The defenders of the #QAnon conspiracy theories are obsessed with discovering and outing pedophiles — but it turns out the real perverts were the friends they met along the way.
Prominent right-wing writer, media personality, and #QAnon devotee Michael Moates has been accused of sending inappropriate messages to underage girls, knowing that they were minors.
The founder of Texas-based media outlet “DC Chronicle”, Moates has bylines in major Republican propaganda publications like the Blaze, Washington Examiner, Turning Point News, and Independent Journal Review and has even spent time in the White House Press Room.
Most recently, he’s been a vocal defender of accused sexual abuser Brett Kavanaugh, which makes perfect sense considering the skeletons in Moates’ own closet.
Right Wing Watch reports that Purity Thomas, the sixteen-year-old leader of a pro-life activist group, took to Twitter and posted this message about her interactions with Moates, painting an all-too-familiar picture of manipulation and predation by the 23-year-old conservative towards underage girls.
https://twitter.com/PurityJThomas/status/1032678029028470787
Purity Thomas wasn’t the only one to be made to feel extremely uncomfortable by Moates. Seventeen-year-old Hadassah Cohen was surprised and grateful to see that Moates had used his social media clout to promote her new Twitter account and sent him a message to thank him — but things got weird almost immediately.
Right Wing Watch reports that “Cohen alleges that Moates once told her that she ‘couldn’t possibly be telling the truth that I was a proud virgin, that I had indeed never kissed a boy, because I was too gorgeous for that.’ She was 16 years old at the time.”
Cohen also said that Moates had told her that she could talk with him about sensitive issues regarding dating and romance, and proposed that the two play a game of “20 questions.”
“It doesn’t take rocket science to figure out he wanted me to ask him questions of sexual nature,” Cohen said. “He continued to harp on me about how I didn’t have a boyfriend, how I hadn’t kissed anyone, and that it was my fault that I didn’t have a boyfriend.”
The direct message screenshots are absolutely cringe-worthy to behold.
Unfortunately, Purity isn’t alone. I also experienced my fair share of innaproiate behavior from Michael Moates. Phone calls at four AM to bash other people, remarks on my beauty and intelligence, being told I was his type but too young to pursue. https://t.co/BIP6MlJzmf
— Hadassah Cohen (@hadassahacohen) September 3, 2018
Everyone wants to see evidence of Michael being inappropriate sexually with a minor, so…I delivered. pic.twitter.com/cA6OvIjju0
— Hadassah Cohen (@hadassahacohen) September 3, 2018
A third woman, twenty-year-old Kylie Thomas, came forward and shared this disturbing, shall we say Kavanesque, screenshot of a message she received from Moates that speaks for itself:
On top of that, Moates was also outed as a repeat plagiarist by Twitter user Samantha Kramer,
Since we're on a roll with ol' Moatesy, let's talk about plagiarism, kids!
Below is a story Moates claims to have written for his Nation One "News" blog — the byline clearly says "Michael Moates" from March 31, 2018. Next to it is a story by Maria Stainer of the @WashTimes. pic.twitter.com/0Fuym2QjZI
— Samantha Kramer (@Sammyjkramer) September 3, 2018
Speaking of @Newsweek ! Here's a piece from March 6, 2018, that Moates posted on his site, Nation One News. He clearly attributes it to himself.
But check out the piece shown on the right, written by @_mariaeperez for @Newsweek! How odd. pic.twitter.com/dl2kDB3we3
— Samantha Kramer (@Sammyjkramer) September 3, 2018
Moates did not respond to a request for comment, choosing to block me instead.
“Right-winger outed for sexual impropriety” is a pretty common headline at this point, which makes it clear that the unhinged, animalistic fury with which right-wing men responded to the sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh stems from their fear that someday they too will have their sins laid out for the nation to see.
That day has come for Michael Moates.
Original reporting by Jared Holt at RightWingWatch.
