WASHINGTON (AP) — An anonymous social media persona known as “Black Insurrectionist,” responsible for spreading conspiracy theories about the 2024 election, has been linked to a man from upstate New York who is actually white. This individual, identified as Jason G. Palmer, used a profile photo of a Black soldier and amassed over 300,000 followers on the X platform by posting questionable claims about Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Some of these claims were endorsed by former President Donald Trump, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, and other Republican allies in Congress. In recent weeks, the account shared false allegations regarding Harris and Walz, with some content said to be part of a Russian disinformation campaign, as confirmed by U.S. intelligence officials.
The association of the Black Insurrectionist account with Palmer and its collaboration with Trump and his allies illustrate how unverified information from unreliable sources spreads easily online, shaping public opinion and potentially influencing election outcomes. Palmer, who has a troubled history including accusations of fraud, drug addiction, and owing significant back taxes, denied creating the account but admitted involvement in certain posts related to Walz. He claimed to have sold the account to an undisclosed individual earlier this year and refused to reveal additional details or contacts.
Upon further investigation, the AP traced the Black Insurrectionist account back to Palmer through posts mentioning upstate New York and identifying details aligning with his information. A video shared by the account also showed connections to Palmer through email addresses and usernames. Past legal disputes and business dealings involving Palmer, characterized by financial troubles and allegations of deception, support the notion that he could be connected to spreading misinformation through social media platforms.
In response to these revelations, individuals who have engaged with Palmer in business transactions expressed no surprise at his involvement in disseminating conspiracy theories online. Testimonies from former partners and legal experts painted a consistent picture of Palmer’s past behavior, marked by financial instability, legal disputes, and a propensity for making false claims against others. Despite conflicting accounts between Palmer and his associates, evidence suggests a pattern of deceit and questionable practices throughout his business and personal dealings over the years.