DNC staffers push conspiracy theory after Chaffetz announces he won't seek re-election

Two Democratic National Committee staffers took to Twitter Wednesday to push an unsubstantiated conspiracy theory after Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) announced he will not seek re-election in 2018.

Chaffetz, who was first elected to Congress in 2008, revealed his future plans in a Facebook post Wednesday morning.

After long consultation with my family and prayerful consideration, I have decided I will not be a candidate for any office in 2018. ...

For those that would speculate otherwise, let me be clear that I have no ulterior motives. I am healthy. I am confident I would continue to be re-elected by large margins. I have the full support of Speaker [Paul] Ryan to continue as Chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. That said, I have made a personal decision to return to the private sector.

The Utah congressman said that "by announcing now," he hopes to give other potential candidates a chance to build up the groundwork needed to run a successful campaign.

But Chaffetz's explanation didn't stop DNC Deputy Communications Director Adrienne Watson from assuming the worst — without a shred of evidence.

"Chaffetz not seeking re-election will raise more questions about this," Watson tweeted, quoting another tweet that suggested the Russians have "kompromat" against Chaffetz. "Kompromat" is the Russian term for compromising information.

"Sources say there is kompromat on @jasoninthehouse; that this is why he turned and that @fbi know it. #traitorinthehouse," the quoted tweet read.

Joel Kasnetz, another DNC communications staffer, later retweeted Watson's assertion.

It's not the first time that DNC staffers have openly pushed conspiracy theories. As the Daily Caller pointed out, Watson also suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin may have had some involvement in the death of conservative journalist Andrew Breitbart.

Breitbart died in March 2012 of congestive heart failure.

Watson also pushed the conspiracy theory that disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) sexted with Russian hackers, not a 15-year-old girl, as communications, obtained by the Daily Mail, allegedly indicated.