fact checkers covered up his high-ranking role in a genocidal regime, helping democrats avoid a scandal
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Formostofthepastdecade,themisinformationcomplex—adecentralized,ideologicallyalignednetworkoffact-checkingsites,mediaoutlets,NGOs,governmentagenciesandsocialmediacompanies—ruledourinformationecosystem.Today,thearchivesofthisancienrégimearebeingopened.Whattheyshowishow,withshockinglylittleeffort,themisinformationcomplexcouldshutdowninvestigationsintoeventhemostclear-cutclaimsthatthreatenedtheDemocraticparty’sgreatnarratives.
ThiswaspreciselythecasewithoneofthemostprominentprogressivepoliticiansintheUStoday,IlhanOmar.In2018,OmarrodeawaveofidentitypoliticsintohighofficeasrepresentativeforMinnesota’s5thcongressionaldistrict.Themediawasnotjustjubilantbuttriumphant.AlongwiththenascentSquad,thisTrump-tauntingblackfemalepoliticianandformerrefugeebecameaninstanticonofthenewcolor-boundprogressivepolitics.
Buttherewasacatch:Omarherselfwouldnotbeshovedintothiscardboardcutou
