The lawyer for two Sandy Hook parents has unleashed on Aaron Rodgers for sharing conspiracy theories about the school shooting.
Mark Bankston won $49.3 million from disgraced radio host Alex Jones on behalf of Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, parents of victim Jesse Lewis, in 2022.
Rodgers, star quarterback of the New York Jets, reportedly ‘enthusiastically’ shared ‘deranged conspiracy theories’ about the 2012 shooting being faked.
His claims, made in private conversations at the 2013 Kentucky Derby, emerged as rumors swirled he would be Robert F Kennedy Jr’s presidential running mate.
Parents of the 20 children who were gunned down alongside six adults have for the past decade been hounded and abused by Jones’ followers.
Bankston called Rodgers a ‘dumb jock’, ‘defective’, and a ‘slow-witted, gullible person’ who ‘can’t be trusted with important decisions’.
Rodgers has made headlines once again for talking about deranged conspiracy theories
![Mark Bankston won $49.3 million from disgraced radio host Alex Jones on behalf of Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, parents of victim Jesse Lewis, in 2022](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/14/15/82468325-13197317-image-a-225_1710429119614.jpg)
Mark Bankston won $49.3 million from disgraced radio host Alex Jones on behalf of Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, parents of victim Jesse Lewis, in 2022
His blistering ‘open letter’ posted to Twitter late on Wednesday night ended by asking Rodgers: ‘Can you please shut the f**k up’.
Bankston began by joking the future Hall of Famer would see his post ‘sandwiched between a tweet claiming the measles vaccine makes children gay and an ad for a cryptocurrency scam’.
He wrote that he was not surprised Rodgers believed Sandy Hook conspiracies, as due to his long history of bizarre views, ‘I am quite aware that you are a slow-witted, gullible person’.
‘Sadly, I’d have to live under a rock not to notice the frequency in which the media reports on whatever screwball propaganda you most recently swallowed like a hungry trout confronted with a shiny lure,’ he continued.
‘Being a poor schmuck who latches onto claptrap maybe isn’t the biggest sin in this day and age,
‘But I can’t fathom how on Earth you manufactured the confidence to think you have something useful to offer to any of these discussions.’
Bankston shared the famous Greek instruction ‘know thyself’, telling Rodgers to understand his intellectual limitations.
‘You are a dumb jock. God apparently gave you many talents, but critical thinking is not one of them,’ he wrote.
‘With your immense fortune, there is no reason you can’t hire someone to assess and evaluate basic day-to-day information so you don’t have to. Because you’re not very good at it.’
![Bankstonasks Alex Jones questions about text messages during trial at the Travis County Courthouse](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/14/15/82468503-13197317-image-a-226_1710429295499.jpg)
Bankstonasks Alex Jones questions about text messages during trial at the Travis County Courthouse
![Neil Heslin, father of six-year-old Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim Jesse Lewis, wipes tears as he testifies during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/14/15/82468577-13197317-image-a-227_1710429306863.jpg)
Neil Heslin, father of six-year-old Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim Jesse Lewis, wipes tears as he testifies during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee
![Parents of the 20 children who were gunned down alongside six adults have for the past decade been hounded and abused by Jones' followers](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/14/15/82468449-13197317-image-a-229_1710429330036.jpg)
Parents of the 20 children who were gunned down alongside six adults have for the past decade been hounded and abused by Jones’ followers
Bankston said he already knew this about Rodgers but was appalled to now discover he was ‘one of those freaks’ claiming Sandy Hook parents were ‘liars and actors’.
He argued this ‘crosses a line you can’t come back from’.
‘It means you can’t be trusted with important decisions. It means nobody benefits from listening to you,’ he continued.
‘It means you’re broken in a fundamental way. It means you’re weak, and you’re desperate to believe what a grifter will happily sell you.
‘It means you’re not a leader and will never be one. You’re not cut out to be an influencer, a role model, or even an amusing iconoclast.
‘Because you’re not eccentric; you’re defective. And that’s not a funny joke.’
Rodgers reportedly shared his debunked theories about the shooting to CNN journalist Pamela Brown, who co-authored the new report, during the 2013 Kentucky Derby.
CNN has another source beyond Brown who was given anonymity for their story, who said several years ago Rodgers claimed: ‘Sandy Hook never happened… All those children never existed. They were all actors.’
![Kennedy is running as a third-party candidate in November's Presidential election](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/13/22/82438567-13194339-image-a-20_1710368423658.jpg)
Kennedy is running as a third-party candidate in November’s Presidential election
![Rodgers (left) with Kennedy (right). Both are prominent vaccine skeptics, with Kennedy prone to pushing conspiracy theories](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/13/23/82384225-13194339-Rodgers_left_with_Kennedy_right_Both_are_prominent_vaccine_skept-a-11_1710373128390.jpg)
Rodgers (left) with Kennedy (right). Both are prominent vaccine skeptics, with Kennedy prone to pushing conspiracy theories
When the source brought up grieving parents to Rodgers, they recalled the Jets quarterback saying ‘They’re all making it up. They’re all actors.’
During the conversation with Brown, Rodgers was said to have called the shooting ‘a government inside job’ and the media was ‘intentionally ignoring it’.
Brown questioned Rodgers, providing evidence the Sandy Hook shooting was real. Rodgers retorted with ‘various theories’ that had been disproven ‘numerous times.’
DailyMail.com contacted Rodgers’ representatives for comment, who did not immediately respond.
Kennedy will announce his running mate on March 26 in Oakland, California, with some connecting Rodgers’ hometown of Chico and playing college football at Cal for reasons the city was chosen for the announcement.
He is running as an independent in November’s Presidential Election, with Rodgers and former Minnesota governor and professional wrestler Jesse Ventura confirmed as possible vice-presidential picks.
![The Sandy Hook school shooting took the lives of 20 children and six adults in December 2012](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/13/22/82439225-13194339-image-a-21_1710368452095.jpg)
The Sandy Hook school shooting took the lives of 20 children and six adults in December 2012
![A woman places flowers at the sign for Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 15, 2012](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/13/23/82440407-13194339-image-a-10_1710373124929.jpg)
A woman places flowers at the sign for Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 15, 2012
After suffering a season-ending Achilles tendon injury four plays into his tenure with the Jets in September, Rodgers stayed in the news thanks in large part to his weekly appearances on the Pat McAfee Show.
During his weekly television spot, Rodgers went on crazy rants, with many questioning if ESPN would cut the feed to not air the four-time NFL MVP’s deranged comments.
Rodgers has been open about his disdain for the coronavirus vaccine ever since they became available to NFL players in 2021. To this day, Rodgers maintains he’s unvaccinated for Covid-19.
Questioning the legitimacy of Covid treatments and vaccines have been a conspiratorial calling card since the pandemic was at its height in 2020.
Rodgers spent his entire NFL career with the Green Bay Packers until being traded to the Jets last year.
Former Packers quarterback DeShone Kizer said Rodgers once asked him if he thought the September 11 terrorists attacks were real, according to NBC Sports.
![Rodgers (right) has recently been on vacation in Costa Rica with fellow NFL star Jordan Poyer](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/13/23/82429069-13194339-Dolphins_safety_Jordan_Poyer_posted_a_picture_of_himself_and_Rod-a-12_1710373130060.jpg)
Rodgers (right) has recently been on vacation in Costa Rica with fellow NFL star Jordan Poyer
‘The first thing that comes out of Aaron Rodgers’s mouth was “You believe in 9/11?”‘ Kizer said. ‘”What? Do I believe in 9/11? Yeah, why wouldn’t I?”‘
Rodgers apparently made a believer out of Kizer, who shared what other conspiracy theories the duo talked about.
‘Inner Earth, moon landing, reptile people,’ Kizer said. ‘Y’all are laughing. Go do your research, I’m telling you. Go do your research.’
Rodgers has yet to directly respond to the claims.