Memorial for Diamond of pro-Trump vloggers Diamond and Silk goes off the rails
The memorial for Lynette ‘Diamond’ Hardaway, half of the pro-Trump vlogging duo ‘Diamond and Silk,’ took a dark turn on Saturday as her sister, Rochelle ‘Silk’ Richardson, detailed the late 51-year-old’s final moments and alluded to a nefarious poisoning plot she claims caused her death.
The three-hour service held in North Carolina saw hundreds of Make America Great Again (MAGA) figures in attendance, including the former U.S. President himself, and featured musical performances and talks from conservative figureheads.
The right-wing tribute to Diamond took a turn however as prominent anti-vaxxer and Diamond’s sister Silk took the stage – questioning whether Americans are being poisoned spurring Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to demand an investigation into the COVID vaccine.
Trump followed the radical speech, throwing his support behind Silk, whom he admitted he had ‘just learned about’ despite meeting her on several occasions with her sister Diamond.
Lynette ‘Diamond’ Hardaway’s, 51, memorial took a dark turn as Rochelle ‘Silk’ Richardson, detailed her sister’s final moments and alluded to a nefarious plot that she believes killed her
‘Instead of asking if Americans are vaxxed or unvaxxed, the real question to ask is: Are Americans being poisoned?’ Silk asked the pro-Trump crowd filled with friends and family.
‘In the wild, when they want to depopulate and sterilize a large group of animals, they usually inject one animal, and that one animal infect the rest of the animals,’ Silk said, suggesting, without evidence, that the COVID-19 vaccine creates harm.
‘People are dropping dead around here, and nobody is talking about it! They are dropping dead suddenly and unexpectedly.’
According to research, there has been no evidence to suggest that the COVID-19 vaccine causes people to die, despite far-right pundits amplifying the phrase ‘died suddenly’ on social media followed by videos of people having seizures to support their theories.
Silk followed the anti-vax rhetoric with a detailed retelling of the final moments her sister, 51, spoke to her.
‘She said to me, ‘I can’t breathe.’ It was something out of nowhere, and no warning. Each breath was less, and less, and less,’ she explains to the crowd.
Trump paid tribute to Diamond, describing her as one of the world’s ‘brightest stars’ but admitted he ‘didn’t know Silk at all’ despite meeting her countless times
‘What I want to say to everybody is don’t you dare call me a conspiracy theorist. Because I saw it happen. I saw how it happened. I was there when it happened, and it happened suddenly.’
She went on to urge the crowd to ‘get some answers as to why people are falling dead suddenly.’
Firebrand Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene posted part of the speech to Twitter: ‘I demand an IMMEDIATE investigation into COVID vaccines and the dramatic increase of people dying suddenly! This can no longer be ignored and is NOT political.’
In the early days of the COVID pandemic, Diamond and Silk floated fringe conspiracy theories, including the idea that quarantining could somehow result in people getting ‘sick’ and that increased COVID-19 case numbers being shared with the public was an attempt to harm Trump politically.
Silk has repeatedly denied on Twitter that her sister died from COVID-19. Diamond’s cause of death remains unclear.
‘Where’s your proof that my sister died from contracting COVID-19? No Proof plus No Truth equates to a Lawsuit,’ Silk wrote after Diamond’s death was announced.
Trump is pictured with Diamond and Silk on several occasions, like here, during a social Media Summit July 2019
Despite always seeming delighted whenever he was in the company of Diamond and Silk. He couldn’t place Silk who said he thought of her and her sister as family
The former U.S. president appears to be close to both members of the pro-Trump vlogging duo
Following the impassioned call to action on the vaccine, Silk paid homage to the former U.S. president remembering the close relationship the three shared going as far as to say that he ‘treated us just like the other children – Eric, Don Jr, Tiffany.’
But as Trump paid tribute to Diamond, describing her as one of the world’s ‘brightest stars’ he admits he ‘didn’t know Silk at all’ despite meeting her countless times.
‘The world has lost one of its brightest stars but I see that we have another star who was equal to but she stepped up and she is different,’ Trump said.
‘I’m serious I thought I knew them both, I didn’t, I knew Diamond, but I didn’t know Silk at all I just learned about Silk, you’re fantastic, you’re going to carry on beyond, beyond anybody’s wildest imaginations.’
Pictures of the three together have resurfaced, showing Trump with the duo at the White House on several occasions and on the campaign trail with Trump.
As the funeral service proceeded, it slowly began to descend into madness, turning from a funeral service to what appeared to be a MAGA rally.
In the early days of the COVID pandemic, Diamond and Silk floated fringe conspiracy theories, including the idea that quarantining could somehow result in people getting ‘sick’
They also claimed that increased COVID-19 case numbers being shared with the public was an attempt to harm Trump politically
‘She lives on in the hearts and the minds of those who loved her,’ Republican North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson said.
‘The news media right now has paid little to no attention to her passing. We all know what the news media is. It is the most evil devil in America.’
‘She was wise, she was strong, and she was beautiful,’ Robinson continued.
Each speaker, including Trump, paid tribute to her unwavering support of the former president.
‘Another secret about Diamond: She had a boyfriend. Yes, that’s right. And she had a boyfriend, and oh, my God, we would talk about him all of the time,’ Diamond and Silk’s executive director Tressie Ham said.
‘His name: President Donald J. Trump. Yes, yes, yes. President Donald J. Trump, that was her boyfriend.’ Ham added that Diamond’s ‘side piece’ was Mike Lindell.
Diamond and Silk promote themselves as ‘Trump’s most loyal supporters’ the 51-year-old’s funeral turning from a solemn affair to what has been likened to a MAGA rally
Former President Trump also shared the news on his Truth Social platform, stating that her death was sudden and that she was with her sister, Rochelle ‘Silk’ Richardson, at the time
Diamond and Silk’s executive director Tressie Ham said: ‘Another secret about Diamond: She had a boyfriend… his name, President Donald J. Trump’ adding that her ‘side piece’ was Mike Lindell
Silk also used the service to threaten to file a complaint against local police over their handling of her sister’s death, though she gave few details.
‘To the Hoke County Sheriff’s department, you have a rotten apple in the bunch,’ Silk said.
‘While the body is still warm on the kitchen floor, you don’t overstep the next of kin then try and barge into my home, that I pay the bills for, illegally, with no warrant, to retrieve my sister’s dead body.
‘You don’t push yourself onto someone then say ‘don’t touch me,’ she continued.
Silk who has long called for ‘handcuffs’ to be removed from police went on to pledge that she would file a ‘complaint’ against the local North Carolina police department ‘ASAP.’
She added: ‘Just because you are dressed in blue doesn’t mean you get to abuse the power you think you have.’
Diamond passed away at her home in North Carolina on Jan 9 a post on the her and her sister’s Twitter account stated.
In 2020, the sisters were let go from their jobs at Fox News for promoting conspiracy theories about the coronavirus, including that COVID-19 death figures
‘The World just lost a True Angel and Warrior Patriot for Freedom, Love, and Humanity!’ their Twitter account stated.
Trump also shared the news on his Truth Social platform, stating that her death was sudden and that she was with her sister, Rochelle ‘Silk’ Richardson, at the time.
‘Really bad news for Republicans and frankly, ALL Americans. Our beautiful Diamond, of Diamond and Silk, has just passed away at her home in the State she loved so much, North Carolina,’ he wrote.
‘Silk was with her all the way, and at her passing. There was no better TEAM anywhere, or at any time! Diamond’s death was totally unexpected, probably her big and precious HEART just plain gave out.
‘Rest In Peace our Magnificent Diamond, you will be greatly missed!’
In November, the Diamond and Silk Twitter account, which promotes the duo as ‘Trump’s most loyal supporters,’ requested that supporters pray for Hardaway but did not provide a reason.
‘Anyone who believes in the power of prayer please pray for Diamond,’ it said.
A few days before, the account had posted about her 51st birthday.
Lynette ‘Diamond’ Hardaway, left, a right-wing commentator and one half of the pro-Donald Trump vlogging duo Diamond and Silk, passed away aged 51. It’s unclear how she died
Hardaway and Richardson gesture while speaking at the National Rifle Association in 2018
The Daily Beast reported that Hardaway returned to her show the following month and denied unverified online reports that she had been hospitalized with COVID-19.
She filmed her last episode on December 15.
In 2020, the sisters were let go from their jobs at Fox News for promoting conspiracy theories about coronavirus, including allegations that the virus was intentionally spread by ‘deep-state snakes’ and that a vaccine would be used for population control.
They also promoted the conspiracy theory on-air that COVID-19 death figures were being manipulated to make Trump appear bad.
Diamond and Silk then joined the fringe network Newsmax with their show ‘Diamond and Silk: Crystal Clear’ and claimed to be Trump’s ‘most loyal supporters.’
The two women came to the fore during Trump’s 2016 campaign for president, when they supported him with commentary on their YouTube channel.
The duo were at one time lifelong Democrats but switched allegiance to support Trump following his 2015 presidential campaign announcement.
In 2018, the sisters testified before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation about supposed attempts to shut down their Facebook page.
Their appearance came amid GOP claims of anti-Republican bias on the platform.
In 2020, they released the co-written book ‘Uprising,’ which they claimed became a bestseller.
