What Did This Former Senior Staffer Have to Say About Ron Paul's Denial of 9/11 Conspiracy Theories?

Yesterday, Ron Paul told ABC News' Jake Tapper that he never "bought into" 9/11 conspiracy theories and that it's "complete nonsense" some would think otherwise. But a former aid has come forward urging the media to question Paul further on his stance on conspiracy theories and the resolution to enter Afghanistan.

According to Mediaite, Tapper quoted Paul's former senior aid Eric Dondero as saying that Paul had "engaged in conspiracy theories" that included the potential that President George W. Bush had knowledge about the 9/11 attacks beforehand. When Tapper presented with this quote, Paul responded:

"Now, wait, wait, wait! Don’t go any further on that. That’s complete nonsense!”

“It’s nonsense? It’s not true?” Tapper asked.

“No, I never bought into that stuff, never talked about it. About the conspiracy of Bush — of Bush knowing about this?” Paul responded incredulously. “No, no, come on! Come on! Let’s be reasonable! That’s just off-the-wall!”

Watch the footage:

YID With LID has an exclusive from Dondero in response to Paul's denial:

While it's good to see the mainstream media taking these questions to Ron Paul directly, Tapper and others have not fully pressed him on the matter.

What Tapper should have followed up with, was simply asking Paul if he ever posited the theory that Bush "may" have known about the attacks ahead of time. Notice how Paul adds the caveat "About the conspiracy -- of Bush [definitively] knowing about this." That's not how it went down in Ron's offices in the 9/11 immediate aftermath. It was Ron often couching his terms with "might have known," or playing devil's advocate as in the case of "what if." This of course, gave him just enough wiggle room to claim that he never said that's exactly what happened back then, or as he is doing presently.

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I applaud Tapper and other media for pushing the issue. But by ignoring the specifics, they've allowed him just enough wiggle room to get out of answering the fundamental question: Did he or did he not originally support the resolution to go into Afghanistan. (And additionally, does he or does he not support American intervention in WWII to save the Jews from the Holocaust, not simply because Hitler made a declaration of War giving us no choice but to respond.)

Dondero challenges the media to press Paul further or contact his staffers from that time for evidence of Paul threatening to vote against going into Afghanistan.

This story has been updated since its original posting to correct a typo.