Behind the Bastards

Part Two: John Schmitz: The First Trump

37 snips
Jan 11, 2024
John Schmitz, conspiracy maniac who ran against Nixon, explores his extreme views and involvement with conspiracy theories. The chapter also discusses his impact on shaping the Republican party's thinking and the Epstein conspiracy and famous associations.
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ANECDOTE

Schmitz's Early Life and Career

  • John Schmitz's early life details are scarce, but his family was likely middle to upper-middle class.
  • He worked scrubbing beer vats and went to Marquette University before joining the Marines.
INSIGHT

Schmitz's Political Entry

  • Schmitz entered Orange County politics, joining the John Birch Society and gaining support from wealthy businessmen like Carl Karcher.
  • He married a younger, equally conservative woman named Mary.
ANECDOTE

Schmitz's Act of Heroism

  • Schmitz gained local fame for disarming a man attacking a woman, though the woman died.
  • Newspapers highlighted Schmitz's heroism while downplaying the woman's death.
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