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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ScottKnight ago
I've got written confirmation of him lying "They ignore basic truths," Alefantis tells BBC Trending. For instance, the conspiracy supposedly is run out of the restaurant's basement. "We don't even have a basement." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-38156985
"Like our sauce — we harvest a whole crop of organic tomatoes — 10 tons of tomatoes every year. Can them all, store them in the basement, have like a harvest party when it gets loaded in" http://www.metroweekly.com/2015/04/from-scratch-james-alefantis/
Proof the owner of Comet Ping Pong is making contradictory statements.
It's great to be better at giving news than the BBC
Gorillion ago
It's like that Australian journalist who was asking for tips earlier.
What can they do? He even said he doesn't have the time to really research anything himself. Do they even have the journalist's "nose" for a story anymore? That classic knack for lateral thinking and finding story angles? Do they have the necessary network of contacts to get police and other official records that a regular citizen may have difficulty obtaining, in order to make those big story-breaking paper-trails? There would have to be building permits somewhere with actual plans detailing the layout of the building and any additions to the structure, etc.
Journalists can now only talk secondhand about investigations, not actually engage in any meaningful way. At best they are the guys calling the game now, no longer actual players on the field.
Complete failure. In fact, Australian Journalist guy if you're reading this, you'd probably be less in danger of getting yourself murdered if you framed the story of Pizzagate as essentially being about the death of journalism. That regular (if incredibly autistic) citizens have had to take on the mantle of the classic idea of the "journalist class" or "4th Estate", by becoming a sort of crowd-sourced "investigative cloud" (the term "The 5th Estate" has already been coined of course, but my point is specifically about the death of mainstream journalism and it's role in our society).
Naalu ago
I agree with this completely. I got pissed off too at a couple of journalists here asking for us to feed him information. For fuck sake do some research yourself, arent you a journalist after all?!?