A Republican Assembly candidate from California is under renewed scrutiny following the resurfacing of a 2019 video in which she spreads antisemitic conspiracy theories.
Denise Aguilar, also known as Denise Aguilar Mendez, co-founded the anti-vaccine group “Freedom Angels” and the survivalist organization “Mamalitia.”
According to a report published by USA Today in March, Aguilar was seen in multiple photos and videos from the riot. Aguilar has received endorsements from the California Republican Party and Assembly Republican Leader, James Gallagher, R-Yuba City.
Despite several requests by The Bee, neither Aguilar’s campaign, the California GOP, nor Gallagher provided any comment by the deadline.
A conspiracy theory ‘rabbit hole’
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The video, which was uploaded on the conservative social media video site Rumble on October 17, 2019, and was later shared by the left-leaning Media Matters For America, features Aguilar discussing the 2019 California wildfires before delving into what she refers to as a “rabbit hole.”
According to Aguilar, in the state of California, PG&E intentionally cut off power to the Bay Area communities, not due to fires. This action was taken to rescue 2,100 children from the clutches of human trafficking.
The accusation was made that Pacific Gas & Electric is owned by the Rothschild family, which is not true and perpetuates a harmful antisemitic stereotype.
This false claim aligns with the conspiracy theory that suggests Jews have covert control over the government. It is important to note that the Rothschilds, a Jewish family, are renowned for their involvement in banking and corporate management.
Aguilar falsely propagated a harmful antisemitic stereotype by claiming that certain families, such as the Rothschilds, are in control of the central banking system worldwide, including the United States. Contrary to his statement, the Federal Reserve is not a government entity but a private company.
According to Aguilar, individuals within PG&E who are referred to as “white hats” utilized the 2019 Public Safety Power Shutoffs with the intention of preventing additional wildfires. However, they also had another objective in mind – to uncover and expose child traffickers who were utilizing underground tunnels.
The Legislative Jewish Caucus responds
Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, who co-chairs the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, provided a response to The Bee’s request for comment. Wiener has consistently voiced his strong opposition to antisemitism, condemning it from all sides of the political spectrum.
According to Wiener, the Republican Party has been affected by a conspiracy mindset, and he views her as an extreme example of this. He expresses sadness over the situation.
Aguilar is currently running in a safe Democratic district, making it unlikely for her to win the election in November. However, Wiener expressed concern over her endorsement by California GOP leadership, considering her history of fringe extremism.
According to Wiener, it is crucial to recognize the interconnectedness of various forms of bigotry, as the infiltration of conspiracy theorists into the Republican Party poses a significant threat to the Jewish community. He emphasizes that conspiracy theories have historically resulted in violence against Jews, as they are frequently targeted within these narratives.
According to him, not all Republicans are conspiracy theorists, but there is a specific group within the Republican Party that spreads harmful conspiracy theories, which often results in the demonization of Jews.
According to Wiener, the danger doesn’t just lie with one fringe candidate for the California Assembly. He believes that this conspiracy-driven mentality reaches the highest levels of the Republican Party.
A record of conspiracy theories and falsehoods
Aguilar has promoted other conspiracy theories in the past. According to Media Matters, in 2019 she also spread the “PizzaGate” conspiracy theory, which claimed that a group in Washington, D.C. was operating a child sex trafficking ring from a pizza restaurant in the capital.
However, it is important to note that these claims were proven to be false. Furthermore, she has made erroneous assertions about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, falsely asserting that Donald Trump emerged as the victor.
Aguilar stands out as one of the prominent women within the right-wing extremist movement in the Sacramento area. She has been actively involved in organizing various protests at the State Capitol, frequently partnering with the far-right street extremist group, the Proud Boys. Her political journey began when she protested against California’s school vaccine requirement in 2019.
Aguilar is currently a candidate in Assembly District 13, which encompasses the Stockton area. During the March primary, Aguilar secured an impressive 38% of the vote.
Democratic candidate Rhodesia Ransom received 41.6%, while Edith Villapudua, another Democrat, received 20.5% of the votes. As the highest vote recipients, Ransom and Aguilar will both be featured on the ballot for the upcoming November general election.