Fact Check: Did Erika Kirk, TPUSA pay influencers to call Candace Owens 'demon'?

PHOENIX, ARIZONA: In late February, a rumor circulated across social media claiming that Erika Kirk and Turning Point USA are paying influencers to call Candace Owens 'demon'.

The rumor spread online as Owens is set to release what she's promised to be a bombshell series on slain TPUSA founder, Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead last September, while attending an event at Utah Valley University. But is there any truth to the rumor? Let us find out below.

Claim: Erika Kirk, TPUSA paid influencers to call Candace Owens 'demon'

Several X users claimed that there was a coordinated smear campaign against Candace Owens, and it pointed towards Erika Kirk and TPUSA.

An X account wrote, "This morning I said there was a coordinated attack against Candace Owens over her Erika Kirk investigation. Now a leaked TPUSA email confirms it, laying out the smear campaign and even scripting the talking points. They were told to call her 'evil' and 'demonic'. And right on cue, clowns like Dan Bongino parroted it word for word. These people are too stupid to think for themselves, they need Erika Kirk to do it for them."

Similarly, another X post read, "They literally have paid smear campaigns against Candace Owens where they instruct Right-Wing influencers to call her 'demonic'. None of this 'hate' is organic or genuine. You don't loathe Zionists enough."

Meanwhile, another X user mentioned, "The smear campaign against Candace Owens is far from authentic! The true question is Who’s paying them?"

Interestingly, Candace Owens has teased a series titled 'Bride of Charlie', which promises to focus on Erika Kirk. Owens has also criticized Erika Kirk on several instances, including raising questions about her alibi ahead of her husband's assassination.

Fact Check: False, no credible evidence to back the claim

The claims made in the online posts are false, as there is no credible evidence to prove that Erika Kirk and Turning Point USA are paying influencers to call Candace Owens 'demon'.

The alleged email, which was shared claiming to indicate their involvement, is a fabricated troll bait. No verifiable evidence exists of payments, memos, emails, or coordinated funding from Erika Kirk or TPUSA to smear Owens this way. The viral claims lack corroboration and don't tie directly to TPUSA/Erika Kirk. 

To conclude, the 'paid influencers' claim is a viral conspiracy theory amplified by online users amid backlash to Candace Owens' series. It lacks substantiation and has been fact-checked as baseless. 

Moreover, no mainstream or independent verification supports TPUSA/Erika Kirk giving payments to influencers for such smears.