Key figure in false Talarico rumor linked to Nazi‑referencing posts

politicsOct 17, 202617157

Ryan Amacher, a Lake Oswego, Oregon resident who uses the name Rhein Amacher online, amplified a false claim that Texas state representative James Talarico had been hospitalized at the Lindner Center of Hope in Ohio. Amacher phoned the Lindner Center three times, gave a made-up four-digit patient code 2244 to try to bypass security, and recorded a call in which an employee initially said there was no record and then in the final seconds said a man who looked like Talarico had been discharged. An excerpt of that recording was incorporated into a 47-second clip posted by Nick Sortor and Amacher later shared his own version; Elon Musk reacted to Amacher’s post. Amacher first offered the recording to Blaze Media and the Daily Mail, which reportedly declined it, then pulled out of an interview with Jesse Singal saying his attorney issued a "stand down order." The Guardian reports Amacher has a long history of social media posts that invoke Nazi Germany, express antisemitism and anti-Black racism, criticize miscegenation, call for the "remigration" of refugees, describe Muslims as "sub-human," call Black Africans "monkeys" with low IQ, label immigrants "vermin," and express support for Germany’s AfD and the UK’s Tommy Robinson. The Paxton campaign did not respond and Amacher did not comment; reporters have raised the prospect that his attempt to access private health information could create legal exposure.

Matt McNeil Show

@mattmcneilshow.bsky.social

Right now, the people who started and pushed this lie are PRAYING that Talarico is a much better person than they are. If he sues these people, they are dead-to-rights guilty and will lose everything. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

563h ago

pamnapo.bsky.social3

Not prosecuting a criminal or punishing someone for doing horrendous things isn’t being a good person, it’s giving them permission to do it to others.

Blue 🔵 in Texas⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🇺🇲🇺🇦🌈⚛️🪖1

Then he should sue them so that they understand that they can't do that kind of crap and have no consequences.

Procrastinator at large. 1

He needs to sue them. He'd be the better person if he did sue them. A lot of the current problems in the US can be traced to letting right wing freaks push outright lies & conspiracy theories for decades. They should have been sued into oblivion, instead of learning they could lie with no pushback.

paulaptb1

He should still sue and give the money away. If there are no consequences to lying why would they stop?

Dag.

@3fecta.bsky.social

People who are horrible to one group of people tend to have plenty of other horrible views. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

491h ago

Quoting this

Kevin M. Kruse399

If you choose to change your name from "Ryan" to "Rhein," you might be a literal Nazi

Joel S.

@joelhs.bsky.social

Hard to avoid the conclusion that this sort of blatant antisemitism simply attracts far less media attention than Hasan Piker, whatever one thinks of him. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

291h ago

Phillip Anderson

@phillipanderson.bsky.social

No way: "An influencer who played a key role in hoax claims that James Talarico was in a mental health facility has a long history of social media posts that favorably invoke Nazi Germany, express antisemitism and anti-Black racism, criticize miscegenation and call for “remigration” of refugees."

72h ago

Sarah Darer Littman

@sarahdarerlittman.com

Shocker! Dude also made antisemitic and racist posts - this is today's GOP. Key player in false Talarico rumor has history of online posts invoking Nazi Germany

53h ago

Netaloid 📸

@netaloid.bsky.social

Huh. So Nazis are trying to help Ken Paxton beat James Talarico.

22h ago

RockyRiverRefugee

@rockyriverrefugee.bsky.social

Oh look-- yet another Republican instigator with Nazi fantasies. Recall that the chief of staff for Ohio Senate candidate Husted used to cosplay as a Nazi soldier. These monsters are showing you who they are. Believe them. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

33h ago

Elise Flynn

@eliseflynn.bsky.social

That Ryan Amacher goes by the name "Rhein Amacher" on social media tells us everything we need to know about that neo-Nazi. He needs to be sued.

12h ago

David Arditi

@davidarditi.bsky.social

The problem with this framing is it makes it seem like the Nazi is somehow affiliated with Talarico www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

23h ago

LibALGal

@libalgal.bsky.social

Guardian profile of the ugly man behind the false rumors about Talarico. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026... #politics #dirtytricks #rightwing

1h ago

💫✨🌟Mare🌟✨💫

@utexas-96.bsky.social

Ryan Amacher, known online as Rhein Amacher, has described Muslims as “sub-human”, claimed that Black Africans are “monkeys” with low IQ, characterized immigrants as “vermin” and expressed support for the far right, including Germany’s AfD and the UK’s Tommy Robinson.

11h ago

TheCatMan

@bigbrohem.bsky.social

Exactly my thoughts when reading this story. Was under the impression loomer started the nonsense, but she surely amplified it. Ryan Amacher - "characterized immigrants as 'vermin' and expressed support for the far right, including Germany’s AfD and the UK’s Tommy Robinson." Big "surprise" indeed.

12h ago

Mark Brazill 🇨🇦🇲🇽🇺🇦🇻🇪 🏳️‍⚧️

@markbrazill.bsky.social

Can’t believe the Nazis are doing Nazi things. Propaganda works on the gullible and cult members.

14h ago

DataFire

@datafire.social.pcpulse.us

Ryan Amacher, who helped spread false claims that James Talarico was in a mental health facility, has a history of antisemitic, racist, and Nazi‑inspired posts on social media.

3h ago

prunesandcustard.bsky.social

@prunesandcustard.bsky.social

Of course it was a Nazi who started the false Talarico rumor. And of course Paxton’s staff jumped on it: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

2h ago

1 source

theguardian.comKey player in false Talarico rumor has history of online posts invoking Nazi Germany

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Key figure in false Talarico rumor linked to Nazi‑referencing posts

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