Grandfather of 37 and Trumpist Now Targeted by Rightwing Nuts

The moment Tucker and Trump chimed in against him, he was forced to go into hiding

They hit the road after the death threats began — well, first, they had to sell their house at a massive loss and close the business they hoped would cushion their retirement.

Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump did a “lie by,” and now this former Trumpist’s life has been changed forever. Instead of enjoying the company of his children and 37 grandchildren at the family compound, Ray Epps, 61, formerly of Arizona, is hiding with his wife in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.

He agreed to an interview with The New York Times recently under the condition they don’t give out his address — Don’t worry, Ray, it’s right-wing media that likes to sic their herds of violent viewers on people not properly aligned.

Don’t cry just yet

Before you shed a tear for the good old Ray, you must know that he was indeed at the January 6th rally. He was actually on the front line of the assault on the Capitol. There is a good chance, if you peruse through some of the day’s videos, you will find Ray out there yelling with and at people.

It seems that despite Ray’s active presence, he learned within hours after the whole mess was wrapped up that the FBI was looking for him. He reached out to them immediately.

After explaining all of his actions on January 5th and 6th, much of which was apparently later corroborated, it was determined by the FBI that Ebbs was no longer a person of interest.

The FBI’s lack of interest in Ray is why Ray Epps is today considered by Trumpists to be a traitorous informant worthy of death. In the vernacular of the Foxified rightists, Ray Epps was one of the organizers of the “false flag event.”

If you recall, there have been many attempts to find different actors guilty of the false flag event. Laura Ingraham, and later Trump, tried to put the blame for the insurrection firstly onto members of Antifa. Ingraham got that lie going while the insurrection was still underway.

“Now, they were likely not all Trump supporters, and there are some reports that Antifa sympathizers may have been sprinkled throughout the crowd,” Ingraham said on her own show (Fox News’ Hosts Jan. 6th Texts).

It is truly amazing the way she so tantalizingly used the words “some reports.” There were no reports about Antifa supporters, but those suggested by the Fox team of creatives that reportedly met to ensure that Trump didn’t lose too much credibility because of the insurrection everyone knew he incited. Blame it on Antifa and plant the seeds of doubt. 

Here is a Tweet that Ingraham sent to Mark Meadows, the President’s chief of staff, during the insurrection and just before she hinted Antifa might be responsible:

“Mark, the president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home,” primetime host Laura Ingraham said in one such message. “This is hurting all of us. He is destroying his legacy (Fox News’ Hosts Jan. 6th Texts).”

I still don’t understand why Ingraham thinks the Antifa people would listen to Trump. Anyway, I am sure Laura had her reasons for that harried text to Meadows, you know?

Nevertheless, after the Antifa strategy failed to stick — although ask any Trumpist today and they will still tell you it was Antifa — Trump and his team said it most likely was the FBI. More precisely, they said it was Trump supporters who had been converted into agents and tasked with inciting the crowd.

Obscure right-wing media outlets, like Revolver News, used selectively edited videos and unfounded leaps of logic to paint him (Ebbs) as a secret federal asset in charge of a “breach team” responsible for setting off the riot at the Capitol (Trump Backer’s Downfall).

We all know how it works after some lunatic on the far-right fringe puts out a ridiculous story. Well-paid 20-something creatives at Fox News, particularly those working for Tucker Carlson, get wind of the outlandish stories.

Next, a vote is conducted to determine how likely the destructive story, built solely on lies and innuendo, will earn boatloads in ad revenue for Fox. If it is determined that the story, regardless of merit or “truthy-ness,” is financially valuable, it gets packaged for Carlson’s story-telling hour.

The stories about Mr. Epps were quickly seized on by the Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who gave them a wider audience. They were also echoed by Republican members of Congress like Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas.

Eventually, Mr. Trump joined the fray, mentioning Mr. Epps at one of his political rallies and lending fuel to a viral Twitter hashtag, #WhoIsRayEpps (Trump Backer’s Downfall).

Ray Epps used to love Donald Trump. He respected Tucker Carlson and regularly tuned in to his show to hear a truth that “lame-stream media” wasn’t willing to tell.

Epps has now learned a lesson the hard way. The reason mainstream media doesn’t report on the “truthful” conspiracies that ignite so much passion, hate, and anger on the right is that those stories are bald-faced lies.

Epps couldn’t take it anymore and decided to be proactive. He wanted his right-wing heroes to know that he had been unjustly wronged. He contacted The New York Times and agreed to an hour-long interview.

Truth is irrelevant on the Right — it’s Trump’s opinion that matters

Those of us on the Left already know this. We get it. We have had Trump’s number from the moment he put out the full-page ad calling for the death penalty for the “Central Park Five.” The young men were wrongfully prosecuted for a rape they never committed. The victim was white, and they were “of color.” When it was learned they were innocent, Trump never uttered a word; never apologized to anyone. The young men spent the next 20 years fighting to overcome the stain of that public relations lie.

Like Ray Epps, those boys were merely pawns in the grand chess game that is Donald Trump versus all the rest of us. He will use, destroy and sell anyone down the river — surely even his own children.

The threats against Epps, though, really began in earnest after Tucker Carlson again so recklessly used a human being for cover. Trying to hide his own smallness, even his ignorance of basic historical facts and probably even basic math, Carlson finds vulnerable Americans and destroys them.

He knows that people like the Eppses won’t be able to fight back. He knows that there is a good chance the fairytale he is telling to the La-Z-Boy-bound audience is probably a lie; none of that matters. If it will sell ads and increase his ratings, then so be it.

Then, Ray Epps, this is your life.

After leaving Arizona for the mountains months ago, the Eppses have not done much. They manage to spend time with their children — and some of their 37 grandchildren — but mostly keep to themselves. Mr. Epps has taken to wearing a wide-brimmed hat that hides his face. If people at the gas station or grocery store say he looks familiar, he will usually smile and then be on his way (Trump Backer’s Downfall).

Ray Epps now knows just how whacked-out-of-their-minds the people on the right are. He used to be one of them, and now he hides from them.

“You can’t convince some people. There are extremists out there that you’ll never convince them that they’re wrong (Trump Backer’s Downfall).”

Poor, Ray. But, if you play with fire, you will get burned.