![\"Megyn](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/H4WVVOIARJB2XCBECOE5WT3GTU.JPG\")
<\/p>\nThe MAGA podcaster gave airtime to some absurd claims about James Talarico.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Megyn Kelly gave credence to absurd claims about Democratic Senate hopeful James Talarico even after they were debunked.<\/p>\n
The MAGA podcaster kicked off her daily \u201cAM Update<\/a>\u201d on Monday by amplifying right-wing conspiracies about the Texas state rep\u2019s flu-induced absence from the campaign trail.<\/p>\n \u201cA newly released audio recording further inflaming controversy over Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas James Talarico\u2019s extended absence from the campaign trail, as an Ohio mental health facility seems to confirm Talarico was there, right before they deny it,\u201d Kelly, 55, said.<\/p>\n Talarico, 37, was out of the public eye for more than a week after contracting the flu, limiting his engagement on the campaign trail ahead of his heated November midterm matchup against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.<\/p>\n State Representative James Talarico poses for a portrait at his campaign headquarters after launching his campaign for the seat currently held by Senator John Cornyn in Austin, Texas on September 9, 2025.<\/p>\n The Washington Post\/The Washington Post via Getty Im<\/p>\n The Senate hopeful made his first public appearance since his hiatus on Friday while attending the Austin City Limits music festival.<\/p>\n Right-wing figures, including Paxton, capitalized on the opportunity by promoting wild theories about the Democrat\u2019s absence.<\/p>\n Politician James Talarico attends the 2026 Austin City Limits Music Festival – Weekend Two at Zilker Park on October 09, 2026 in Austin, Texas.<\/p>\n The former Fox News star cited claims from MAGA fundraiser Caroline Wren, who \u201cposted flight tracking information she suggested could connect Talarico to a mental health facility in Ohio.\u201d<\/p>\n Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox<\/p>\n The MAGA podcaster said Wren pointed to records of a private plane leaving Texas Thursday night for an airport near Cincinnati, Ohio, before it returned to Austin the following morning, \u201cpossibly after picking up Talarico.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat Ohio airport located approximately 20 minutes from the Lindner Center of Hope, where Harris County, Texas judge Lina Hidalgo, a friend of Talarico\u2019s, according to Wren, previously received treatment for depression,\u201d Kelly said.<\/p>\n Kelly covered her tracks by emphasizing that the flight records provided \u201cno indication of who was actually aboard the aircraft, or whether it had anything to do with James Talarico whatsoever.\u201d<\/p>\n Talarico greeted music fans at Austin City Limits on Friday.<\/p>\n She then turned her attention to an unverified audio recording shared Sunday by MAGA influencer Nick Sortor, which alleged that an employee of the Linder Center had \u201cconfirmed\u201d Talarico had been receiving \u201cpsychiatric treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe \u2018flu\u2019 thing was a BIG FAT LIE,\u201d Sortor wrote on X. \u201cFollowing reporting by @SaraGonzalesTX and @CarolineWren, a hospital employee told @RheinAmacher and I that Talarico had in fact been a patient at the Lindner Center of Hope near Cincinnati, Ohio, which specializes in around-the-clock mental health treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n Nick Sortor posts a wild claim about James Talarico.<\/p>\n Kelly explained that the audio recording appeared to capture \u201cconservative influencer Rhein Amacher speaking over the phone to a woman identifying herself as an employee of the facility.\u201d<\/p>\n She said that Amacher had pretended to be Talarico\u2019s cousin on the phone, asking to deliver him a care package. The woman on the phone appeared \u201cto indicate that someone named James Talarico had recently been discharged.\u201d<\/p>\n The claims were put to rest later on Sunday, however, when the Lindner Center of Hope addressed them on social media.<\/p>\n \u201cRepresentative James Talarico has never received treatment from Lindner Center of Hope,\u201d the facility asserted<\/a> on X.<\/p>\n Talarico himself also commented<\/a> on the situation, saying, \u201cI\u2019ve never even been to Ohio\ud83d\ude02”<\/p>\n James Talarico weighs in on an internet conspiracy theory.<\/p>\n Kelly acknowledged the responses from both Talarico and the Lindner Center, including the on-air statement he gave to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth<\/a> in response to the claims on Sunday.<\/p>\n \u201cI just had the flu, and I feel much better,\u201d he told the outlet, adding it was \u201cnot true\u201d that he was hospitalized for psychiatric care. \u201cBut it\u2019s a good reminder that you can\u2019t believe everything you read on the internet.\u201d<\/p>\n When contacted by the Daily Beast Sunday night, Talarico spokesperson JT Ennis pointed to his response<\/a> to Sortor\u2019s claims on X: \u201cThis is a lie designed to promote a pathetic conspiracy theory. Last week James Talarico was home in Austin, Texas recovering from the flu.\u201d<\/p>\n The scandal-ridden Paxton has pounced on the chance to diminish his opponent ahead of the midterms, as the young state rep has given his Trump-endorsed foe a run for his money.<\/p>\n Most recent polls show Talarico leading the Texas attorney general by single digits, according to The New York Times<\/a> aggregate, leading many Republicans to worry that he could become the ruby-red state\u2019s first Democratic senator since 1993.<\/p>\n Unlock a year of full access to The Daily Beast for $35.<\/p>\n What’s IncludedUnlimited access (web + app)Exclusive ad-free newslettersCommenting accessDaily crosswordSneak peek of launches & events<\/p>\n Auto-renews at $5.99 monthly. Cancel anytime<\/p>\n What’s IncludedDiscounted annual rate – Save 47%Unlimited access (web + app)Exclusive ad-free newslettersCommenting accessDaily crosswordSneak peek of launches & events<\/p>\n Auto-renews at $59.99 yearly. 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