Conspiracy theories about Epstein’s death have been espoused by just about everyone on the political spectrum, including President Donald Trump. Most conspiracy theories have been focused on Epstein's friendship with President Bill Clinton and Epstein's relationship with Trump. (In July, Trump’s labor secretary Alex Acosta resigned in response to public outrage to Acosta securing a lenient plea deal for Epstein during an alleged sex crime case in 2008.)
But state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Cranberry) decided he would concoct one all his own and shared it to his thousands of followers on social media.
On Aug. 10, just hours after news reports revealed Epstein’s death, Metcalfe indicated on Facebook that he didn’t believe Epstein died of suicide, and then implied the government isn’t legitimate and shouldn’t be trusted.
The Facebook post reads in full:
"Epstein on suicide watch, supposedly taken off suicide watch, and still commits 'suicide.' The left wants you to believe that the 'government' can protect you, so you should be willing to give up the 2nd Amendment! I say NO WAY do I trust the 'government' to protect me and mine!"
Metcalfe posted this screed on both his personal and official state representative Facebook page. Metcalfe, who says the “government” can’t protect him, accepts a state representative salary and has done so for the last 20 years.
The post also appears to be indicating the idea that Epstein was possibly killed by the government, or someone pretending to represent the government. He then suggests that Epstein's death could be an orchestration to attempt to seize people's personal firearms.
There is no evidence to support these claims. Metcalfe did not return a request for comment.
Metcalfe is arguably the most conservative legislator in Pennsylvania. Recently, he has been focused on arguing that carbon-dioxide emissions that lead to climate change are good for plant life and attempting to impeach Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto over the city’s gun-restriction proposals.
CeaseFire Pennsylvania, a gun-reform advocacy group, tweeted on Aug. 11 that Metcalfe was creating conspiracy theories and talking “non-sense.” The group encouraged people to distinguish fact from fiction when talking about gun reform.
.@RepMetcalfe is talking non-sense, connecting conspiracy theories about #Epstein to his own radical theories about gun laws.
— CeaseFirePA (@CeaseFirePA) August 11, 2019
As Democrats and Republicans come together to talk about passing life-saving gun laws, its important to distinguish fact from fiction pic.twitter.com/ebBhXaj8tS
