The House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to adopt a resolution denouncing the far-right QAnon conspiracy theory movement Friday in the face of opposition from several Republican members.
Representatives voted 371–18 in favor of the resolution “condemning QAnon and rejecting the conspiracy theories it promotes.” Those opposed include 17 Republicans and the House’s sole Libertarian.
The bipartisan-sponsored resolution was introduced in August by Reps. Tom Malinowski, New Jersey Democrat, and Denver Riggleman, Virginia Republican, in light of QAnon gaining national visibility.
It was proposed a week after President Trump publicly expressed his appreciation to QAnon proponents during a White House press briefing and refused to reject some of their more extreme beliefs.
QAnon emerged online in 2017 and originally involved claims of a supposed plot against Mr. Trump. It has morphed significantly in the years since to incorporate several fringe conspiracy theories.
“Conspiracy theories that falsely blame secret cabals or marginalized groups for society’s ills have long fueled prejudice, violence and terrorism,” Mr. Malinowski said after his resolution passed.
“QAnon and the theories it promotes are a danger and a threat that has no place in our country’s politics,” Mr. Riggleman said in a statement.
Forty members of Congress abstained from voting on the resolution. It was not opposed by any Democrats, and Rep. Justin Amash, Michigan Libertarian, was the only non-Republican to vote against it.
“The resolution threatens protected speech (absurd as that speech may be), and its prescriptions for addressing QAnon aren’t appropriate for what we know about them & may make things worse,” Mr. Amash, a former Republican who left the GOP in 2018, explained on Twitter.
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