Massie touts USS Liberty conspiracy theories in House speech - Israel & Jewish News - JNS
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When a sitting congressman uses the House floor to revive a 57-year-old conspiracy theory, it's a masterclass in how motivated reasoning keeps fringe narratives politically alive.
Motivated ReasoningConspiracy Theory DiffusionElite Cue TheoryProportionality Bias
Theory Briefing
- Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie cited the 1967 USS Liberty attack in a House speech, claiming Israel intentionally killed American sailors.
- The USS Liberty incident has been officially investigated multiple times, yet conspiracy theories persist — a textbook case of proportionality bias overriding evidence.
- Massie's floor speech amplifies a fringe narrative to a mainstream platform, illustrating how elite cues can legitimize and spread conspiracy beliefs.