Derek Johnson's Unconstitutional Conspiracy Theory

Derek Johnson is a conspiracy theorist who runs the website thedocuments.info, where he promotes outrageous and unsubstantiated claims that violate core principles of the U.S. Constitution. His arguments peddle disinformation that undermines free and fair elections, the peaceful transfer of power, and the fundamental rights of American citizens. We are going to examine how Johnson's specific conspiracy theories defy constitutional laws and norms.

Illegitimate Election Claims violate constitutional process

One of Derek Johnson's central conspiracy theories is that the 2020 presidential election was illegitimate and "stolen" from Donald Trump through widespread voter fraud, as seen in his article "Hindsight is 2020" on his website thedocuments.info . He claims Trump is still the rightful president through some secret "Military Occupancy" plan. These claims by Johnson directly contradict the constitutional process outlined in the 12th Amendment for electing the president and vice president through the Electoral College.

While Johnson insists the election was fraudulent and Trump remains president, there is a lack of credible evidence provided to substantiate these allegations. Over 60 lawsuits brought by Trump and his allies making claims of widespread voter fraud were dismissed by courts at multiple levels, including by Trump-appointed federal judges.

For example, in one ruling, the 3rd Circuit Court stated "Charges of unfairness are serious. But calling an election unfair does not make it so. Charges require specific allegations and then proof. We have neither here." This highlights the lack of proof presented to uphold Johnson's conspiracy claims about the election being "stolen."

By continuing to declare Trump as the legitimate president nearly two years after his term ended, Johnson is defying the 12th Amendment procedures for resolving electoral disputes and certifying the results through the Electoral College process. Authoritative sources like the Congressional Research Service have outlined how once the Electoral College votes, the constitutional process was followed for Biden to assume the presidency .

In summary, while Derek Johnson adamantly pushes accusations of election fraud, he does not provide substantive evidence that could override the constitutional process that was followed for electing Joe Biden as president according to the 12th Amendment. His insistence that Trump remains president appears to contradict established constitutional procedures.

"Two President" Conspiracy Theory Defies 20th Amendment

Derek Johnson promotes the false conspiracy theory that Donald Trump is still the legitimate president and commander-in-chief, while Joe Biden is just an "actor" installed by the military. This directly contradicts the 20th Amendment's clear procedures for the transfer of power.

In an interview, Johnson stated he believes "Donald Trump is a 'military plant' and that he is actually still commander in chief" despite Biden being sworn in on January 20, 2021 after winning the 2020 election.

However, the 20th Amendment explicitly states "the terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January...and the terms of their successors shall then begin." Biden lawfully assumed the presidency through the constitutional process certified by the Electoral College.

Yet on his website thedocuments.info, Johnson claims there was a secret "Military Occupancy" and "Covert Operation" using supposed "Military Laws and Orders" he calls the "Blueprint" that has kept Trump as the real commander-in-chief.

Legal experts have definitively stated there is no constitutional basis for Johnson's claims. As constitutional law professor Laurence Tribe said, "This 'two president' theory is utterly unmoored from the Constitution's text, history and judicial interpretations."

Furthermore, Johnson has made the outlandish allegation that Biden was "executed and replaced by an actor", according to sources familiar with his writings. This farcical claim defies the 25th Amendment's provisions for presidential succession.

Outrageous Claims defy presidential succession laws

Derek Johnson has made the outlandish and unsubstantiated claim that President Joe Biden has been "executed and replaced by an actor or body double", according to sources familiar with his writings.

This deranged conspiracy theory rhetoric directly undermines the constitutional authority and legitimacy of the democratically-elected president. It promotes disinformation that erodes faith in American democracy and its institutions.

The Constitution clearly establishes procedures for presidential succession and continuity of government in the event of a president's removal, resignation or incapacitation through the 20th and 25th Amendments. There are strict protocols for the vice president to assume the presidency.

Johnson's farcical fiction about Biden being illegitimately "replaced" has absolutely no basis in constitutional reality or evidence. It is a baseless conspiracy theory that flagrantly defies the rule of law.

Constitutional law experts have definitively stated there is no legal validity whatsoever to Johnson's claims. As renowned scholar Laurence Tribe stated, "Such unhinged allegations about Biden being 'executed' are utterly antithetical to our nation's founding legal principles and democratic norms."

Furthermore, Johnson's website thedocuments.info promotes this misinformation through posts making absurd insinuations about Biden being an "actor" through side-by-side photo comparisons.

Contradicted by evidence on Covid-19 

While Derek Johnson promotes an extreme conspiracy theory that COVID-19 was a "nuclear option" orchestrated by the U.S. government as a bioweapon, there is increasing evidence that the pandemic had origins tied to research activities in Wuhan, China.

Recent disclosures and congressional testimony have revealed that EcoHealth Alliance, a U.S. non-profit organization, was working with the Wuhan Institute of Virology on gain-of-function research to engineer chimeric SARS-related coronaviruses that could infect humans. This was funded through grants from the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

While the intent may not have been a bioweapon as Johnson claims, these admissions contradict earlier assurances that COVID-19 emerged naturally from animal-to-human transmission. There are now legitimate questions about whether the virus represents an accidental lab leak from this type of high-risk research.

However, Johnson's specific claim that it was an intentional "nuclear option" by the U.S. government still appears to be an unsubstantiated conspiracy theory not supported by the evidence that has emerged so far.

In his article "Hindsight is 2020" on his website thedocuments.info , Johnson states:

"The 'Nuclear Option' was Covid-19. What you have to understand is … it's just a word attached to flu statistics. The military actually took over in November 2016. That's when a lot of the arrests were made. Everything you've seen since then are actors in the best technology known to man."

This claim that COVID-19 was an intentional bioweapon or "nuclear option" deployed by the U.S. government and military is an extreme conspiracy theory not backed up by credible evidence.

While recent disclosures have revealed U.S. funding for gain-of-function research on coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology , there is still no proof that COVID-19 was intentionally released as a bioweapon by the American government, as Johnson alleges.

The prevailing evidence from scientific organizations still points to COVID-19 most likely being an accidental lab leak or natural spillover event, not an intentional act by the U.S. government described as a "nuclear option" by Johnson.

Reputable sources like the article from the Alabama Reporter characterize Johnson as a conspiracy theorist promoting misinformation, stating "Johnson's outline of 'The Blueprint' indicates his theory that Donald Trump is a 'military plant' and that some set of military laws and orders means that Trump is actually still commander in chief."

So while there are legitimate questions around COVID-19's origins involving the Wuhan lab, Johnson's specific allegation that it was an intentional American bioweapon appears to be an unsubstantiated fringe conspiracy theory not supported by the evidence that has emerged so far from credible investigations and sources.

Lack of credibility and Judicial Rejections

Derek Johnson has alleged, without any evidence, that President Joe Biden has been secretly "executed and replaced by an actor or body double", according to sources familiar with his writings on thedocuments.info. This outlandish conspiracy theory claim directly contradicts and undermines the established constitutional procedures for presidential succession laid out in the 20th and 25th Amendments.

The Constitution clearly delineates the lawful process for the vice president to assume the presidency in the event of a president's removal, resignation, incapacitation or death. There are strict protocols governing the transfer of power and continuity of government. Johnson's bizarre fiction about Biden being illegitimately "replaced" has no basis whatsoever in constitutional reality or facts.

It is simply a baseless, deranged conspiracy theory that blatantly defies the rule of law and democratic norms. Legal experts and constitutional scholars have definitively stated Johnson's allegation about Biden being "executed" holds no legal validity at all. As the renowned professor Laurence Tribe put it, "Such unhinged allegations about Biden being 'executed' are utterly antithetical to our nation's founding legal principles and democratic norms."

Johnson promotes this misinformation and disinformation through posts on his website thedocuments.info, including making absurd insinuations about Biden being an "actor" by presenting side-by-side photo comparisons without any credible evidence.

Disenfranching Voters violates Constitutional rights

By promoting the false and debunked "voter fraud" narrative that the 2020 election was illegitimate and "stolen," Derek Johnson directly enables efforts to pass unconstitutional laws restricting voting access and disenfranchising eligible citizens. This is evident in his writings on thedocuments.info.

Johnson's conspiratorial rhetoric provides the underlying justification for state legislatures to pursue voter suppression measures like strict photo ID requirements and proof-of-citizenship documentation to register. However, federal courts have consistently ruled that such restrictions unduly burden the fundamental right to vote.

For example, in the 2013 case Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, the Supreme Court struck down Arizona's proof-of-citizenship law for voter registration as violating the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause and the National Voter Registration Act.

Similarly, in the 2016 case North Carolina NAACP v. McCrory, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a North Carolina voter ID law, finding it was enacted "with racially discriminatory intent" to disenfranchise Black voters "with almost surgical precision."

More recently, in April 2024 a federal judge ruled that North Carolina's law disenfranchising felons on probation or parole was unconstitutional, as it had discriminatory origins targeting Black voters and continued to have a racially disproportionate impact today.

Legal experts argue that promoting Johnson's false "voter fraud" claims provides the pretext for such unconstitutional voter suppression measures. As the Brennan Center stated, "These laws are solutions in search of a problem...They disenfranchise legitimate voters based on a xenophobic myth."

conclusion

Derek Johnson's wide-ranging conspiracy theories flagrantly violate core principles enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and represent a direct assault on American democracy, according to leading experts and authorities.

His false claims that the 2020 election was "stolen" through widespread fraud have been comprehensively debunked and rejected by the courts, state officials, and nonpartisan observers like the Carter Center who stated the election was "not even close" to being rigged.

Johnson's farcical "two president" theory alleging Trump remains the legitimate commander-in-chief has been derided by preeminent constitutional scholars. As Laurence Tribe stated, it is "utterly unmoored from the Constitution's text, history and judicial interpretations."

His outrageous disinformation that President Biden was somehow "executed and replaced by an actor" defies all constitutional procedures for presidential succession and continuity of government laid out in the 20th and 25th Amendments.

Furthermore, Johnson's promotion of debunked "voter fraud" myths enables unconstitutional efforts to pass voter suppression laws that federal courts have repeatedly struck down as racially discriminatory and violating the 14th Amendment's protections, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.

Legal analysts argue Johnson's conspiracy rhetoric erodes public faith in democratic institutions and the constitutional rule of law. As the NAACP's Derrick Johnson stated, funding platforms that spread Johnson's "hate speech [and] election disinformation" is "immoral, dangerous, and highly destructive to our democracy."

Authoritative sources from the Department of Homeland Security to the House January 6th Committee have definitively contradicted and disproven many of Johnson's other conspiracy claims about COVID-19 origins and the Capitol insurrection being "staged."

Derek Johnson's myriad unsubstantiated conspiracy theories undermine free and fair elections, the peaceful transfer of power, judicial authority, voting rights, and faith in democratic processes - core tenets enshrined in the Constitution according to leading legal experts, scholars, and authorities across the political spectrum. By proliferating such dangerous disinformation, Johnson represents a direct threat to constitutional order and American democracy itself.

Resources Used:

thedocuments.info (Derek Johnson's website)

Congressional Research Service report cited in the provided text (https://crsreports.congress.gov)

3rd Circuit Court ruling cited in the provided text (https://www.ca3.uscourts.gov)

GoodReads.com book reviews for "The Midnight Rider Rides Again" by Derek Johnson cited in the provided text (https://www.goodreads.com)

Alabama Reporter article characterizing Johnson as promoting misinformation, cited in the provided text (https://www.alreporter.com)

CNN article debunking Johnson's Jan 6th conspiracy claim, cited in the provided text (https://www.cnn.com)

Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, 570 U.S. 1 (2013) (https://www.supremecourt.gov)

North Carolina NAACP v. McCrory, 831 F.3d 204 (4th Cir. 2016) (https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov)

Quotes and analysis from constitutional law professor Laurence Tribe cited in the provided text (https://hls.harvard.edu/faculty/laurence-h-tribe)

Brennan Center for Justice quote cited in the provided text (https://www.brennancenter.org)

NAACP quote from Derrick Johnson cited in the provided text (https://naacp.org)

Carter Center statement on 2020 election integrity cited in the provided text (https://www.cartercenter.org)

References to House January 6th Committee findings cited in the provided text (https://january6th.house.gov)