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Jan 29 12 tweets 6 min read
The National Butterfly Center was forced to shut down for three days, citing threats.

It's the latest chapter of years-long conspiracy theories lobbed at the butterfly sanctuary. ⬇️

businessinsider.com/texas-butterfl… Graphic featuring a photo of the outside the National Butter
The sanctuary, located in McAllen, Texas, cited mounting threats linked to a pro-Trump border wall event and conspiracy theories from We Build The Wall founder Brian Kolfage.

The border wall event is hosted by a slew of conservative organizations.

businessinsider.com/texas-butterfl…
Michael Flynn is also set to speak at what We Stand America refers to as its "Take Action Tour," according to its website.

One of the events, which We Stand America lists as an optional activity on Sunday, is a "caravan to the border."

businessinsider.com/texas-butterfl…
In its notice, the butterfly center said a "former state official" told executive director Marianna Wright that the center "would likely be a stop" for the caravan and that Wright "and the center are targets."

businessinsider.com/texas-butterfl…
Conspiracy theories lobbed against the center are not new.

In November 2019, as Kolfage and We Build the Wall fundraised for the endeavor, they sought to construct the wall near the center's 100-acre butterfly reserve.

businessinsider.com/we-build-the-w…
Local officials, the center, and a @propublica and @TexasTribune investigation all raised concerns about the ecological soundness of the project, especially in proximity to nature reserves and the Rio Grande.

businessinsider.com/texas-butterfl…
Kolfage turned his attention to the center, which stood near his fantasy wall's path, and hurled a series of conspiratorial accusations at Wright, as well as other Rio Grande business owners and advocates who opposed the wall.

businessinsider.com/texas-butterfl… Graphic with text that reads, "In November 2019, Kolfag
Kolfage’s Facebook account was suspended in November 2020 because of repeated violations of pushing misinformation and association with Bannon, @wapo reported at the time. His Twitter account is also suspended.

businessinsider.com/texas-butterfl…
According to the notice, Wright was made aware of the We Stand America event last week when Virginia candidate Kimberly Lowe made a visit to the center.

Wright said in the affidavit that Lowe was streaming on Facebook Live.

businessinsider.com/texas-butterfl… Graphic with text that reads, "Lowe and a friend, who c
In the past, individuals associated with far-right extremist groups including the Oath Keepers and Three Percenters have also appeared at the center, My Rio Grande Valley News reported.

businessinsider.com/texas-butterfl…
Wright told Insider that the years-long campaign has "taken an immeasurable toll," and that she didn't quite know how to describe how "harmful" it’s been.

businessinsider.com/texas-butterfl…
The National Butterfly Center sued Kolfage, We Build The Wall, and associated construction companies for their endeavor in 2019 — specifically alleging Kolfage's harassment campaign defamed them.

businessinsider.com/texas-butterfl…

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More from @InsiderNews

Jan 25
Since 1994, at least 8,000 migrants have died while passing through Brooks County. "Missing in Brooks County" details migrants' dangerous journey through south Texas. ⬇️
businessinsider.com/missing-in-bro…
Over the past 25 years, thousands of migrants have died — not just on their way to the United States, but within it.

businessinsider.com/missing-in-bro…  A quote on a black background from Lisa Molomot, filmmaking
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Nov 18, 2021
A Wisconsin jury spent two weeks listening to dozens of witnesses and poring over visual evidence during Kyle Rittenhouse's homicide trial.

These details about the case made headlines, but were not deemed appropriate for the jury to consider. 👇

insider.com/details-the-ky… Photo shows Kyle Rittenhouse’s profile as he sits in the c
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He pleaded not guilty to all charges, testifying he acted in self-defense.

insider.com/details-the-ky… Photo shows Kyle Rittenhouse leaning forward in his chair to
Judges in criminal trials tightly control what juries hear, barring anything they deem irrelevant, unfair, or misleading.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys spend a great deal of time arguing why certain details should be included or excluded at trial.

insider.com/details-the-ky… Photo shows Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger talkin
Read 12 tweets
Nov 18, 2021
The Republican furor over ‘critical race theory’ — a college-level concept that isn’t taught in K-12 schools — caught many in the education world by surprise.

Now education leaders are pushing back against misinformation.⬇️

businessinsider.com/critical-race-…
At school board meetings, the term “critical race theory” has become a politicized catch-all for books, resources, and teaching about race.

businessinsider.com/critical-race-…
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businessinsider.com/critical-race-… Text graphic featuring a quote from Angela Grunewald, superi
Read 11 tweets
Nov 11, 2021
Jury selection in two of the most high-profile murder trials in the country, the Kyle Rittenhouse and Ahmaud Arbery cases, resulted in mostly-white juries.

Legal experts told Insider how this happened, and why the jury selection system is imperfect. ⚖️

insider.com/kyle-rittenhou…
White teenager Kyle Rittenhouse faces homicide charges after killing two people and injuring a third during unrest tied to the shooting of a Black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last summer.

insider.com/kyle-rittenhou…
Meanwhile, three white men in Georgia are facing murder charges in connection with the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man whose family says he was out for a jog.

insider.com/why-ahmaud-arb…
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Oct 15, 2021
The largest reservoir in the US is drying up. The water there has dropped more than 140 feet in the last two decades.

But the US isn’t the only country experiencing abnormally dry weather conditions.

All around the world, severe droughts are happening 1.7 times more often than in 1850-1900.

So what’s causing this drought, and what could be the long-term damage?

It has to do more with temperature than less rainfall. Even though precipitation was actually above average in many parts of the US this summer, record rain can’t stop high temperatures from evaporating more water.

Read 11 tweets

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