a press conference on Wednesday, an emotional Trump stated that his views on the crisis in Syria have evolved since seeing images of children foaming at the mouth and suffocating to the death as a result of the Assad regime&#8217;s chemical weapons attack.
Since 2011, the people of Syria have suffered every kind of death imaginable. Death by cluster munitions. Death by sarin gas. Death by chlorine gas. Death by starvation. Death by infection and disease.
As report after report of unfathomable suffering hit former President Obama&#8217;s desk during his tenure in the Oval Office, he came up with every excuse in the book to justify his lack of resolve and turn a blind eye to genocide. In the process, America lost its moral bearing.
But President Trump&#8217;s latest announcement will go a long way in restoring America&#8217;s moral standing abroad. &#8220;Never again,&#8221; the phrase immortalized in the aftermath of the Holocaust, may finally mean something.
Sources familiar with the deliberations say that Trump is consulting with both Sec. of Defense Mattis and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster on possible military options in Syria.
The president&#8217;s master tacticians are likely looking at options designed to paralyze Assad&#8217;s ability to carry out gas attacks in the future; this may include bombing the Syrian regime&#8217;s air fleet and downing helicopters used to deploy sarin and chlorine gasses.
The Pentagon will likely be meticulous about drawing up plans that will avoid Russian casualties. With Russian military personnel stationed across the country, the death of even one Russian officer may create a major diplomatic row, or worse lead to war.
According to <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/06/politics/donald-trump-syria-options/">CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr</a>, the Pentagon is more than capable of quickly placing well-crafted plans mitigating the likelihood of a geopolitical crisis on President Trump&#8217;s desk. In fact, such plans already appears to be in the works.
Congress&#8217; foremost Syria hawks, who have speaking out on the human rights disaster in the country for a number of years now, praised Trump&#8217;s willingness to act after the shameful morally bankruptcy of the Obama presidency.
&#8220;We agree with the President that Assad has crossed a line with his latest use of chemical weapons. The message from the United States must be that this will not stand. We must show that no foreign power can or will protect Assad now. He must pay a punitive cost for this horrific attack,&#8221; Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham said in a joint statement. &#8220;In addition to other measures, the United States should lead an international coalition to ground Assad&#8217;s air force. This capability provides Assad a strategic advantage in his brutal slaughter of innocent civilians, both through the use of chemical weapons as well as barrel bombs, which kill far more men, women and children on a daily basis &#8230; Ultimately, the grounding of Assad&#8217;s air force can and should be part of a new comprehensive strategy to end the conflict in Syria.&#8221;
A reckoning may be coming soon for the bloody butcher of Damascus. In one day, President Trump has shown more moral courage than Barack Obama ever did in his eight years in office. Say what you want about the man, but the fact that Trump is willing to take action on genocide is a lot more than we could say about his predecessor.

Trump Eyes Airstrike Against Assad In Response To Chemical Weapons Attack, Restoring America’s Moral Integrity

Barack Obama

Bashar Assad

James Mattis

Russia

Syria

Trump Administration

On Wednesday, director Rob Reiner, who has called President Trump &#8220;out of his f***ing mind&#8221; and suggested that Trump represents the last &#8220;battle of the Civil War,&#8221; called on the intelligence community to stage a quasi-coup against the commander-in-chief:
<div class="embed video fluid-video">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
It&#8217;s only a matter of time. The incompetent lying narcissistic fool is going down. Intelligence community will not let DT destroy democracy
&#8212; Rob Reiner (@robreiner) <a href="https://twitter.com/robreiner/status/832083554121216000">February 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
</div>
Not let Trump destroy democracy&#8230;by staging an anti-democratic coup? That may seem radical, but the notion has been echoed by a series of high-profile people, both right and left. Here, for example, is Bill Kristol:
<div class="embed video fluid-video">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Obviously strongly prefer normal democratic and constitutional politics. But if it comes to it, prefer the deep state to the Trump state.
&#8212; Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillKristol/status/831497364661747712">February 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
</div>
And there&#8217;s Evan McMullin, who posed as the alternative to Trump from the right in the 2016 election:
<div class="embed video fluid-video">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
By oath, intelligence officials&#8217; first duty is to &#8220;defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic..&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/gVKiB98Fq2">https://t.co/gVKiB98Fq2</a>
&#8212; Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Evan_McMullin/status/831869821054754816">February 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
</div>
This is the same excuse the left used to excuse the treason of Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden. Leaks are always your friend if they target those you hate &#8211; and it&#8217;s easy to redefine your mission as &#8220;defending the Constitution&#8221; in order to target those you hate. That oath isn&#8217;t blanket permission to ignore job description and legal duties based on subjective interpretation of events. And here&#8217;s the reality: none of the leaks thus far have contained truly damning information about the Trump administration or campaign. They&#8217;ve all been weak tea, and look far more like a political hit than an act of patriotic resistance to a Manchurian candidate.
But for those who want Trump gone, any excuse will do. And it&#8217;s particularly ironic for those who believe Trump is a grave threat to democracy to claim that overthrowing democracy in order to oust him provides no threat to democracy. Every tyrannical movement in history has posed itself as a reaction an even more important anti-democratic threat. The Constitution is a robust document with a durable system. Relying on unelected bureaucrats to violate the law in order to save us from those who would supposedly destroy the Constitution is self-defeating.

Trump’s Biggest Haters Endorse Intelligence Community Overthrowing Democracy

Rob Reiner

A white nationalist who supports Donald Trump has targeted independent conservative Evan McMullin in a <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4528119-155/white-nationalist-slams-mcmullin-and-backs">nasty robocall</a> to residents of Utah, where Trump and McMullin are running neck-and-neck.
William Johnson, who leads the American Freedom Party, spent paid $2,000 to send his message out to 193,600 landlines between Monday and Wednesday evening. Johnson admits he is a farmer and white nationalist, then slams McMullin for wanting to give legal status to many undocumented immigrants while slinging the mud. Johnson points out that McMullin&#8217;s mother divorced his father and is now married to a woman. Proceeding to the fact that McMullin is 40 and single, he terms McMullin a &#8220;closet homosexual.&#8221;
McMullin has told <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/home/4506207-155/who-is-evan-mcmullin-an-unorthodox">The Salt Lake Tribune that</a> the reason he left the CIA in 2010 was &#8220;I spent much of my 20s and early 30s working in a way that made it difficult for me to date, and I wanted to get married. I surmised if I continued in that line of work, it was unlikely to happen.&#8221;
In the robocall, Johnson snaps, &#8220;Don&#8217;t vote for Evan McMullin. Vote for Donald Trump. He will respect all women and be a president we can all be proud of.&#8221;
McMullin tweeted his response to the robocall:
<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Another desperate attack from GOP nominee <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump">@realDonaldTrump</a> and his racist supporters as he continues to lose ground in Utah. <a href="https://t.co/U8unh0OS3D">https://t.co/U8unh0OS3D</a>
&#8212; Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Evan_McMullin/status/793176781381521409">October 31, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
This attack is consistent with <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump">@realDonaldTrump</a>&#8216;s bigoted, deceitful campaign and vision for America. Utahns won&#8217;t be fooled.
&#8212; Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Evan_McMullin/status/793180165845028864">October 31, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/Reince">@Reince</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GOP">@GOP</a>, this is your nominee and your supporter. They&#8217;re defining you with white nationalism. Will you continue to embrace them?
&#8212; Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Evan_McMullin/status/793181691841908736">October 31, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Will Utah GOP leaders continue to stand with <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump">@realDonaldTrump</a> and white nationalists&#8217; as they attack my faith and spread baseless lies?
&#8212; Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Evan_McMullin/status/793192965187350528">October 31, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I&#8217;ve stood for liberty and equality in this race; it&#8217;s natural for <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump">@realDonaldTrump</a>&#8216;s white supremacists to attack me. A fight worth having.
&#8212; Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Evan_McMullin/status/793196889487183872">October 31, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>
Johnson has targeted opponents of Trump before with robocalls;<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/home/3613685-155/white-nationalist-slams-romney-lauds-trump"> in March</a> he created a robocall attacking Mitt Romney after Romney slammed Trump as a &#8220;fraud&#8221; and criticized him for not clearly denouncing racists. Johnson said in that call, &#8220;The white race is being replaced by other peoples in America and in all white countries. Donald Trump stands strong as a nationalist. Mitt Romney and the establishment conservatives pretend they don&#8217;t care.&#8221;

White Nationalist Trump Supporter Targets McMullin With Nasty Robocall

Racism

After Lou Dobbs of Fox News decided to malign presidential candidate Evan McMullin, who is threatening to win the state of Utah, by referring to him as a tool of the &#8220;Mormon Mafia,&#8217; the hashtag #Mormon Mafia trended on Twitter, with hilarious results.
Here is what triggered the avalanche of responses:
<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Look Deeper, He&#8217;s nothing but a Globalist, Romney and Mormon Mafia Tool <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MAGA?src=hash">#MAGA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmericaFirst?src=hash">#AmericaFirst</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrumpPence16?src=hash">#TrumpPence16</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrumpTrain?src=hash">#TrumpTrain</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dobbs?src=hash">#Dobbs</a> <a href="https://t.co/WfjYzck2jt">https://t.co/WfjYzck2jt</a>
&#8212; Lou Dobbs (@LouDobbs) <a href="https://twitter.com/LouDobbs/status/790024160160411648">October 23, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>
And here we go:
<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
When the FBI knock at their door they flush all their coke in the toilet <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a> <a href="https://t.co/pOH51S0kB4">pic.twitter.com/pOH51S0kB4</a>
&#8212; Donald Dump (@realdonalddump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realdonalddump/status/791516128933650432">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
You&#8217;re gonna sleep with the fishes.
The only spare bedroom we have left has an aquarium in it. Hope that&#8217;s not a problem.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; Eric Spencer (@JustEric) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustEric/status/791499171278778368">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a> will sometimes leave the gun, but they will always leave you the cannoli.
&#8212; Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/791622635754967040">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
A man who doesn&#8217;t spend time with his family can never be a real man. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/791628888245796864">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&#8220;I know you drank the coffee, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart.&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/791633494745026560">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a> The Sopranos <a href="https://t.co/TtUaihBEvQ">pic.twitter.com/TtUaihBEvQ</a>
&#8212; David Burge (@iowahawkblog) <a href="https://twitter.com/iowahawkblog/status/791640150472142848">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Nice car you got there in the driveway. 
Would be a shame if someone&#8230;. 
washed it and waxed for you&#8230; 
If you get my meaning.
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; ¡El Sooopèrr! &#1606; (@SooperMexican) <a href="https://twitter.com/SooperMexican/status/791507114908721152">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mormonmafia?src=hash">#mormonmafia</a> will shoot you and then frame your friends 
. 
. 
. 
.
Into the perfect scrapbook
&#8212; Sarah (@sarahrstevenson) <a href="https://twitter.com/sarahrstevenson/status/791501083747028992">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&#8220;I&#8217;m gonna make him a Jello salad he can&#8217;t refuse.&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) <a href="https://twitter.com/Heminator/status/791656602331779072">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&#8220;Never take sides against the Tabernacle Choir again.&#8221;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) <a href="https://twitter.com/JayCaruso/status/791628514902630400">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a> a group so secretive and exclusive, they send 60,000 missionaries out around the world to tell you all about it.
&#8212; Soy Juan Miller (@EveryTrumpFan) <a href="https://twitter.com/EveryTrumpFan/status/791484817909047296">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&#8220;We&#8217;re gonna send some people, we&#8217;re gonna send a couple of our people, and help clear the driveway.&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; Bigly Shoe (@TheOneSoleShoe) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOneSoleShoe/status/791484678955896833">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&#8220;Gosh darn it, you messed with the wrong fellows this time, you nincompoop!&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; Sunny (Mat) (@sunnyright) <a href="https://twitter.com/sunnyright/status/791482976827834368">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Two top consiglieri in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/utpol?src=hash">#utpol</a> <a href="https://t.co/eTXLfJqnol">pic.twitter.com/eTXLfJqnol</a>
&#8212; Ben Winslow (@BenWinslow) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenWinslow/status/791481863046955008">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&#8220;Never take sides against the family in Scrabble again.&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; Bigly Shoe (@TheOneSoleShoe) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOneSoleShoe/status/791479298431397888">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

After Lou Dobbs’ Tweet, #MormonMafia Hilariously Trends

Lou Dobbs

Mormonism

During an interview with erstwhile libertarian presidential candidate Austin Petersen, independent candidate and former CIA agent Evan McMullin explained his platform very candidly: Stop both major party candidates from reaching 270 electoral votes, forcing the decision onto the House of Representatives, or simply keep Trump from winning.
<blockquote>
&#8220;We&#8217;re not trying to win 270 votes&#8230;what we&#8217;re trying to do is earn enough electoral votes to block Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump if the race between both of them is so close that we are able to do that by running one or two states. So, that&#8217;s the idea, but if not that, then we will be happy to have prevented someone who I believe is a true authoritarian from taking power in the United States, and that&#8217;s Donald Trump.&#8221;
</blockquote>
<iframe loading="lazy" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iw0pxvoh8B8" width="560"></iframe>
Some may perceive this as a straight-up &#8220;get Hillary elected&#8221; strategy, but McMullin may be banking on a very particular rule that would give him a chance at being considered by the House of Representatives.
According to the <a href="https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/faq.html#no270">National Archives and Records Administration</a> (emphasis added):
<blockquote>
&#8220;If no candidate receives a majority of Electoral votes, the House of Representatives elects the President from the three Presidential candidates who received the most Electoral votes. Each state delegation has one vote.&#8221;
</blockquote>
If McMullin is the only other candidate to take a state, thereby gaining its electoral votes, he would be included in the House&#8217;s decision making process, per the rules. This would give him a chance, albeit extremely unlikely, at being chosen by the House to serve as President of the United States.
Some might scoff at the idea that McMullin could possibly win any state; however, in the most recent polls out of Utah, the independent candidate is surging, consistently landing within five points of Donald Trump. One poll from Emerson even had McMullin leading by four points.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt class="media-element file-default" data-fid="13053" data-media-element="1" height="180" src="https://dw-wp-dev.imgix.net/2019/09/1477345943041.jpeg" width="700" /></div>
Here are some things to remember. Utah sent a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/utah">strong anti-Trump message</a> during the Republican primary, giving 69.2% of their vote to Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), and a meager 14% to the GOP nominee.
According to a 2015 <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/181601/frequent-church-attendance-highest-utah-lowest-vermont.aspx">Gallup survey</a>, Utah is 59% Mormon, which is part of the reason Mitt Romney did so well in 2012, garnering 72.8% of the state&#8217;s vote. McMullin&#8217;s Mormon faith is likely propelling him forward in the beehive state. His headquarters are even based in Salt Lake City, the state&#8217;s capital.
<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-10-24/mormon-support-could-push-mcmullin-over-the-top-in-utah">Bloomberg</a> corroborates the idea that Utah&#8217;s heavily Mormon population is key in McMullin&#8217;s support:
<blockquote>
&#8220;In no small part, support for McMullin in Utah and a handful of other western states stems from his Mormon faith, but many members of the Church of Latter Day Saints also say he&#8217;s the only candidate on the ballot who shares their political vision.&#8221;
</blockquote>
Whether or not McMullin&#8217;s motive is truly to try to win the presidency or just foil Trump&#8217;s presidential bid, his play for Utah is certainly making things difficult for the business mogul in a state that should be a shoo-in for the Republican nominee.

1477345943041

McMullin Lays Out Potential Strategy to Win the Presidency

Hillary Clinton

Mitt Romney

According to a <a href="http://media.wix.com/ugd/3bebb2_98fe8b3559f64960a573ecad7dc22ec9.pdf">new Emerson poll</a>, third party candidate Evan McMullin is leading in Utah, ahead of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. McMullin got 31% of the vote; Trump 27%, and Clinton 24%.
Emerson reports:
<blockquote>
It appears that the divisive GOP primary, which was won by conservative Senator Ted Cruz with 69%, has left voters looking for an alternative to the GOP nominee. For example, 51% of Cruz primary voters are backing McMullin while 29% are voting for Trump. Among Utah&#8217;s Republican primary voters who supported the second-place finisher, Ohio Governor John Kasich, only 4% say they plan to vote for Trump in November. McMullin draws his strongest support from young people, ages 18-34. He is winning 36% of their vote while Trump and Clinton each get 22%. Trump leads McMullin 35% to 24% among those who are 55 and over.
</blockquote>
Statistician Nate Silver has, accordingly, raised McMullin&#8217;s chances of winning Utah:
<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/allahpundit">@allahpundit</a>: I dunno but seems reasonable to me that if McMullin was at ~20% without any buzz, he&#8217;s at ~30% now.
&#8212; Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) <a href="https://twitter.com/NateSilver538/status/788821132153585664">October 19, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>
The most recent poll of Utah before the Emerson poll, the <a href="http://www.rasmussenreports.com/platinum/election_2016_state_polls/crosstabs_election_2016_utah_president_october_14_16_2016">Heat Street/Rasmussen</a> poll, found Trump at 30%, McMullin at 29%, and Clinton at 28%.

Poll: McMullin Leading In Utah

On Monday, Evan McMullin announced his candidacy for the presidency, issuing a <a href="https://www.evanmcmullin.com/my_letter_to_america#.V6jUrrtsLEo.twitter">letter</a> to his fellow Americans delineating his reasons for entering the race. He wrote:
<blockquote>
Our American Nation is the greatest experiment in freedom the world has ever known. It&#8217;s given generations of citizens the blessings of liberty ever since the Founding Fathers risked their lives in what seemed like an improbable bid for independence. While the republic they created was one of imperfect freedoms, for 240 years the arc of progress and liberty has moved ever-upward. Even in times of economic crisis and war, our nation has been a singular source of hope for people throughout the world yearning for liberty, dignity and opportunity.
</blockquote>
After citing his experience as an undercover operations officer with the Central Intelligence Agency and senior national security and policy advisor in the House of Representatives, McMullin continued, &#8220;Like millions of Americans, I had hoped this year would bring us better nominees who, despite party differences, could offer compelling visions of a better future. Instead, we have been left with two candidates who are fundamentally unfit for the profound responsibilities they seek.&#8221;
Then McMullin stated why the two leading candidates were unacceptable:
<blockquote>
Hillary Clinton is a corrupt career politician who has recklessly handled classified information in an attempt to avoid accountability and put American lives at risk including those of my former colleagues. She fails the basic tests of judgment and ethics any candidate for President must meet. Moreover, she only offers stale economic ideas like the same old top-down government control that has brought us eight years of historically low growth.
Donald Trump appeals to the worst fears of Americans at a time we need unity, not division. Republicans are deeply divided by a man who is perilously close to gaining the most powerful position in the world, and many rightly see him as a real threat to our Republic. Given his obvious personal instability, putting him in command of our military and nuclear arsenal would be deeply irresponsible. His infatuation with strongmen and demagogues like Vladimir Putin is anathema to America values. We cannot and must not elect him.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
&#8220;We must not abandon the fight for these values, for doing so will deprive future generations of Americans the bright future we want to give them.&#8221;
Evan McMullin
</blockquote>
McMullin listed the basic American values that undergird his philosophic positions:
<blockquote>
Americans who believe in limited, Constitutional government that is smaller, smarter, and more accountable view both Clinton and Trump as symbols of corruption and excess that provide no hope of basic competence in the federal government. Those who embrace the dignity and value of every human life from conception until death; who understand the crushing danger of our unsustainable national debt; who believe deference to our Constitution outweighs partisan political priorities are all looking for something better than the two major party candidates are offering. These foundational and time-tested principles transcend party and politics but sadly have no champion in this election. We must not abandon the fight for these values, for doing so will deprive future generations of Americans the bright future we want to give them &#8230;
</blockquote>
He concluded: &#8220;Just as the American Revolution required men and women devoted to liberty and freedom to stand up and be counted, this moment calls a new generation to the same sacred task. With that in mind, I have decided to pursue the cause of American renewal and the Presidency of the United States of America.&#8221;

Open Letter From New Candidate McMullin

<a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/anti-trump-republican-launching-independent-presidential-bid?utm_term=.ha5zVNmlm#.kxyZaLWnW">According</a> to McKay Coppins of Buzzfeed, Evan McMullin, a former CIA agent who is staunchly conservative and has openly criticized Donald Trump, is about to throw his hat in the presidential ring. Here are nine things you need to know about McMullin:
<ol>
<li>McMullin is the chief policy director of the <a href="http://history.house.gov/People/Office/Republican-Conference-Chairmen/">House Republican conference</a>, which serves as the organizational forum to elect party leaders at the outset of each new Congress.</li>
<li>McMullin is associated with veteran Republican strategist Rick Wilson, who has <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/03/politics/donald-trump-gop-rick-wilson/">opposed</a> Donald Trump virtually since the beginning of his candidacy, as well as a group called <a href="https://www.betterforamerica.com/?utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=launch614">Better for America</a>, which has been searching for an independent candidate because they oppose both Trump and Hillary Clinton.</li>
<li>Some serious donors are interested in supporting him.</li>
<li>McMullin has never held elective office before.</li>
<li>McMullin is unmarried, received an MBA at Wharton in 2011, and later worked at Goldman Sachs before moving to Capitol Hill.</li>
<li>He gave a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9pNKTNlp6w">TEDx talk</a> about genocide at London Business School in April.</li>
<li>McMullin&#8217;s tweets regarding Donald Trump include these: </li>
</ol>
<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Opposing <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump">@realDonaldTrump</a> is about putting principle over power, a virtue some in Washington are too quick to abandon. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NeverTrump?src=hash">#NeverTrump</a>
&#8212; Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Evan_McMullin/status/729026862731513856">May 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Americans deserve to see <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump">@realDonaldTrump</a>&#8216;s tax returns immediately. If he won&#8217;t be transparent on this, how could we trust his presidency?
&#8212; Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Evan_McMullin/status/730505730030211078">May 11, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Authoritarians like <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump">@realDonaldTrump</a> use promises of law &amp; order to justify infringing on civil rights as they consolidate control by force.
&#8212; Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Evan_McMullin/status/756321044911099904">July 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>
 8. In early August, he published a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/evan.mcmullin">Facebook post</a> that ripped Trump&#8217;s rhetoric about Muslims and terrorism, writing, &#8220;As Donald Trump continues attacking Muslims and as a former CIA officer, I&#8217;d like all Americans to know the truth: American and other Muslims have played a central role in virtually every counterterrorism win we&#8217;ve had since 9/11. They are an indispensable asset in this fight. Attacking them as a group makes America weaker, not stronger.&#8221;
 9. McMullin, who graduated from Brigham Young University, has strong ties to Utah, and could seriously contend in that state.

Menu