As we previously reported, after being missing for almost two weeks, Democrat senatorial candidate James Talarico came out of this burrow, saw his shadow, and now Texans have to endure about three and a half more weeks of election season, or something. Jokes aside, we are genuinely glad to see him up and alive and seemingly healthy, but it doesn’t answer the question: Where was he?
The official campaign answer is he had the flu, which doesn’t entirely make sense to this author. But this morning, we got another alleged answer. As we reported previously, Nick Sortor shared audio of an alleged phone call to the Lindner City of Hope in Ohio, claiming that a person named James Talarico had recently been discharged from that mental health facility. Here’s that audio here, just so you have the full context:
🚨 BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Ohio mental hospital CONFIRMS James Talarico was discharged from the facility earlier this week
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 11, 2026
The “flu” thing was a BIG FAT LIE
Following reporting by @SaraGonzalesTX and @CarolineWren, a hospital employee told @RheinAmacher and I that Talarico had in… pic.twitter.com/VDdfKoaAFG
But political Ewok Brian Krassenstein has attempted to debunk the claim and, really, the brilliance of it is just something to behold:
URGENT RECORDING BELOW: Despite MAGA liars claiming that James Talarico was a patient at Lindner Center of Hope in Ohio, and allegedly recording an employee stating that he was, I just got off the phone with the Lindner Center and they have confirmed that the whole story is a… pic.twitter.com/imoYZ5NnzB
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) October 11, 2026
The cut off text is the words 'Giant LIE.' Yes, with that exact capitalization.
This lines up with a common talking point: The audio can’t be real, because it would violate HIPAA! Here's an example of that:
Putting aside that no hospital would confirm this because it’s a HIPAA violation, it’s really kind of funny how they have so little on @jamestalarico that they have to make up this obvious lie. https://t.co/cT1ULZLo2t
— Neera Tanden🌻 (@neeratanden) October 11, 2026
So, the argument goes that since it would violate HIPAA (a patient privacy statute) for any person working at such a facility to disclose this information or such a disclosure would violate company policy, we can assume no one did it.
By the same logic, all we have to do to stop all murders is to make it illegal to murder! Wheeee!
Of course, those of you who have more than two brain cells to rub together know it is already illegal to murder people, yet sadly it continues to happen, and likewise, people disclose patient information when it is not entirely legal to do so, either. They also don’t follow company policy 100 percent of the time. Which means that Krassenstein has come up short, again.
But that didn’t stop him from taking a victory lap:
God you are pathetic. Your idiotic story blows up in your face within an hour and now you are trying to still make it a story.
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) October 11, 2026
I hope you are sued.
MAGA here - HIPAA is drilled into you when you work at a hospital or medical facility. A mental institute with high profile patients would get sued from here to eternity for violating a patient's privacy, and the staff member could be fined and go to prison. Didn't happen.
— KendraKlassen (@KeennyK) October 11, 2026
HIPAA actually doesn’t allow individuals to sue for damages.
She literally said she cant deny he was there!! 😭
— SirWinston (@SirWinston85) October 11, 2026
Indeed, it wouldn’t be hard for Talarico himself to debunk this. He could contact the Lindner City of Hope, sign a document that says he waives all rights to privacy in relation to any care he might have or might not have gotten there, and then let reporters call to determine if he had been there. Why doesn’t he do that?
Why doesn’t he provide some kind of doctor’s note verifying he had the flu?
Texans deserve a senator who will actually be there. His absence for so long is not automatically disqualifying, but it does need to be excused. And we don’t think him losing his marbles is a sufficient excuse.
Seriously, what normal job can a person have where they can disappear for almost two weeks and then show up at work with an inconsistent explanation and no doctor’s note? Well, if he becomes a senator, then the people of Texas would be his boss and the same people deserve an explanation before they decide whether or not to hire him.
Once Talarico’s team calls the mental hospital and gives them permission to give a statement that he was not there then this will be settled. Suprised that hasn’t already happened🤔
— gnwspanky (@gnwspanky) October 11, 2026
He kind of gets it, but he seems to assume he wasn’t at a mental health facility. We won’t make that assumption.
You're the one who's lying. The rep who answered the phone didn't say that Talarico wasn't a patient. In fact, he said that the Center "would not" confirm or deny such information.
— Owen Aherne (@NeighbouringM) October 11, 2026
Saying that the Center “would not” disclose such information is not a straightforward denial that…
The cut off text:
Saying that the Center ‘would not’ disclose such information is not a straightforward denial that someone did so. He didn’t say that they ‘did not’ disclose it. Nor would he necessarily know or be at liberty to say if someone else had disclosed it.
Yeah, it sounds more aspirational than anything. And that is a good aspiration, but humans do not always live up to their aspirations.
You get your brother to pretend to be an employee 😆
— william tucker (@wtucker83) October 11, 2026
This was Brian’s take on Hunters laptop too. pic.twitter.com/u65d4D49EP
— Unknown Mike (@MichaelHar21269) October 11, 2026
Our favorite denial of the Hunter Biden laptop story (although we don’t remember who said it) was that there was no way Hunter Biden would do something so careless as to leave his laptop at the repair shop so long if there was so much incriminating information in it. You know, because crackheads are known for their responsible behavior and good judgment. /sarcasm
What, Nick lied??? pic.twitter.com/PjMquxRl8N
— Jorge Washington (@theredhombre) October 11, 2026
Because an arrest means he is automatically guilty? Indeed, we know of at least one case where his arrest appeared to be politically motivated.
Dude…the whole internet knows you’re the biggest liar in the entire cesspool of lib liars. You’re literally king of the lying libs. Absolutely nobody would believe you even after you put a tie on for your creepy picture. Independent journalists have been tracking this for days.…
— Bad Dad From The Top Rope (@GungaGalungaAce) October 11, 2026
The cut off text:
It’s not a conspiracy theory. You don’t go missing when you get the flu on a campaign buddy. You go to bed for 24 hours and come back with a stuffed nose looking a bit pale like the rest of humanity does when they get the flu under the age of 60. You’re a known liar and you shall be treated as such. Carp. Absolute bottom feeder.
At the very least, he could have done a video appearance, or at least taken a picture with that day's newspaper.
And for the record, ‘maybe a politician is lying’ is almost never a crazy conspiracy theory. It should be the default position for every journalist.
Mocking mental health and fabricating a story that devalues those who actually suffer from mental health ailments to try and score cheap political points against your opponents, stay classy, MAGA https://t.co/iQyO5QZktl
— Isthmus Politics (@IsthmusPol) October 11, 2026
Sorry, we don’t think a person who needs mental health help like that belongs in the Senate.
they said they wouldn’t disclose it. They said they wouldn’t confirm or deny. They can’t be sure an employee didn’t go rogue and Brian knows that. https://t.co/mF9jQZ4a9f
— Just Mindy 🐊 (@just_mindy) October 11, 2026
Exactly. Say … maybe this lady is smart enough to write for Twitchy!
Until he releases his medical records for the past few weeks, no one will will be convinced he wasn't there.
— PJB (@PJBantimarxist) October 11, 2026
Finally:
It’s hard to know what’s going on with Talorico.
— Coddled Affluent Professional (@feelsdesperate) October 11, 2026
To get the facts I’m going to turn to the trusted folx in the legacy media who assured us Joe Biden was totally fine.
Can we get Dan Rather to look into it? *Laughs*
RELATED: BREAKING: James Talarico Has Been Sighted. Now, Where Was He? (VIDEO)
‘Argo F**k Yourself:’ Iranian Director Criticizes Classic Movie for the Dumbest Reason Possible
VIDEO: Former DOJ Lawyer John Yoo Says Christa Pike Could Face a Firing Squad (LAWSPLAINING)
‘This Is a Case About Swinging D***s:’ A Dissent Goes THERE on Transgender Issues (LAWSPLAINING)
BREAKING: An NYT Interview With Biden Just Undermined Thousands of His Late Pardons (A Deep Dive)
Editor's Note: Do you enjoy Twitchy's conservative reporting exposing the radical left and woke media? Support our work so we can keep bringing you the truth.
Join Twitchy VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the Conversation
VIP members get the ability to comment on articles.