Doug Mastriano

[[File:Mastriano Douglas.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Mastriano in 2017]]{{uspolitics}}
'''Douglas Vincent Mastriano''' {{lived|1964}} is a state senator for [[Pennsylvania]]'s 33<sup>rd</sup> district, a military [[historian]], and spreader of [[conspiracy theories]] and [[Islamophobia]]. He represents two counties in south-central PA, which (outside of the rapidly-growing Harrisburg area) is considered to be the most [[wingnut]] portion of the state. He later became involved with spreading lies about the [[2020 U.S. presidential election]] and even showed up on [[January 6]],<ref name=jan6>[https://whyy.org/articles/doug-mastriano-election-lies-disinformation-jan-6/ How Doug Mastriano promoted election lies between Election Day and Jan. 6], Robby Brod, ''WHYY'' 9 June 2022</ref> which would go on to bite him when he tried to run for governor of Pennsylvania during the [[2022 midterm elections]], resulting in him getting utterly trounced.

==Military career and writings==
Mastriano had a 31-year military career, serving in Operation Desert Storm, [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]], and the [[Afghanistan War]]. He has written two well-received books about [[World War I]] and several technical analyses of the latter-day [[Soviet Union]].<ref>[https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/senate_bio.cfm?id=1869 Doug Mastriano], Pennsylvania State Senate.</ref><ref>'' Thunder in the Argonne: A New History of America’s Greatest Battle'' by Douglas V. Mastriano (2018) University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813175550.</ref><ref>''Alvin York: A New Biography of the Hero of the Argonne'' by Douglas V. Mastriano (2014) University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813145198.</ref><ref>''Project 1721: A U.S. Army War College Assessment on Russian Strategy in Eastern Europe and Recommendations on How to Leverage Landpower to Maintain the Peace'' by Douglas V. Mastriano (2017) Department of the Army. ISBN 1584877456.</ref><ref>''Project 1704: A U.S. Army War College Analysis of Russian Strategy in Eastern Europe, an Appropriate U.S. Response, and the Implications for U.S. Landpower'' by Douglas V. Mastriano (2014) CreateSpace. ISBN 1514269678.</ref>

In 2001, Mastriano submitted his master's thesis ''The Civilian Putsch of 2018'' to the Air Command and Staff College. The work is a response to an earlier essay by {{wpl|Charles J. Dunlap Jr.}} from 1992. While Dunlap posits that the militarization of American society would ultimately be detrimental to democracy and national security, Mastriano's work takes a completely different stance.{{fact}} It depicts a future Army officer hiding in a national park, after a third-party politician compels the President to resign, installs himself as a dictator with aid from the [[European Union]] and the [[United Nations]] and proceeds to send millions of Americans to re-education camps. The paper was unearthed in early 2022, revealing that Mastriano held very conspiratorial viewpoints well before starting his political career.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/05/20/mastriano-thesis-hitlerian-putsch-pennsylvania/ Doug Mastriano warned of left-wing ‘Hitlerian Putsch’ in 2001 paper], ''The Washington Post'' 20 May 2022</ref><ref>[https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3496019-pa-gop-governor-hopeful-mastriano-wrote-thesis-warning-of-left-wing-hitlerian-putsch/ Pa. GOP governor hopeful Mastriano wrote thesis warning of left-wing ‘Hitlerian Putsch’], ''The Hill'' 20 May 2022</ref><ref>[https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA407262.pdf The actual paper]</ref>

Mastriano's work has been criticized for using fraudulent citations and having sloppy research in general,<ref>[https://apnews.com/article/doug-mastriano-research-alvin-york-backlash-96db4958d0caeb992347d9b83198084f In French woods, rivals take aim at senator’s WWI research], Mark Scolforo, ''AP News'' 20 March 2021</ref> resulting in one of his books needing to be republished with corrections.<ref>[https://triblive.com/news/pennsylvania/publisher-to-reissue-pa-sen-doug-mastrianos-wwi-book-with-corrections/ Publisher to reissue Pa. Sen. Doug Mastriano's WWI book with corrections], ''Trib Live'' 8 September 2021</ref>

Furthermore, when James Gregory investigated Mastriano's PhD work on {{wpl|Alvin York||,}} he discovered over 150 problems with Mastriano's thesis, such as many instances of Mastriano claiming that a source says something that it doesn't say. In the end, though, the university that gave Mastriano his degree did nothing because it didn't want to influence an ongoing election.<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/mastriano-new-brunswick-york-1.6605669 A controversy-courting U.S. politician causes stir on Canadian university campus], Alexander Panetta, ''CBC News'' 5 October 2022</ref>

==Political career and writings==
Like [[Donald Trump]], whom he deeply admires, Mastriano has left behind a trail of social media posts suggesting that he's a [[Deceit|liar]], a fool, and/or an [[Morality|ethically]]-bereft person. He has propagated or created unfounded accusations toward [[Ilhan Omar]], propagated the short-lived conspiracy that [[Islam|Muslims]] were involved in the Notre Dame Cathedral fire,<ref>Elizabeth Hardison, [https://www.penncapital-star.com/government-politics/conspiratorial-anti-muslim-memes-populate-facebook-page-of-state-senate-candidate/ Conspiratorial, anti-Muslim memes populated Facebook page of state Senate candidate]. Pennsylvania Capital Star, 6 May 2019.</ref> has spread [[anti-Semitism|anti-Semitic]] conspiracy theories about [[George Soros]],<ref>[https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/doug-mastriano-josh-shapiro-george-soros-campaign-governor-20220815.html&utm_content=&utm_term=&int_promo= Josh Shapiro's new ads cite Doug Mastriano's ties to antisemitic content on Gab], Chris Brennan, ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' 20 August 2022</ref> and spread the madness of [[Jack Posobiec]].<ref>[https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/5/2/1854994/-PA-Dems-Double-Down-To-Stop-This-Homophobic-Islamophobic-GOPer-Becoming-A-State-Senator PA Dems Double Down To Stop This Homophobic, Islamophobic GOPer Become A State Senator]. The Daily Kos, 2 May 2019.</ref> Mastriano is a [[Christian nation]]alist who has openly called the [[separation of church and state]] "a myth".<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/08/us/christian-nationalism-politicians.html The Far-Right Christian Quest for Power: ‘We Are Seeing Them Emboldened’], Elizabeth Dias, ''[[The New York Times]]'' 8 July 2022</ref> He has also called [[climate change]] "fake science".<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/nov/04/republican-democrat-candidates-climate-crisis Republican candidates on climate: ‘fake science’ to ‘carbon is healthy’], Nina Lakhani and Oliver Milman, ''[[The Guardian]]'' 4 November 2022</ref> In 2022, he introduced a bill that promoted [[ivermectin]] and [[hydroxychloroquine]] as [[COVID-19]] cures.<ref>[https://www.timesobserver.com/news/local-news/2022/03/bill-would-allow-off-label-drugs-to-treat-covid-19/ Bill would allow off-label drugs to treat COVID-19], John Whittaker, ''Times Observer'' 1 March 2022</ref> He is a massive [[homophobia|homophobe]] as well, being opposed to [[same-sex marriage]],<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/24/doug-mastriano-pennsylvania-republicans-trump-governor Doug Mastriano: is the Trump-backed election denier too extreme to win?], Adam Gabbatt, ''[[The Guardian]]'' 24 October 2022</ref> and he called attempts to ban [[conversion therapy]] "disgusting".<ref>[https://www.salon.com/2022/08/26/doug-mastriano-says-its-disgusting-to-discourage-conversion-therapy-for-lgbtqia-kids/ Doug Mastriano says it's "[[Argumentum ad fastidium|disgusting]]" to discourage conversion therapy for LGBTQIA+ kids], Kelly McClure, ''Salon'' 26 August 2022</ref> And to top it all off, he has ties to [[QAnon]] and the [[militia movement]], because of course he does.<ref>[https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/10/pennsylvania-republicans-stop-mastriano-00031607 Pennsylvania GOP panics over possible Mastriano nomination], Holly Otterbein and Zach Montellaro, ''Politico'' 10 May 2022</ref>

Mastriano participated in the [[2021 U.S. coup attempt]], and was even seen crossing police boundaries.<ref name=jan6 /> For obvious reasons, he is a person of interest in the January 6 investigation.<ref>[https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/08/jan-6-riot-probe-pennsylvania-gop-nominee-doug-mastriano-to-be-deposed.html Jan. 6 committee to depose Pennsylvania GOP gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano], Kevin Breuninger and Dan Mangan, ''CNBC'' 8 August 2022</ref> He attempted to impanel a slate of fake electors in an attempt to overturn the election results,<ref>[https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/doug-mastriano-subpoena-jan-6-capitol-attack-20220215.html Doug Mastriano was subpoenaed by the committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack], Andrew Seldman, ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' 15 February 2022</ref> and he [[Godwin's Law|classily compared the committee]] to [[Nazism]] and [[McCarthyism]] when they tried to investigate him for this.<ref>[https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/doug-mastriano-pennsylvania-governor-race-2022-maga-trump-20220628.html Doug Mastriano is sticking to his MAGA playbook in the general election for Pa. governor], Andrew Seidman, ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' 12 July 2022</ref> He also has ties to the [[alt-right]] hate site [[Gab]].<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/28/politics/doug-mastriano-gab-pennsylvania-republican/index.html Doug Mastriano under fire for relationship with antisemitic website and its founder], Dan Merica, ''CNN'' 28 July 2022</ref> Additionally, he has had members of the [[Oath Keepers]] working in his personal security detail.<ref>[https://lancasteronline.com/news/politics/flow-from-the-pulpit-the-lifegate-church-members-providing-security-to-doug-mastriano-video/article_df406aa2-1fe2-11ed-aeff-03f9ba26a060.html 'Flow from the pulpit:' The LifeGate church members providing security to Doug Mastriano], Carter Walker, ''Lancaster Online'' 20 August 2022</ref>

===Gubernatorial run===
In 2022, he ran for governor of Pennsylvania. Many of the state's [[Republican Party|Republicans]] were well aware that Mastriano would stand no chance of winning, and a few candidates tried to coalesce around Lou Barletta{{efn|Who is himself a massive wingnut who is best known for his harsh laws against undocumented immigrants during his tenure as mayor of Hazleton.<ref>[https://thehill.com/capital-living/new-member-of-the-week/94303-barletta-makes-pitch-on-immigration/ Barletta makes pitch on immigration], Ramsay Cox, ''The Hill'' 20 June 2011</ref>}} when it was clear that Mastriano was leading in the primary, but [[Donald Trump]] ruined their plans by stepping in and endorsing Mastriano.<ref>[https://www.axios.com/2022/05/14/trump-mastriano-pennsylvania-governor Trump endorses Doug Mastriano for governor of Pennsylvania], Jacob Knutson, ''Axios'' 14 May 2022</ref> Despite his attempts to keep a low media profile, his extreme antidemocratic rhetoric quickly caught up to him, to the point where he was polling worse than ''[[Mehmet Oz]]'' in the state, costing Republicans a chance at winning what might have otherwise been a competitive race. Mastriano's views towards the media also caused him to shoot himself in the foot. Mastriano did not trust mainstream media to handle a debate between himself and [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Josh Shapiro]], then the Keystone State's attorney general, properly, and felt that all media outlets would be biased towards Shapiro. For this reason, Mastriano only would debate Shapiro under a condition that they would both get to decide who the moderators would be.<ref>[https://www.wtae.com/article/mastriano-and-shapiro-cant-agree-to-terms-for-gubernatorial-debate/41465165 Article about the terms], ''WTAE'' 30 September 2022</ref> Shapiro called this "stupid" and refused, and thus Mastriano and Shapiro never had a debate, which really hurt Mastriano in the end! Consequently, and unsurprisingly, Shapiro bested Mastriano in the 2022 gubernatorial election by almost fifteen points.<ref>[https://www.wgal.com/article/shapiro-defeats-mastriano-to-become-pennsylvania-governor/41905390 Josh Shapiro declares victory over Doug Mastriano to become Pennsylvania governor], ''WGAL'' 9 November 2022</ref> Good riddance.

At least Mastriano learned that he wouldn't be able to get farther than state Senate politically after the 2022 election. He has made it clear he has no intention of running for Senate in 2024.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/doug-mastriano-decides-skip-2024-senate-bid-pennsylvania-rcna86073</ref>

==Notes==
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==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mastriano, Doug}}
[[Category:2020 election denialists]]
[[Category:2021 U.S. coup attempt]]
[[Category:Alt-lite]]
[[Category:Alternative medicine promoters]]
[[Category:Anti-abortion activists]]
[[Category:Antisemites]]
[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Chemophobes]]
[[Category:Christians]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theorists]]
[[Category:Crank magnetism]]
[[Category:Fundamentalists]]
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[[Category:Gun nuts]]
[[Category:Historians]]
[[Category:Homophobes]]
[[Category:Islamophobes]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Military]]
[[Category:Militia movement]]
[[Category:QAnon]]
[[Category:Racists]]
[[Category:Theocracy]]
[[Category:Transphobes]]
[[Category:United States politicians]]
[[Category:War on science]]

Categories: 2020 election denialists, 2021 U.S. coup attempt, Alt-lite, Alternative medicine promoters, Anti-abortion activists, Antisemites, Authors, Chemophobes, Christians, Conspiracy theorists, Crank magnetism, Fundamentalists, Global warming denialists, Gun nuts, Historians, Homophobes, Islamophobes, Living people, Military, Militia movement, QAnon, Racists, Theocracy, Transphobes, United States politicians, War on science