Does a recording released on social media prove Texas Senate candidate James Talarico was treated at an Ohio mental health facility? Here is what we know: The facility released a statement saying that Talarico "has never received treatment from Lindner Center of Hope." Talarico posted a message on X saying that he has never been to Ohio. Talarico's campaign released a statement saying the claim was a "lie designed to promote a pathetic conspiracy theory," and he was "home in Austin, Texas recovering from the flu."
The recording appeared in a post (archived here) by the @nicksortor account on X on Oct. 11, 2026. It read:
🚨 BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Ohio mental hospital CONFIRMS James Talarico was discharged from the facility earlier this week The "flu" thing was a BIG FAT LIE
This is what the post looked like on X at the time of writing:
(Image source: post by @nicksortor on X.)
This is the full text of what the post said:
🚨 BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Ohio mental hospital CONFIRMS James Talarico was discharged from the facility earlier this week 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 fact been a patient at the Lindner Center of Hope near Cincinnati, Ohio, which specializes in around-the-clock mental health treatment. While I sympathize with those dealing with mental health crises, this man is CLEARLY not suited to become a US Senator representing over 30 MILLION TEXANS. The job doesn't get easier after being elected -- it only gets MORE stressful. And Talarico clearly can't handle it. I pray he gets the help he needs, but Texans need a real representative they can rely on.
Here is the post embedded from X at the time of writing:
🚨 BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Ohio mental hospital CONFIRMS James Talarico was discharged from the facility earlier this week 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 fact been a patient at the Lindner Center of Hope near Cincinnati, Ohio, which specializes in around-the-clock mental health treatment. While I sympathize with those dealing with mental health crises, this man is CLEARLY not suited to become a US Senator representing over 30 MILLION TEXANS. The job doesn't get easier after being elected -- it only gets MORE stressful. And Talarico clearly can't handle it. I pray he gets the help he needs, but Texans need a real representative they can rely on.
-- Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 11, 2026
UPDATE OCT. 13
Security video from Talarico's home showing him at the home between Oct. 1 and Oct. 8 was reviewed by the New York Times on Oct. 12, 2026 (archived here):
The New York Times reviewed time-stamped images from a security camera at Mr. Talarico's home, which were provided by his campaign on the condition they not be published for security reasons. The images showed Mr. Talarico around the exterior of the home and at its entrances between Oct. 1 and Oct. 8.
On Oct. 11, Sortor released the recording and claimed it proved Talarico had been a patient at the Lindner Center of Hope. Sortor also claimed Talarico was hiding that fact from the public. In the 47-second recording posted on X, a man is calling and speaking with a woman who confirms she is with Lindner Hope in Mason, Ohio. This is a transcript of their conversation:
Man: Ok, so nothing for James Talarico?
Woman: Uh. Let's see. Looks. Well. This is what it is today. Looks like he was just discharged this evening. That's why I don't have it.
Man: Oh, he was discharged then?
Woman: Mmhmm
Man: Ok, and this is the Hope. Let me make sure I have the right...this is the Hope Lindner?
Woman: Yes, uh huh.
Man: Ok, and you're in Hamilton, Ohio?
Woman: No, we're not in Hamilton, we're in Mason.
Man: Ok, so that's why he's not in the system, he's been recent. Ok, alright. Thank you.
Woman: Thank you. Good bye.
The claim that Talarico was in the mental health facility gained traction after he was not seen in public for nine days, from Sept. 30 to Oct. 9, 2026. His office released a statement that he had the flu and had been recovering at home. He appeared in person on Oct. 9 at the Austin City Limits music festival, according to the Texas Tribune (archived here).
The Lindner Center of Hope posted a statement on its X account @LindnerCtrHope (archived here) on Oct. 11, 2026, after the recording was released by Sortor on X. It read: "Representative James Talarico has never received treatment from Lindner Center of Hope." This is what the post looked like on X at the time of writing:
(Image source: post by @LindnerCtrHope on X.)
Talarico posted a message with the Lindner statement on his own X account @jamestalarico (archived here) on Oct. 11, 2026 that read, "I've never even been to Ohio 😂." This is what the post looked like on X at the time of writing:
(Image source: post by @jamestalarico on X.)
Talarico's campaign spokesman JT Ennis posted a statement on his X account @jt_ennis (archived here) on Oct. 11, 2026, after Sortor released the recording. It read, "This is a lie designed to promote a pathetic conspiracy theory. Last week James Talarico was home in Austin, Texas recovering from the flu." This is what the post looked like on X at the time of writing:
(Image source: post by @jt_ennis on X.)
Talarico gave an interview to MS NOW (archived here) on Oct. 11, denying that he was at the mental health facility:
"I had the flu," he said in an exclusive interview with MS NOW. "This is the craziest thing I've ever heard. It's wild that someone can just post something on the internet and then the media just runs with it."
UPDATE OCT. 12
News outlet Bulwark (archived here) published the full 6-minute recording of the phone call that was recorded by MAGA influencer Rhein Amacher to the Lindner Center of Hope on Oct. 10, 2026. Sortor previously only published a 47-second recording. The recording begins with an automated prompt directing a caller to "Choose from one of the following options." The conversation opens with Amacher telling the woman on the phone that he is Talarico's cousin, which he is not. She spends the first 2:40 of the call telling him she does not have a James Talarico in her list. This is a transcript of the conversation:
Woman: Hello? Lindner Center of Hope.
Amacher: I think I just talked to you. I believe I have a code. Did I just talk to you like two minutes ago?
Woman: Who is this?
Amacher: My name is Tim. I'm trying to send a care package to my cousin but I think I. Did I just talk to you a few minutes ago?
Woman: Yes, do you have a code?
Amacher: Yes, it's 2244.
Woman: Ok. What's the name?
Amacher: James Talarico
Woman: I do not.
Amacher: Oh. He must have checked out then.
Woman: I'm looking through my names. Let me double check.
Amacher: Ok
Woman: Ok. Not there. I do not see that name here. So maybe he's been discharged.
Amacher: Ok. Do you know when he left?
Woman: No I don't.
Amacher: So the last name is T-a-l-a-r-i-c-o. (spells it out)
Woman: No, I don't have anyone by that name on my list.
Amacher: Well he's not there. Was he there?
Woman: Not that I. He could have been. I'm not at a computer that I can pull it up and look at it. So, um. Ok. So what's the name again?
Amacher: His last name is T-a-l-a. Todd apple larry apple robert igloo cat oscar.
Woman: Ok. Ok let me look and see, go to a computer so give me a minute.
Amacher: Ok
There is a 3-minute silent period in the recording. She returns to the call and again says that she does not have the name James Talarico on her list. The final 47-seconds of the recording was originally posted by Sortor and it does not include the woman saying she did not find the name on her list. This is what the woman and Amacher say to each that was edited out of the recording published on X.
Woman: Hi, I do not find anyone with that name for the last four days that's been discharged and they're not here in the building.
Amacher: Ok, so nothing for James Talarico?
Woman: Um. Let's see. Looks. Well, what is today? Looks like he was just discharged this evening. That's why I don't have it.
