In case u missed it, Alefantis emphatically stated for the record yesterday on the Kojo Mnambi radio show that Comet Ping Pong DOES NOT HAVE A BASEMENT.
https://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2016-11-30/pizza-propaganda-the-local-fallout-from-fake-news
Now, this is problematic because it contradicts all the available evidence we currently have. Including James Alefantis hinself talking about canning 10 tons of tomatoes at Comet and storing them in said basement. Which can be found here in this Metro Weekly article.
http://www.metroweekly.com/2015/04/from-scratch-james-alefantis/
In addition to his own words previously confirming the existence of a basement, we also have this book, Boutique Restaurants, which documents the interior of Comet Ping Pong. The only available images are too low of a resolution to make out the description. However, the space depicted is able to be assumed to be a basement area of the building. (Cant find the link to the book right now, i have screenshots on my twitter tho)
Another puzzling piece of information is the listing of Comet, 5037 Connecticut Ave. on propertyshark has the stories of the building listed as '2'.
http://www.propertyshark.com/mason/Property/11881126/5037-Connecticut-Ave-NW-Washington-DC-20008/
Other supporting evidence is a confirmed basement level in a neighboring business, Politics and Prose. Across the street there is Joe's Basement Bar, so we know buildings in the immediate vicinity have basements.
Fox News biggest argument in favor of "debunking Pizzagate" was the statement of fact that "Comet Ping Pong does not have a basement"
I'll leave it to the greater community to interpret the implications of these findings published above.
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oldskeptic ago
Earlier pics of the Comet's interior had the open kitchen located on the left side, to the rear of the building.
The recent undercover video shows the kitchen now located on the right wall, a bit more towards the front, and enclosed. Anybody else see this?
It would be very expensive to relocate an entire commercial kitchen if it was over a slab floor. Prohibitively expensive. Maybe Alefantis is playing word games again, something he's quite skilled in. Could it be more of a crawl space, just not generous enough in height to qualify as basement?
Orange_Circle ago
What's he digging the hole in if its not the basement?
oldskeptic ago
If it was me, and I was accused of having a torture room, saying "no basement" again and again just would not do.
I'd say, "Not only is there no basement here, but there isn't even as much as a crawl space or a utility tunnel. There's nothing under the solid concrete slab floor except for hard-packed earth"
Since Alefantis is so wordy about everything else, why doesn't he expand a bit about this basement thing?