Charles C. Johnson

{{Short description|American political activist}} {{for|the member of the Michigan House of Representatives|Charles C. Johnson (politician)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = Charles C. Johnson | image = | caption = | birth_name = Charles Carlisle Johnson | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|10|22}} | birth_place = Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | education = Claremont McKenna College | occupation = Political activist, tech entrepreneur/investor, troll | alias = | title = | family = | spouse = | years_active = 2013–2019 }}

'''Charles Carlisle Johnson''' (born October 22, 1988) is an American political activist who was a public figure in the years 2013 to 2019. A self-described "investigative journalist",<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://charlescjohnson.com/about/|title=About Charles C. Johnson, investigative journalist and author.|work=Charles C. Johnson|access-date=September 16, 2018|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150829072131/http://charlescjohnson.com/about|archive-date=August 29, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Johnson is often described as an internet troll and has been repeatedly involved in the proliferation and spread of multiple fake news stories.<ref name=Slate>{{cite web |last=Hess |first=Amanda |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/users/2015/05/chuck_c_johnson_suspended_from_twitter_why.html |title=Chuck C. Johnson suspended from Twitter: Why? |website=Slate |date=May 28, 2015 |access-date=August 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822092949/http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/users/2015/05/chuck_c_johnson_suspended_from_twitter_why.html |archive-date=August 22, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=riverfront>{{cite web |last=Wicentowski |first=Danny |url=http://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2015/06/08/st-louis-lawyer-fighting-to-reinstate-troll-king-charles-johnson-on-twitter |title=St. Louis Lawyer Fighting to Reinstate Troll King Charles Johnson on Twitter|newspaper=Riverfront Times |date=June 8, 2015 |access-date=August 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150829002034/http://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2015/06/08/st-louis-lawyer-fighting-to-reinstate-troll-king-charles-johnson-on-twitter |archive-date=August 29, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> Johnson was owner of the alt-right websites GotNews.com, WeSearchr.com, and Freestartr.com, all of which were short-lived.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Barrouquere |first1=Brett |title=Once an outlet for conspiracies, GotNews.com now shuttered without explanation |url=https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/09/19/once-outlet-conspiracies-gotnewscom-now-shuttered-without-explanation |access-date=September 21, 2018 |work=Hatewatch |publisher=Southern Poverty Law Center |date=September 19, 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922024628/https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/09/19/once-outlet-conspiracies-gotnewscom-now-shuttered-without-explanation |archive-date=September 22, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="murphy" /><ref name="castillo" /><ref name="singal" /> He wrote two books, both published by Encounter Books in 2013.

Johnson indicated he was a federal informant, as reported by Business Insider, and through a federal lawsuit against Clearview AI.<ref name="fbireveal">{{Cite web |last=Schwartz |first=Mattathias |title=Exclusive: Tech billionaire Peter Thiel was an FBI informant |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/peter-thiel-fbi-informant-charles-johnson-johnathan-buma-chs-genius-2023-10 |access-date=July 21, 2024 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref> The Epstein Transparency Files Act confirmed Johnson's role as a source for the FBI on Israeli espionage in the United States.

In 2025, Johnson was found liable for civil racketeering and ordered to pay at least $71 million to the plaintiffs. They accused him of falsely portraying himself as a U.S. intelligence asset with the aim of extorting them for large sums of money and equity.<ref>Baragona, Justin (July 25, 2025). [https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/charles-johnson-rico-liable-lawsuit-b2789559.html "Notorious far-right troll ordered to pay up to $71 million in racketeering scheme where he pretended to be a spy."] The Independent. (Retrieved September 3, 2025.)</ref> Johnson appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. On November 20, 2025 Johnson was sent to jail for contempt of court after failing to comply with post-judgment discovery and stealing a mug from the courthouse.<ref>Brewer, Spencer (November 20, 2025)[https://www.law360.com/articles/2413849/journalist-jailed-for-contempt-fined-for-stealing-court-mug, Journalist Jailed For Contempt, Fined For Stealing Court Mug"] Law 360 (Retrieved April 19, 2026) </ref> He was released on February 5, 2026.<ref>"Point Bridge Capital, LLC v. Johnson (4:24-cv-00988) Doc. 200" https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69266994/200/point-bridge-capital-llc-v-johnson/</ref>

==Education== Johnson attended Milton Academy high school on scholarship. He attended Claremont McKenna College from 2007 to 2011.<ref name=murphy/> At college he was awarded the Eric Breindel Collegiate Journalism Award and the Claremont Institute Publius Fellowship.<ref name="American Media Institute 2012">{{cite web | title=Eric Breindel Collegiate Journalism Award | publisher=American Media Institute | date=April 27, 2012 | url=https://americanmediainstitute.com/awards/eric-breindel-collegiate-journalism-award/ | access-date=May 20, 2017 |archive-date=May 20, 2017 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170520160004/https://americanmediainstitute.com/awards/eric-breindel-collegiate-journalism-award/}}</ref><ref name="The Claremont Institute">{{cite web | title=Publius Alumni | publisher=The Claremont Institute | url=http://www.claremont.org/page/fellowships/publius-fellowship/publius-fellowship-alumni/ | access-date=May 20, 2017 | archive-date=August 20, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140820121222/http://www.claremont.org/page/fellowships/publius-fellowship/publius-fellowship-alumni/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2016, Johnson wrote a memo encouraging Claremont Institute alumni to help elect Donald Trump as president.<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 24, 2022 |title=The Claremont Institute triumphed in the Trump years. Then came Jan. 6. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/07/24/claremont-john-eastman-trump/ |access-date=August 26, 2022 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en}}</ref> In 2021, Johnson told ''Rolling Stone'' he had broken with his past and supported Joe Biden.<ref name=":2" />

==Controversies== ===Peter Thiel=== Johnson has had a long-standing relationship with Silicon Valley financier and Trump backer Peter Thiel,<ref name=Politico>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/alt-right-trump-washington-dc-power-milo-214629/|title=The Alt-Right Comes to Washington|website=Politico|date=February 2017|author=Ben Schreckinger|access-date=January 16, 2022}}</ref> including collaboration on strategy against Gawker and work for the Trump campaign, as outlined in detail in the book ''The Contrarian.''<ref>{{cite book|last=Chafkin |first=Max|author-link=Max Chafkin|date=September 21, 2021|title=The Contrarian: Peter Thiel and Silicon Valley's Pursuit of Power}}</ref>

Johnson both recruited and outed Thiel as a federal informant to Business Insider.<ref name=fbireveal />

===Bob Menendez=== Johnson was involved in the creation of a ''Daily Caller'' story that accused U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) of soliciting underage prostitutes in the Dominican Republic.<ref name=Politico /> A criminal investigation of the case found no evidence, and the women making the allegations later admitted she had been paid by a local lawyer to make the claims.<ref name=wapo-politics-03192013>{{cite news |last=Lazo |first=Luz |title=Dominican police: 3 women paid to make false claims about Menendez |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/dominican-police-3-women-paid-to-make-false-claims-about-menendez/2013/03/18/f2ff253c-8fe7-11e2-9abd-e4c5c9dc5e90_story.html |access-date=March 19, 2013 |newspaper=The Washington Post|date=March 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130319025217/http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/dominican-police-3-women-paid-to-make-false-claims-about-menendez/2013/03/18/f2ff253c-8fe7-11e2-9abd-e4c5c9dc5e90_story.html|archive-date=March 19, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Cory Booker=== On October 14, 2013, Johnson published an article in ''The Daily Caller'' claiming that Newark mayor and then senatorial candidate Cory Booker never lived in Newark. The article cited neighbors of Booker's alleged address as evidence. Booker's campaign provided a reporter from ''BuzzFeed'' with rental checks and other documents for the address going back several years, and Booker's communications director dismissed Johnson's allegations as "laughable". According to Booker's campaign, he lived there from late 2006 to shortly before he was elected Senator in 2013. Johnson stood by his reporting, claiming that Booker may well have paid rent but did not live in Newark.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Cramer|first1=Ruby|title=Cory Booker: Yes, I Live In Newark |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/rubycramer/cory-booker-yes-i-live-in-newark|access-date=June 10, 2016|work=Buzzfeed|date=October 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530192434/https://www.buzzfeed.com/rubycramer/cory-booker-yes-i-live-in-newark |archive-date=May 30, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Weigel |first=David |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/10/15/birther_director_claims_that_cory_booker_does_not_live_in_newark.html |title=Birther director claims Cory Booker does not live in Newark |website=Slate |date=October 15, 2013 |access-date=August 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924152528/http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/10/15/birther_director_claims_that_cory_booker_does_not_live_in_newark.html |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===David D. Kirkpatrick=== In January 2014, Johnson published an article reporting that ''The New York Times'' reporter David D. Kirkpatrick was arrested for exhibitionism and had previously posed for ''Playgirl''. Johnson's source for the ''Playgirl'' claim was a January 22, 1990, article in ''The Daily Princetonian'', which was later revealed to be satirical.<ref name=slate2>{{cite web |last=Weigel |first=David |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2014/01/06/daily_caller_cites_24_year_old_fake_princeton_newspaper_to_attack_the_nyt.html |title=''Daily Caller'' Cites 24-Year-Old Fake Princeton Newspaper to Attack the ''NYT''{{'}}s Benghazi Reporter |website=Slate |date=January 6, 2014 |access-date=August 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150819040648/http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2014/01/06/daily_caller_cites_24_year_old_fake_princeton_newspaper_to_attack_the_nyt.html |archive-date=August 19, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> Johnson apologized to Kirkpatrick.

===Malaysia Airlines Flight 370=== Johnson told the ABC news affiliate in Fresno that he knew where Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was. The airplane disappeared on March 8, 2014, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. "I just need the funding to go there," he told news reporters.<ref>Hoggard, Corin (January 2, 2015) [https://abc30.com/news/how-the-most-hated-man-on-the-internet-ticks-in-fresno/460119/ "How the 'Most Hated Man on the Internet' ticks in Fresno."] ABC News. (Retrieved April 8, 2020.)</ref>

===2014 Mississippi Republican primary election=== On June 30, 2014, Johnson published a story on GotNews accusing Mississippi senator Thad Cochran of bribing African Americans to vote for him in the Mississippi Senate Republican primary.<ref name=BI>{{cite web |author=Politics |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/charles-johnson-mississippi-senate-race-mcdaniel-cochran-2014-7 |title=Charles Johnson And The Mississippi Senate Race |website=Business Insider |date=July 11, 2014 |access-date=August 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150814015650/http://www.businessinsider.com/charles-johnson-mississippi-senate-race-mcdaniel-cochran-2014-7 |archive-date=August 14, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> The story came days after Cochran had defeated Tea Party challenger Chris McDaniel in a run-off election. Johnson claimed that a black pastor named Stevie Fielder had told him he was paid by Cochran's campaign to bribe black Democrats into voting for Cochran. Johnson paid the pastor for his statements, a controversial practice sometimes known as "checkbook journalism".<ref name=BI /> Fielder later partially recanted his story, saying that he had been speaking hypothetically, that he had turned down the offer, and that Johnson's recording of his interview had been selectively edited, a claim Johnson denies.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Pender|first1=Geoff|title=Meridian man dials back vote-buying claim |url=http://www.clarionledger.com/story/politicalledger/2014/07/10/fielder-votes-buying-election-cochran-mcdaniel/12500655/|access-date=September 5, 2015|work=The Clarion-Ledger|date=July 11, 2014}}</ref>

During the election, Johnson also accused the Cochran campaign of being responsible for Mississippi Tea Party leader Mark Mayfield's suicide and encouraged his Twitter followers to flood a Cochran campaign conference call.<ref name=BI /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Cogan |first1=Marin |title=Ugly: The aftershocks of a tea-party suicide|url=https://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/06/mark-mayfield-tea-party-suicide.html |access-date=September 5, 2015 |work=New York |date=June 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906060720/http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/06/mark-mayfield-tea-party-suicide.html |archive-date=September 6, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Ferguson=== During the Ferguson unrest in 2014, Johnson published the Instagram account of Michael Brown and stated that the account "shows a violent streak that may help explain what led to a violent confrontation with Police officer Darren Wilson".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wilstein|first1=Matt|title=Conservative Blogger Tries to Prove 'Violent Streak' with Michael Brown's Photos |url=http://www.mediaite.com/online/conservative-blogger-tries-to-prove-violent-streak-with-michael-browns-instagram-photos/ |access-date=September 5, 2015|work=Mediaite|date=September 5, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926142529/http://www.mediaite.com/online/conservative-blogger-tries-to-prove-violent-streak-with-michael-browns-instagram-photos/|archive-date=September 26, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson also filed a lawsuit to have Brown's juvenile records released. In Brown's home state of Missouri, the records of minors are private, but Johnson argued that the matter was of pressing public interest under the state's sunshine law. The county court disagreed.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Zara|first1=Christopher|title=Mike Brown Juvenile Record? Lawsuit Seeks Alleged Arrest History Of Slain Missouri Teen |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/mike-brown-juvenile-record-lawsuit-seeks-alleged-arrest-history-slain-missouri-teen-1672574|access-date=September 5, 2015|work=International Business Times|date=August 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924131653/http://www.ibtimes.com/mike-brown-juvenile-record-lawsuit-seeks-alleged-arrest-history-slain-missouri-teen-1672574|archive-date=September 24, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Further appeal attempts by Johnson to unseal the records went as far as the State Supreme Court of Missouri, which denied his request.

In a separate incident during the unrest, Johnson published the addresses of two ''The New York Times'' reporters, claiming that they published the known addresses of Darren Wilson.<ref name=NYT /> ''The New York Times'' has said the reporters only revealed the street on which Wilson once lived.<ref name=NYT />

===University of Virginia rape article=== In December 2014, ''Rolling Stone'' columnist Sabrina Erdely published an article entitled "A Rape on Campus" about the alleged gang rape of a University of Virginia (UVA) student named "Jackie" in 2012 at the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house at UVA. The article was later found to be fabricated.<ref name=NYT>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/15/business/media/sowing-mayhem-one-click-at-a-time.html |title=Sowing Mayhem, One Click at a Time |newspaper=The New York Times |date=December 15, 2014 |access-date=March 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223062358/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/15/business/media/sowing-mayhem-one-click-at-a-time.html |archive-date=February 23, 2017 |url-status=live |last1=Carr |first1=David }}.</ref> Johnson publicly identified Jackie, but in the selection of photos he used had the wrong photo of Jackie.<ref name=DD>{{cite web |last=Howell |first=Patrick |url=http://www.dailydot.com/news/charles-johnson-uva-jackie-dox/ |title=Journalist publishes alleged name and photo of UVA rape victim |website=Dailydot.com |date=December 7, 2014 |access-date=August 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923230834/http://www.dailydot.com/news/charles-johnson-uva-jackie-dox/ |archive-date=September 23, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Banning from Twitter / X=== On May 24, 2015, Johnson sent a tweet asking his followers for donations to help him "take out" Black Lives Matter activist DeRay Mckesson. McKesson shared the tweet and took the tweet as a threat. Johnson was permanently banned from Twitter after several users reported him for harassment.<ref name="Slate"/> In 2018, Johnson sued Twitter for banning him on the grounds that Twitter violated his First Amendment right to free speech. The California Superior Court in Fresno struck down Johnson's lawsuit on June 6.<ref>{{cite web |last=Thomsen |first=Jacqueline |date=June 6, 2018 |url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/technology/391096-court-strikes-down-far-right-activists-lawsuit-over-twitter-ban/ |title=Court strikes down far-right activist's lawsuit over Twitter ban. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180608070104/http://thehill.com/policy/technology/technology/391096-court-strikes-down-far-right-activists-lawsuit-over-twitter-ban |archive-date=June 8, 2018 |work=The Hill |url-status=live |access-date=June 7, 2018}}</ref> In a December 31, 2024, post on his Substack, Johnson wrote a post explaining how he felt about being banned by Twitter (which by then became known as "X") for a third time. The alleged reason was for making a post related to Elon Musk’s family mining business.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Charles |date=December 31, 2024 |title=Banned For "Embarrassing Elon": See The Videos Exposing Elon Emerald Mine Lie Which Got Me Booted From Twitter |url=https://charlesjohnson.substack.com/p/banned-for-embarrassing-elon-see?utm_campaign=posts-open-in-app |access-date=April 29, 2025 |website=Charles Johnson's Thoughts and Adventures}}</ref>

=== Jeff Giesea === In 2014, Johnson met over Twitter with Jeff Giesea, Peter Thiel's former employee, who founded MAGA-X3 with Mike Cernovich who was involved in promoting the Pizzagate hoax. “When I met Chuck I wondered why we weren't weaponizing people like him,” Giesea recounted. “He led me on this intellectual journey."<ref name="buzzbernstein">{{Cite web |last=Bernstein |first=Joseph |date=January 19, 2017 |title=This Man Helped Build The Trump Meme Army — Now He Wants To Reform It |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/josephbernstein/this-man-helped-build-the-trump-meme-army-and-now-he-wants-t |access-date=September 23, 2023 |website=BuzzFeed News |language=en}}</ref>

In 2017, Giesea wrote an article inspired by his association with Johnson titled “It's Time to Embrace Memetic Warfare,” for the Defence Strategic Communications, an official journal of NATO's Stratcom. In the article, Giesea recommended the adoption of memetic warfare to combat ISIS. “The best way to counter ISIS is to unleash an army of trolls on them,” Giesea recalls Johnson joking. “I could totally mess with their recruiting and propaganda.”<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Giesea |first=Jeff |date=2015 |title=IT'S TIME TO EMBRACE MEMETIC WARFARE |url=https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=662273 |journal=Defence Strategic Communications |language=English |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=67–75 |issn=2500-9478}}</ref> That conversation led Giesea to conclude: “Warfare through trolling and memes is a necessary, inexpensive, and easy way to help destroy the appeal and morale of our common enemies... Trolling, it might be said, is the social media equivalent of guerrilla warfare, and memes are its currency of propaganda.”<ref name="buzzbernstein" />

Johnson broke with Jeff Giesea over Giesea's involvement with the January 6th United States Capitol attack.{{cn|date=November 2025}}

=== Katie Walsh === In February 2017, Johnson's website GotNews.com claimed that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Katie Walsh was "the source behind a bunch of leaks" in the White House without offering any evidence.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/15/donald-trump-fake-news-238379|title=How Trump gets his fake news|work=Politico|access-date=May 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170515112731/http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/15/donald-trump-fake-news-238379|archive-date=May 15, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Charlottesville Rally === In August 2017, Johnson's website GotNews was one of several right-wing websites that falsely accused a Michigan man of being responsible for the car attack on August 12, 2017, that killed one anti-racist protestor and injured others in Charlottesville, Virginia.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/alt-right-media-framed-wrong-person-in-car-attack-labeled-him-anti-trump-druggie|title=Alt-Right Media Framed Wrong Person in Car Attack, Labeled Him 'Anti-Trump Druggie' |last=Collins |first=Ben |date=August 13, 2017|website=The Daily Beast|access-date=August 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813144257/http://www.thedailybeast.com/alt-right-media-framed-wrong-person-in-car-attack-labeled-him-anti-trump-druggie|archive-date=August 13, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The Michigan man was subsequently harassed, and was advised by police to flee his home following a slew of death threats.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Darcy |first1=Oliver |title=Man misidentified as Charlottesville driver had to flee home; plans to sue far-right sites |url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/08/16/media/charlottesville-man-misidentified-plans-lawsuit/index.html |access-date=August 2, 2018 |work=CNNMoney |date=August 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802101929/https://money.cnn.com/2017/08/16/media/charlottesville-man-misidentified-plans-lawsuit/index.html |archive-date=August 2, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Together with his father, the Michigan man filed a defamation lawsuit against 22 corporate and individual defendants, including Johnson.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Palma |first1=Bethania |title=GotNews and Other Disreputable Sites Sued for Naming Innocent Teen as the Charlottesville Killer |url=https://www.snopes.com/news/2018/02/17/gotnews-disreputable-sites-sued-naming-innocent-teen-charlottesville-killer/ |access-date=August 2, 2018 |work=Snopes.com |date=February 18, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/CharlottesvilleGotNews.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=February 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180218210912/https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/CharlottesvilleGotNews.pdf |archive-date=February 18, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> On June 1, 2018, Johnson and GotNews agreed to pay a total of $29,900 to settle the lawsuit.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Barrouquere |first1=Brett |title=Costly Hate |url=https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/06/08/costly-hate |access-date=August 2, 2018 |work=Hatewatch |publisher=Southern Poverty Law Center |date=June 8, 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613234633/https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/06/08/costly-hate |archive-date=June 13, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Trump campaign WikiLeaks liaison === In September 2016, Johnson published a story on GotNews about a soon-to-launch anti-Trump website called PutinTrump.org.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Charles C. |title=BREAKING: George Soros-Tied Group Launching Trump-Russia Conspiracy Theory Website |url=http://gotnews.com/breaking-george-soros-tied-group-launching-trump-russia-conspiracy-theory-website/ |access-date=September 21, 2018 |work=GotNews.com |date=September 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922001139/http://gotnews.com/breaking-george-soros-tied-group-launching-trump-russia-conspiracy-theory-website/ |archive-date=September 22, 2016}}</ref> WikiLeaks forwarded the story in private to Donald Trump Jr. before publicly tweeting it. ''Business Insider'' speculated that Johnson's story in September on GotNews may have marked the beginning of Donald Trump Jr.'s—and the Trump campaign's—back-channel contact with Julian Assange and Wikileaks. (Johnson wrote after Wikileaks tweeted the story, "About 2 hours after our original article, Julian Assange's WikiLeaks repeated our discoveries. Guess which big leaks organization reads GotNews & WeSearchr on the downlow! Come on Julian, let's work together. WikiLeaks & WeSearchr is a match made in heaven. We can take down Hillary together.")<ref>Bertrand, Natasha (November 15, 2017) [http://www.businessinsider.com/wikileaks-donald-trump-jr-charles-johnson-2017-11 "A notorious far-right blogger may have provoked WikiLeaks' outreach to Donald Trump Jr."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116104548/http://www.businessinsider.com/wikileaks-donald-trump-jr-charles-johnson-2017-11 |date=November 16, 2017 }} ''Business Insider''. (Retrieved November 11, 2017.)</ref> In August 2017, Johnson brokered and attended a meeting in London between GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and Julian Assange to discuss a presidential pardon for Assange.<ref>Mai-Duc, Christine (August 17, 2017) [https://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-right-wing-blogger-charles-c-johnson-1502992726-htmlstory.html "Rohrabacher on meeting with WikiLeaks' Assange: We talked about 'what might be necessary to get him out.'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116224852/http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-right-wing-blogger-charles-c-johnson-1502992726-htmlstory.html |date=November 16, 2017 }} ''Los Angeles Times''. (Retrieved November 16, 2017.)</ref>

===Fraudulent sexual harassment claim against Senator Charles Schumer=== On December 11, 2017, Johnson wrote on his Facebook page, "Michael Cernovich & I are going to end the career of a U.S. Senator." Johnson claimed to have uncovered a sexual harassment lawsuit against Senator Charles Schumer. The lawsuit, however, turned out to be a forgery. Moreover, language in the forged lawsuit was copied verbatim from a real sexual-harassment complaint filed against Rep. John Conyers. Schumer referred the matter to Capitol police for investigation.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sullivan |first1=Eileen |author-link1=Eileen Sullivan|date=December 13, 2017|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/13/us/politics/schumer-fraudulent-document-harassment.html |title=Schumer Files Police Report After Fraudulent Document Emerges |website=The New York Times |access-date=March 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307023046/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/13/us/politics/schumer-fraudulent-document-harassment.html|archive-date=March 7, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Weill|first1=Kelly|date=December 13, 2017|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/mike-cernovich-chuck-johnson-alt-right-hyped-anti-schumer-forgery-that-plagiarized-conyers-complaint|title=Alt-Right Hyped Sexual Harassment Hoax to Attach Schumer|website=The Daily Beast|access-date=March 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126215252/https://www.thedailybeast.com/mike-cernovich-chuck-johnson-alt-right-hyped-anti-schumer-forgery-that-plagiarized-conyers-complaint|archive-date=January 26, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Johnson participated in the investigation.

===Holocaust denial=== In 2017, Johnson wrote in a Reddit Ask Me Anything thread: "I do not and never have believed the six million figure"—referring to the number of Jewish victims of the Holocaust—and "I agree with [<nowiki/>Holocaust denier] David Cole about Auschwitz and the gas chambers not being real."<ref name="Smith2018">{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Adam C |title=Matt Gaetz's State of the Union guest admits he questioned Holocaust |url=https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/02/05/matt-gaetzs-state-of-the-union-guest-admits-he-questioned-holocaust/ |access-date=August 15, 2020 |work=The Tampa Bay Times |date=February 6, 2018}}</ref> When Representative Matt Gaetz brought Johnson to President Donald Trump's 2018 State of the Union address as a guest of Florida, the national director of the Anti-Defamation League cited those statements (along with the fundraising by Johnson's website WeSearchr of more than $150,000 for the legal defense of neo-Nazi propagandist Andrew Anglin) in calling on Gaetz to "discontinue any association with Johnson and to publicly repudiate his views immediately."<ref>Greenblatt, Jonathan A. (February 1, 2018) [https://www.adl.org/news/letters/adl-letter-to-congressman-matthew-gaetz-regarding-charles-johnson "ADL Letter to Congressman Matthew Gaetz Regarding Charles Johnson."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303105921/https://www.adl.org/news/letters/adl-letter-to-congressman-matthew-gaetz-regarding-charles-johnson |date=March 3, 2018 }} Anti-Defamation League.org. (Retrieved March 2, 2018.)</ref><ref name="thehill">{{Cite news|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/371644-gop-rep-invited-alt-right-troll-to-the-state-of-the-union/|title=GOP rep invited alt-right activist to the State of the Union|author=Delk, Josh|work=The Hill|date=January 31, 2018|access-date=January 31, 2018|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131211320/http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/371644-gop-rep-invited-alt-right-troll-to-the-state-of-the-union|archive-date=January 31, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Sarah Unsicker=== Missouri state representative Sarah Unsicker, a Democrat, was stripped of her committee assignments in 2023 after she repeatedly posted a photo on social media of herself posing with Johnson.<ref name=Unsicker>{{cite web|url= https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article282836168.html|title= Missouri Democrat running for AG stripped of committees after photo with Holocaust denier}}</ref>

=== Point Bridge Capital Lawsuit === In October 2024 Semafor reported that Point Bridge Capital had filed a lawsuit against Johnson for civil racketeering.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Tani |first=Maxi |date=October 17, 2024 |title=Investor sues Chuck Johnson for "falsely presenting ... as intelligence agent" in alleged scheme |url=https://www.semafor.com/article/10/16/2024/business-partner-sues-chuck-johnson-for-falsely-presenting-as-intelligence-agent |access-date=October 31, 2024 |work=Semafor}}</ref> The lawsuit states that “Johnson is running a fraud and extortion scheme under which he [will] falsely present [himself] as intelligence agents or assets of U.S. government agencies. Johnson and Greenwill seek investments in upstart technology companies operating in the defense and intelligence sectors, which heavily rely on government contracts. If a company or investor doesn’t give in to their demands for equity or favorable investment terms, Johnson [will] threaten to sabotage the companies’ contracts or funding under the guise of their false claims to be government agents.”<ref name=":3" /> Johnson denied the validity of these claims, characterizing them as lawfare.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Charles |date=October 17, 2024 |title="Last Gasp of A Criminal Syndicate" : Why I Welcome The Lawfare Attacks Against Me |url=https://charlesjohnson.substack.com/p/last-gasp-of-a-criminal-syndicate?utm_source=publication-search |access-date=October 31, 2024 |website=Charles Johnson's Thoughts and Adventures}}</ref>

On July 29, 2025, Johnson was ordered to pay $71,000,000 in damages plus costs to the plaintiffs. On November 20, 2025, he was found to be in civil contempt of court, with the court ordering for his arrest for repeated failure to engage in post-judgment discovery in good faith, and a $1000 fine for theft of government property (a mug and water bottles) during his deposition.<ref>https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69266994/point-bridge-capital-llc-v-johnson/?order_by=desc</ref>

Johnson appealed the decision to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

==Books== Johnson has written two books published through Encounter Books:<ref>{{cite web |title=Charles C. Johnson - Encounter Books |url=https://www.encounterbooks.com/authors/charles-c-johnson/ |website=Encounter Books |access-date=September 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924115600/https://www.encounterbooks.com/authors/charles-c-johnson/ |archive-date=September 24, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Why Coolidge Matters'', an essay collection encompassing various points in Calvin Coolidge's political career<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/14/book-review-why-coolidge-matters/|title=BOOK REVIEW: 'Why Coolidge Matters' |work=The Washington Times |access-date=September 16, 2018|language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916235445/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/14/book-review-why-coolidge-matters/ |archive-date=September 16, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> with blurbs by John Yoo, Michelle Malkin, and Ted Cruz,<ref name=Politico /> and ''The Truth About the IRS Scandals''. Both books were published in 2013.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newsweek.com/remember-irs-scandal-it-was-fake-news-all-along-681674 |title=Remember the IRS Scandal? It was fake news all along |date=October 10, 2017|work=Newsweek|access-date=September 16, 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917034207/https://www.newsweek.com/remember-irs-scandal-it-was-fake-news-all-along-681674|archive-date=September 17, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Gawker lawsuit== In June 2015, Johnson sued Gawker for defamation in Missouri for $66 million for Gawker's publication of rumours that Johnson defecated on the floor while a student at Claremont McKenna College, and filed a similar suit in California in December.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/19/chuck-johnson-sues-gawker_n_7616756.html|title=Conservative Blogger Sues Gawker For $66 Million Over Public Pooping Rumors|first=Katie|last=Sola|date=June 19, 2015|work=HuffPost|access-date=August 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150819084554/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/19/chuck-johnson-sues-gawker_n_7616756.html|archive-date=August 19, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2016, the Missouri suit was dismissed.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/blogger-s-defamation-lawsuit-tossed-out-of-missouri/article_1211e7ff-3971-5a5a-8f4a-0e79720af6fe.html|title=Blogger's defamation lawsuit tossed out — of Missouri|first=Robert|last=Patrick|date=January 15, 2016|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|access-date=January 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117082907/http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/blogger-s-defamation-lawsuit-tossed-out-of-missouri/article_1211e7ff-3971-5a5a-8f4a-0e79720af6fe.html|archive-date=January 17, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson settled with the by then-defunct Gawker in 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/right-wing-blogger-charles-johnson-settles-with-gawker-media-1534462088 |title=Right-Wing Blogger Charles Johnson Settles with Gawker Media |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=August 16, 2018 |access-date=December 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181205103325/https://www.wsj.com/articles/right-wing-blogger-charles-johnson-settles-with-gawker-media-1534462088 |archive-date=December 5, 2018 |url-status=live |last1=Randles |first1=Jonathan }}</ref>

==Work with Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Bannon== On October 18, 2021, more than two years after the death of Jeffrey Epstein, Johnson discussed his Breitbart boss and mentor Steve Bannon's relationship with the pedophile and human trafficker in an interview with ''Rolling Stone'' reporter Seth Hettena. Steve Bannon met with Epstein multiple times after exiting the White House, including in December 2017. This was while Johnson was being managed by Bannon at Breitbart. Johnson told ''Rolling Stone'' that Bannon viewed Epstein as both a rival and spy, and was deeply interested in emulating Jeffrey Epstein's operation. Bannon also offered to introduce Johnson to Epstein, and Johnson claims he declined but continued to work under Bannon at Breitbart. In addition, Johnson declared in the ''Rolling Stone'' piece that he quietly shifted his allegiance from Donald Trump to Joe Biden, likely after the presidential election or sometime in early 2021.<ref name=":2">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/steve-bannon-jeffrey-epstein-spy-trump-1242599/|title=Steve Bannon Thought Jeffrey Epstein Was a Spy|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=October 18, 2021}}</ref>

==Websites (GotNews, WeSearchr, Freestartr)== Johnson was the founder of three websites, all of which are defunct.

In early 2014, Johnson created GotNews, an alt-right news website.<ref name=murphy>Murphy, Tim (December 6, 2014) [https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/12/charles-chuck-johnson-gotnews-rolling-stone/ "The Rise and Fall of Twitter's Most Infamous Right-Wing Troll."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001220508/https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/12/charles-chuck-johnson-gotnews-rolling-stone/ |date=October 1, 2018 }} Mother Jones. (Retrieved October 1, 2018.)</ref> The site went offline with no advance warning on September 17, 2018.<ref>Barrouquere, Brett (September 19, 2018) [https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/09/19/once-outlet-conspiracies-gotnewscom-now-shuttered-without-explanation "Once an outlet for conspiracies, GotNews.com now shuttered without explanation."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922024628/https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/09/19/once-outlet-conspiracies-gotnewscom-now-shuttered-without-explanation |date=September 22, 2018 }} Southerner Poverty Law Center. (Retrieved October 1, 2018).</ref> GotNews filed for bankruptcy in May 2019. The bankruptcy petition lists GotNews' total liabilities as between $500,000 and $1 million.<ref>Merlan, Anna (May 6, 2019) [https://splinternews.com/far-right-news-site-gotnews-has-filed-a-chapter-7-bankr-1834553359 "Far-Right News Site GotNews Has Filed a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Petition."] Splinternews. (Retrieved May 27, 2019.)</ref>

In 2015, Johnson created WeSearchr, a crowdfunding website. By 2017, the site became a fundraising platform for alt-right causes, though Johnson claimed that was not his intention. Andrew Anglin, the founder of the neo-Nazi website ''The Daily Stormer'', used the website to raise money to defend himself against a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of a woman trolled by followers of Anglin.<ref name="castillo">{{cite news |last1=Castillo |first1=Michelle |title=The far right uses this site to fund favorite causes, and its founder aims to be 'very profitable' |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/24/wesearchr-charles-johnson-alt-right-causes.html |access-date=August 28, 2018 |publisher=CNBC |date=June 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802101845/https://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/24/wesearchr-charles-johnson-alt-right-causes.html |archive-date=August 2, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition to crowdfunding legal battles, the site was also designed to crowdfund bounties on reporting goals. According to Johnson, he used the site to receive money for information he had already acquired.<ref name=singal>{{cite news |last1=Singal |first1=Jesse |title=Chuck Johnson's WeSearchr Is Having a Bit of a Meltdown |url=https://nymag.com/selectall/2017/05/chuck-johnsons-wesearchr-is-having-a-bit-of-a-meltdown.html |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=New York |date=May 16, 2017 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829072207/http://nymag.com/selectall/2017/05/chuck-johnsons-wesearchr-is-having-a-bit-of-a-meltdown.html |archive-date=August 29, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The site closed in May 2017.<ref name=singal/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Menegus |first1=Bryan |title=World's Worst Website Goes Down (Again) |url=https://gizmodo.com/worlds-worst-website-goes-down-again-1795266216 |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=Gizmodo |date=May 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829072114/https://gizmodo.com/worlds-worst-website-goes-down-again-1795266216 |archive-date=August 29, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Johnson also started the crowdfunding site Freestartr, which collected funds for white nationalist Richard B. Spencer's legal defense,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kirkland |first1=Allegra |title=After Struggle To Raise Funds, Spencer Finally Gets Lawyer In C'ville Case |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/richard-spencer-manages-find-attorney-federal-charlottesville-case |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=Talking Points Memo |date=May 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829072251/https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/richard-spencer-manages-find-attorney-federal-charlottesville-case |archive-date=August 29, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> far-right activist Tommy Robinson,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dearden |first1=Lizzie |title=Tommy Robinson is richer and has more international support after two-month imprisonment, research shows |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/tommy-robinson-wealth-supporters-far-right-prison-freed-crime-a8473536.html |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=The Independent |date=August 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816121647/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/tommy-robinson-wealth-supporters-far-right-prison-freed-crime-a8473536.html |archive-date=August 16, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Canadian nationalist Faith Goldy,<ref name="sommer">{{cite news |last1=Sommer |first1=Will |title=Big Finance is Hitting the Far Right in the Wallet |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/far-right-fuming-after-big-finance-chokes-off-money-flow |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=The Daily Beast |date=August 21, 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828053858/https://www.thedailybeast.com/far-right-fuming-after-big-finance-chokes-off-money-flow |archive-date=August 28, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Johnson himself,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Guynn |first1=Jessica |title='Alt-right' escalates war against Silicon Valley, pledges to expose bias against conservatives |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2018/01/18/alt-right-escalates-war-against-silicon-valley-pledges-expose-bias-against-conservatives/1037524001/ |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=USA Today |date=January 18, 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829035025/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2018/01/18/alt-right-escalates-war-against-silicon-valley-pledges-expose-bias-against-conservatives/1037524001/ |archive-date=August 29, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> and others. In mid-2018, Freestartr stopped accepting funds, as the site was banned by Stripe and PayPal, which Freestartr used to process payments.<ref name="sommer"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Fisher |first1=Alyssa |title=Far-Right Organizations Get Banned From PayPal, Beg Followers For Help |url=https://forward.com/fast-forward/406567/far-right-organizations-get-banned-from-paypal-beg-followers-for-help/ |access-date=August 28, 2018 |work=The Forward |date=July 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725015352/https://forward.com/fast-forward/406567/far-right-organizations-get-banned-from-paypal-beg-followers-for-help/ |archive-date=July 25, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Clearview.AI== Johnson is a cofounder of Clearview AI, as reported by a 2021 ''New York Times Magazine'' article.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/18/technology/clearview-facial-recognition-ai.html|title = What We Learned About Clearview AI and Its Secret 'Co-Founder'|newspaper = The New York Times|date = March 18, 2021|last1 = Hill|first1 = Kashmir}}</ref> He was bumped out of the nascent Clearview initially, but came to an agreement of holding a ten percent interest which would be as a silent partner as he would assist in marketing and wind-down his stake gradually.<ref>Luke O'Brien. (May-June 2025) "Clear and present danger". [https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/04/clearview-ai-immigration-ice-fbi-surveillance-facial-recognition-hoan-ton-that-hal-lambert-trump/ Mother Jones magazine website] Vol. 50, no. 3. P.21. Retrieved April 14, 2025.</ref>

==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links== {{IMDb name|9092238|Charles C. Johnson}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Charles C.}} Category:1988 births Category:Living people Category:American political writers Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers Category:Claremont McKenna College alumni Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:American male bloggers Category:American bloggers Category:Internet trolls Category:Milton Academy alumni Category:Activists from Massachusetts Category:21st-century American male journalists Category:21st-century American journalists Category:Claremont Institute people