conspiracy = "a theory of conspiracy"

[Geoffrey Nunberg]

A related -- and surprisingly widespread --  usage is "conspirators" for "those who believe in a conspiracy," the connection to "conspire" evidently having been eclipsed.  A search on "birther" and "conspirators" turns up numerous hits like these:

Obama gives big middle finger to birther conspirators.

John Legend checked in with his Twitter followers (@johnlegend) earlier this evening, blasting birther conspirators as President Obama celebrates his 49th birthday...

Apr 25, 2011 – The country was lured to sleep by the conspirators calling themselves "Birthers" but the right wing followers of Donald Trump think he brought …

The strange story of Joseph Farah and the conservative Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast has taken a bizarre turn, with the WorldNetDaily birther conspirator returning to the breakfast's list of distinguished guests and its organizer reportedly repudiating her repeated statements to Media Matters that she never intended to give Farah a leading role.

I’m writing you because this is no longer a matter merely about proving you meet a presidential prerequisite in the Constitution. Refusing to post your original birth certificate is an unwise political and leadership decision that is enabling the “birther” controversy. The nation you are called to lead is experiencing a growing swell of conspirators who are convinced that you are covering up something. So why not just prove them wrong and shut them up? (Chuck Norris)

Substituting "truther" etc. turns up the same sort of thing.

Geoff

> From: Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject: conspiracy = "a theory of conspiracy"
> Date: April 26, 2013 3:41:05 AM PDT
> 
> 
> Probably always around in limited, self-evident contexts like "But Prof.
> McBoing-Boing's JFK conspiracy is even more devious than that."
> 
> This is different. It's a headline. From a reputable source
> http://news.yahoo.com/why-boston-marathon-bombings-ignited-conspiracies-162648880.html
> :
> 
> "Why Boston Marathon Bombings Ignited Conspiracies"
> 
> But maybe it's just an idiot editor doing what they do. One can hope.
> 
> JL

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org