Longshot presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has been accused of concealing his past. The Republican hopeful, who previously criticized his potential rivals for mimicking his stance, is now under scrutiny.
This is due to him allegedly paying a Wikipedia editor to remove certain details from his biography that could potentially harm his political aspirations.
Ramaswamy’s Wikipedia page currently carries a warning indicating multiple issues, including paid contributions and the need for cleanup to comply with Wikipedia’s neutrality policies.
The controversy stems from changes made by an editor known as “Jhofferman,” who admitted to being compensated by Ramaswamy for altering the page.
“Vivek Ramaswamy paid Wikipedia editors to erase his Soros Fellowship and COVID work.”
Hold up. @GenFlynn I thought Soros was controlling the globalist elite who created COVID to kill all the gentiles? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/iThnxOtFIz
— Jim Stewartson, Anti-disinfo activist 🇺🇸🇺🇦💙 (@jimstewartson) August 24, 2023
The accusations against Ramaswamy are particularly striking given his previous criticisms of other Republican figures, such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Ramaswamy has publicly challenged his prospective rival, urging him to stop being “fake.” However, critics like Charles C.W. Cooke of National Review have accused Ramaswamy of running as a frontman for former President Donald Trump, a favorite for the Republican nomination.
Despite these controversies, Ramaswamy enjoys the support of 2.6% of the Republican primary electorate, according to RealClearPolitics’ polling average. His campaign has yet to respond to these allegations.
The contentious edits on Ramaswamy’s Wikipedia page involved the removal of information about his receipt of a Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans in 2011 and his role on Ohio’s COVID-19 Response Team.
The Soros fellowship, funded by George Soros’ older brother Paul, could be politically damaging due to the Soros family’s association with left-wing causes. Ramaswamy’s role in Ohio’s COVID-19 response could also be problematic, given the state’s more restrictive approach to the pandemic, compared to other Republican-led states.
Vivek Ramaswamy had his Wikipedia edited to omit his ties to George Soros and his involvement with Covid 19 response team in Ohio. pic.twitter.com/etydtn0Yia
— This Nonsense Will End Commies (@HiThereGroomers) August 24, 2023
Interestingly, despite the potential political fallout, there’s little evidence to suggest Ramaswamy advocated for a heavy-handed response to the virus or was involved in progressive activism through the Soros fellowship.
However, the mere appearance of these associations could be detrimental to his campaign.
Ramaswamy’s decision to financially invest in concealing his past raises questions about his trustworthiness and his confidence in explaining his record to voters.
Despite this, he has been vocal in criticizing the influence of money in politics, particularly highlighting the frequent visits of George Soros’ son to the Biden White House.
As the race for the White House heats up, it remains to be seen how these revelations impact Ramaswamy’s campaign. Will his attempts to rewrite his past overshadow his political message or will he manage to navigate these choppy waters?
