YouTube/Pam Patterson Pam Patterson is a California councilwoman who praised the QAnon conspiracy theory.
Pam Patterson is a councilmember in San Juan Capistrano, California who made headlines by praising the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory on the council floor Monday, OC Weekly reported.
Patterson made the remark in her farewell address after she served a single four-year term.
“God bless America, God bless Q, and God bless San Juan Capistrano,” she said.
The QAnon conspiracy theory is based on anonymous “clues” posted by an anonymous poster who calls himself “Q.” The conspiracy theory claims that President Donald Trump is leading a secret war against powerful pedophiles in Washington DC and Hollywood.
“To quote Q, number 2436,” Patterson said. “For far too long, we have been silent and allowed our bands of strength that we once formed to defend freedom and liberty to deteriorate. We became divided. We became weak. We elected traitors to govern us.”
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Pam Patterson Went Full Conspiracy Theorist on the Council Floor
San Juan Capistrano councilmember PamPatterson @Patterson4SJC, who lost a re-election bid in November, used her goodbye address Monday to read a #QAnon posting
Patterson used her farewell address to read a QAnon posting Monday after losing her re-election bid in November.
“To quote Q, number 2436,” Patterson said. “For far too long, we have been silent and allowed our bands of strength that we once formed to defend freedom and liberty to deteriorate. We became divided. We became weak. We elected traitors to govern us.”
“Where we go one, we go all. Q,” she added. “Corruption starts at the local level and we, the patriot residents of San Juan Capistrano, must rise again. I am sounding the call for the patriot residents to come together and protect our community. God bless America. God bless Q and God bless San Juan Capistrano.”
2. The QAnon Conspiracy Theory is Devoid Of Any Facts
The OC Weekly took a look at the QAnon conspiracy theory that Patterson name-checked:
Last October, an anonymous user on 4Chan named “Q” claimed to have top security clearance in the government and seeded the conspiracy that special counsel Robert Mueller and Trump are actually secretly working in tandem. You see, the Russia probe is a mere ruse for the real swamp draining work happening behind the scenes against corrupt politicians and Hollywood pedophiles.
By summer, QAnon signs started appearing at Trump rallies and high-profile personas like fired TV star Roseanne Barr promoted the conspiracy theory in tweets. And then Q came to San Juan Capistrano.
3. Pam Patterson Previously Refused to Order From Halal Restaurant Over ‘Sharia Law’ Fears
Patterson made local headlines when she objected to a council staffer’s request to order from NYC Cafe, a Halal restaurant.
“Please check, because they are or were Middle Eastern: the type of meat they use–is it compliant with Shariah Law,” she wrote in an email obtained by OC Weekly. “There is a website that shows that–the way the meat is butchered.”
“Shariah Law is against my religious beliefs, so please order me: the chicken/papaya salad–two scoops, no mango, from Cedar Creek,” the councilwoman wrote.
The Los Angeles of Anaheim chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations slammed Patterson’s comments.
“The councilwoman’s comments help continue a false narrative about the Islamic faith,” CAIR’s Sophia Habbas said at a later city council meeting. “In the spirit of mercy and forgiveness, two of the three stages of Ramadan, which begins tonight at sunset, members of the community and CAIR-LA purchased a $45 gift card for councilwoman Patterson and her family to eat at a local restaurant that offers [a] halal menu.” Council chambers greeted the offer with kindhearted laughter and applause.
4. Patterson Met With Donald Trump in May
Patterson was among the lawmakers to meet with President Donald Trump to discuss California’s sanctuary law for immigrants who entered the country illegally, The Capistrano Dispatch reported.
Patterson was invited along with 15 other Southern California lawmakers who opposed a bill that would make California a sanctuary state.
Patterson said at an earlier city council meeting that the bill “cripples our law enforcement and creates a threat to public safety.”
“The fact that we have this unsecured border is putting us at great risk because we know that terrorists are coming in,” she told Trump at the meeting, warning that the hypothetical terrorists would target a nuclear power plant and called it another Fukushima “waiting to happen.”
“It doesn’t sound too good,” Trump told her.
5. Other Republicans Have Flirted With The QAnon Conspiracy Theory
Politico reported earlier this month that former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci “spoke glowingly” of the QAnon theory to people at an event. He denied that he was discussing the QAnon theory but the people he was talking to confirmed to Politico that that’s what they were discussing.
The Washington Post reported that QAnon gear and signs had become more prominent at Trump events.
In September, the Vice Chair of the Republican Party in Orange County, Florida came under fire for referring to the QAnon conspiracy theory in Facebook posts.
“Treason: QAnon exposes Obama/Hillary 16-year coup d-etat plan,” one post said, according to The Orlando Sentinel.
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