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Category: Debunking Viral Claims

  • Fake Shinzo Abe Tweet Dredges Up Baseless Clinton Conspiracy Theory

    Quick Take

    Internet trolls have used the death of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and a fake tweet purportedly from Abe, to promote a long-standing, unfounded conspiracy theory that the Clintons are responsible for the deaths of multiple people. A suspect reportedly with a personal grudge has been arrested for the assassination.

    Full Story

    Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated on July 8, and almost immediately, misinformation about who was responsible started circulating on social media in Japan and elsewhere.

    Now a false claim suggesting that Hillary Clinton was behind the killing is making the rounds on social media in the U.S.

    In reality, Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, was arrested and reportedly admitted to police that he had targeted Abe because he believed the former prime minister had helped to promote an organization against which he held a personal grudge.

    But social media accounts are sharing a fake tweet purportedly from Abe the day before he died that says, “I have information that will lead to the arrest of Hillary Clinton.”

    Some conservative outlets have published suggestive headlines based on the fabricated tweet.

    For example, the Western Journal used this headline: “Fact Check: Did Japan’s Ex-PM Incriminate Hillary Clinton 1 Day Before Being Assassinated?” Although the full article explained that the tweet was fake, the Western Journal’s Instagram post didn’t explain that. Some of those who commented on the post said, “I wouldn’t doubt it,” “Guns don’t kill people the Clintons do!!!” and “The Clinton body count!!!! We all know!!!”

    The last comment is a reference to the well-worn conspiracy theory that former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic nominee for president, have killed many people in order to cover up alleged crimes. In this case, as in the others, there’s nothing to the claim.

    The last tweet from Abe’s Twitter account promoted another Japanese politician, and there’s no indication that he had tweeted anything recently about Clinton. Actually, the Japanese text included in the fake tweet doesn’t say anything about Clinton either, as a story from the Associated Press pointed out.

    The fake tweet has been treated as a joke in many online communities and appears to have spawned a second fake tweet, one purported to be from Clinton herself, saying, in part, “I did not have murderous intentions toward that Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. I never told anybody to kill him. Not a single time. Never.”

    But for social media users not versed in political meme culture, it can appear that such tweets are real. For example, Reuters noted in a story about the fake Abe tweet that some Twitter users expressed confusion, saying things such as, “Is this real? I don’t see it on his Twitter” and “Did Shinzo Abe tweet this???”

    So, what might be a joke to some can be taken in earnest by others. In any case, Abe didn’t implicate Clinton in his death by tweeting about her beforehand.

    Editor’s note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here. Facebook has no control over our editorial content.

    Sources

    Tan, Yvette and Matt Murphy. “Shinzo Abe: Japan ex-leader assassinated while giving speech.” BBC. 8 Jul 2022.

    Nammo, Mei. “Alarm raised over online disinformation about ex-PM Abe’s assassin.” The Mainichi. 9 Jul 2022.

    Sardarizadeh, Shayan. “Shinzo Abe killing: Hideo Kojima threatens to sue over false posts.” BBC. 11 Jul 2022.

    Chandler, Clay. “Japan’s Unification Church confirms mother of alleged Abe assassin was a member, raising questions about possible motivation.” Fortune. 11 Jul 2022.

    Tulp, Sophia. “Fabricated tweet circulates after Shinzo Abe assassination.” AP. 8 Jul 2022.

    “Clinton Body Bags.” Snopes. 24 Jan 1998.

    Abe, Shinzo (@AbeShinzo). Twitter account. Accessed 13 Jul 2022.

    “Fact Check-Hillary Clinton’s denial of role in former Japanese PM killing is fabricated.” Reuters. 12 Jul 2022.

    Klein, Ofra. “The evolution of political internet memes.” Kennedy School Review. 11 Mar 2019.

    Nieubuurt, Joshua. “Internet Memes: Leaflet Propaganda of the Digital Age.” Frontiers in Communication. 15 Jan 2021.

    “Fact Check-Image of a tweet by Shinzo Abe about Hillary Clinton is fabricated.” Reuters. 9 Jul 2022.

    The post Fake Shinzo Abe Tweet Dredges Up Baseless Clinton Conspiracy Theory appeared first on FactCheck.org.

    This post was originally published on FactCheck.org.

  • Social Media Posts Misleadingly Edit and Misrepresent Biden Remarks from Teleprompter

    Quick Take

    President Joe Biden quoted the Supreme Court majority opinion on ending the constitutional right to abortion in remarks he made on July 8. Social media posts falsely claim he mistakenly read teleprompter cues. A White House press secretary told us Biden intentionally said “end of quote” and then said “repeat the line” for emphasis, and the full, live remarks support that explanation. 

    Full Story

    President Joe Biden signed an executive order on July 8 promoting access to reproductive health care services in response to the Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade.  

    Before signing the order, Biden delivered remarks in which he directly quoted the court’s majority opinion, and the White House released a copy of his remarks. Here is the White House transcript:   

    Biden, July 8: One of the most extraordinary parts of the decision, in my view, is the majority writes, and I quote, “Women…” — it’s a quote now, from the majority — “Women are not without electoral or political power. It is noteworthy that the percentage of women who registered to vote and cast a ballot is consistently higher than the percentage of the men who do so.” End of quote.

    Let me repeat the line: “Women are not without electoral…” and/or political — “or” — let me be precise; not “and/or” — “…or political power.” 

    That’s another way of saying that you, the women of America, can determine the outcome of this issue. 

    In the video of the remarks, it’s not clear that Biden says “let me” before saying  “repeat the line.”

    But posts on social media shared a shortened clip of that part of Biden’s remarks to falsely claim that he mistakenly read the cues off the teleprompter when he said “end of quote” and “repeat the line,” insinuating that he is becoming senile.

    The videos in the social media posts don’t include Biden citing the full quote of the court’s opinion, so it isn’t clear that he was ending a direct quote and then went on to repeat it.

    One post on Facebook shared the video with the title “Biden HUMILIATES Himself During Speech, Can’t Read A Teleprompter.” 

    “​​Ooops…President literally reads teleprompter instructions, YOU: <Repeat the line>,” read the caption of another Facebook post. 

    “Joe Biden accidentally reads the part on the teleprompter that says ‘end of quote, repeat the line’ when they wanted him to say the line again,” read a false claim on Twitter.

    “Whoever controls the teleprompter is the real President,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in a reply to the tweet. 

    But Emilie Simons, assistant press secretary at the White House, told us in an email that Biden’s wording was intentional, pointing out that Biden used phrases similar to “let me repeat the line” several times in the same speech.  

    “President Biden said ‘end of quote’ when he finished quoting the majority opinion in Dobbs,” said Simons. “His remarks included, ‘let me repeat the line,’ because he wanted to emphasize that American women should let their voices be heard in order to reclaim our rights.”

    “And the President used similar phrases about repetition for emphasis 6 other times in the same speech, including ‘let me be clear,’ and ‘let me say that again.’ He does that often,” Simons added. 

    Biden also used the phrase “end of quote” two other times in the speech to indicate he had finished citing two quotes from the dissenting opinion. This is just another example of Biden being falsely accused of having issues while using a teleprompter.

    Editor’s note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here. Facebook has no control over our editorial content.

    Sources

    Biden, Joe. “Remarks by President Biden on Protecting Access to Reproductive Health Care Services.” White House. 8 Jul 2022. 

    “Elon Musk” webpage. Tesla. Accessed 12 Jun 2022. 

    Elon Musk (@elonmusk). “Whoever controls the teleprompter is the real President!” Twitter. 8 Jul 2022. 

    Greg Price (@greg_price11). “Joe Biden accidentally reads the part on the teleprompter that says ‘end of quote, repeat the line’ when they wanted him to say the line again.” Twitter. 8 Jul 2022. 

    Sadeghi, McKenzie. “Fact check: Biden was quoting Walmart US CEO when he said ‘end of quote’ during speech.” USA Today. 6 Dec 2021.  

    Simons, Emilie. Assistant press secretary at the White House. Email to FactCheck.org. 12 Jul 2022. 

    Spencer, Saranac Hale. “Biden Was Looking at a TV Screen, Not a Teleprompter.” FactCheck.org. 24 Sep 2020.   

    The post Social Media Posts Misleadingly Edit and Misrepresent Biden Remarks from Teleprompter appeared first on FactCheck.org.

    This post was originally published on FactCheck.org.

  • Posts Incorrectly Cite Map as Showing Future Effects of Climate Change

    Quick Take

    An architect created a map in 2015 as a “thought experiment” to show how the Mediterranean Sea would fit inside the United States. However, social media posts have misinterpreted the map as a prediction of the impact of climate change. The map’s creator said it is not related to climate change in any way.

    Full Story

    A map was created by Bret Drager, an architect, in December 2015 that superimposes the Mediterranean Sea on the continental United States. Drager posted the image to the Tumblr blog The Arcadian Ideal.

    Describing the map as “a brave new alternate United States of America,” Drager wrote that he wondered if the Mediterranean Sea would fit in the United States, and after “lots of graphic manipulation,” he was able to create the image. The image was then also posted to Brilliant Maps in October 2017. 

    Drager recently told the Associated Press that he created the map as a “thought experiment” and that it is not related to climate change in any way.

    From there, the map took on a life of its own on social media.

    In October 2021, a Twitter user posted the map with the caption, “Scientists say this map represents the US in 30 years if we don’t reverse climate change.”

    The post quickly began to gain traction. USA Today said that many comments appeared to take the claim seriously. But the Twitter user told USA Today he intended the post as satire and “figured folks would spot Italy right away and have a good laugh.”

    The Twitter user reposted the original tweet on July 8, and it has once again gone viral. While most commenters realize the post is satire, some appear to have taken it seriously again.

    However, the Twitter user has been retweeting fact-checks related to it as well and commented in one retweet: “Verdict. Satire.”

    We reached out to the Twitter user but haven’t received a response.

    On July 11, a Facebook user posted the same image, falsely claiming that “scientists say this map represents the United States in 30 years if we don’t reverse climate change,” and the post has gained over 100,000 views in less than 24 hours. Again, some commenters appear to take it seriously.

    According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 2022 Global and Regional Sea Level Rise Scenarios for the United States report, the sea level along the U.S. coastline is projected to rise 10 to 12 inches on average between 2020 and 2050, which will be as much as the rise in sea level that occurred between 1920 and 2020. “Tens of millions of people in the United States already live in areas at risk of coastal flooding, with more moving to the coasts each year,” the report said.

    Various sources, such as NASA and NOAA, have created visualization tools to help see the estimated effects of the sea level rising.

    Editor’s note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here. Facebook has no control over our editorial content.

    Sources

    NOAA. “Global and Regional Sea Level Scenarios for the United States.” Feb 2022.

    Avina, Carlos. “How crazy that scientists say this map represents the United States in 30 years if we don’t reverse climate change….. I’m low key ok with that.” Facebook. 11 Jul 2022. 

    Drager, Bret. “The Mediterranean Sea of America.” Tumblr. 26 Dec 2015. 

    NASA. “IPCC AR6 Sea Level Projection Tool.” Accessed 12 Jul 2022.

    The Associated Press. “Map shows Mediterranean Sea on the U.S., not climate change impact.” 9 Jul 2022.

    Michael (@mjr880). “Scientists say this map represents the US in 30 years if we don’t reverse climate change.” Twitter. 26 Oct 2021.

    Michael (@mjr880). “Scientists say this map represents the US in 30 years if we don’t reverse climate change.” Twitter. 8 Jul 2022.

    Michael (@mjr880). “Just in case you weren’t sure.” Twitter. 10 Jul 2022. 

    Michael (@mjr880). “Verdict. Satire.” Twitter. 10 Jul 2022. 

    Sadeghi, McKenzie. “Fact check: Posts falsely claim to show US map in 30 years if climate change isn’t addressed.” USA Today. 28 Oct 2021.

    Climate.org. “Sea Level Rise – Map Viewer.” Accessed 12 Jul 2022.

    Brilliant Maps. “The Mediterranean Sea of America.” 11 Oct 2017. 

    The post Posts Incorrectly Cite Map as Showing Future Effects of Climate Change appeared first on FactCheck.org.

    This post was originally published on FactCheck.org.

  • ‘Liberal World Order’ Is Decades-Old Term Misinterpreted by Social Media Posts

    Quick Take  

    “Liberal world order” is a decades-old term referring to a system of global cooperation. A Biden administration adviser used the term to explain why gasoline prices are tied to the war in Ukraine. But social media posts use the adviser’s comments to misleadingly claim Biden is pushing a “new liberal world order” to make Americans pay “high gas prices forever.”

    Full Story 

    The term “liberal world order,” also referred to as the “liberal international order,” has been in use since at least the end of World War II when “countries sought to ensure the world never again devolved into such horrific violence,” according to the Council on Foreign Relations.

    “World leaders created a series of international organizations and agreements to promote global cooperation on issues including security, trade, health, and monetary policy,” CFR writes. “The United States has championed this system — known as the liberal world order — for the past seventy-five years. During this time, the world has enjoyed unprecedented peace and prosperity.”

    During a news conference at the close of the NATO summit on June 30 in Madrid, a reporter asked President Joe Biden “how long is it fair to expect American drivers and drivers around the world” to pay high gasoline prices due to the war in Ukraine. Biden responded, “[a]s long it takes so Russia cannot, in fact, defeat Ukraine and move beyond Ukraine.”

    Brian Deese, director of the National Economic Council, appeared in an interview with CNN’s Victor Blackwell that same day.

    Blackwell played a video of Biden’s comments from the NATO news conference. He asked Deese what he would say to American families who can’t afford high gasoline prices for months or even years to come if the war in Ukraine were to last as long as some experts predict. In response, Deese used the term “liberal world order.” 

    Deese, June 30: Well, what’s heard from the president today was a clear articulation of the stakes. This is about the future of the liberal world order and we have to stand firm. But at the same time what I’d say to that family and to Americans across the country is you have a present administration that is going to do everything in its power to blunt those price increases and bring those prices down.

    Deese appeared to use the decades-old terminology to describe the international world order that was created after World War II, and the current unified effort to prevent Russia from moving beyond Ukraine. 

    But posts on social media shared a brief clip of Deese’s exchange with Blackwell and misleadingly claimed the Biden administration is making Americans pay high gasoline prices to push the “liberal world order,” insinuating that the term relates to American politics.

    Jimmy Dore, who is a frequent spreader of misinformation and host of the Jimmy Dore Show, produced a show segment with the headline “High Gas Prices FOREVER Says Biden” that covered Deese’s comment.  

    “Right now we’re going to tell you about the new liberal world order,” Dore says before showing an edited clip of the Deese interview. “You think I’m kidding? Here’s a guy from the Biden administration, and he’s going to tell you that you’re gonna have to keep paying high gas prices forever. Why? Cause a new world liberal – what, you think I’m kidding?”

    Dore never explained the definition of the term — or that it’s not, as he described it, “new.” The video has received more than 100,000 views on YouTube and 19,000 views on Facebook. 

    Others, including Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, also shared the claim that the Biden administration is making Americans pay high gas prices to push the “liberal world order” without providing any context. 

    “The White House openly stated that you’re just going to have to pay more in gas so that they can hold the ‘liberal world order’ together and it barely registers as breaking news,” Boebert tweeted. “They’re telling you EVERYTHING they plan to do and most don’t even care.”

    In a blog post, which carried the headline, “The Biden Administration Pushes ‘Liberal World Order,’” the American Center for Law and Justice said: “Liberal world order? Are they serious? Of course, the first question is, what does that even mean?”

    A frustrated Democrat, Rep. Ruben Gallego, retweeted a link critical of Deese’s interview and wrote, “Democracy just say Democracy, we are helping defend a Democratic country. Stop talking to Americans as if they read Foreign Policy magazine.” Gallego added a facepalm emoji.

    The term has been used by Biden on at least two occasions as president, but it also has been referenced by Republican presidents.

    Some drop the word “liberal” and just say “world order,” as former President Richard Nixon did in 1969 in a message to Congress about foreign aid. “U.S. assistance is essential to express and achieve our national goals in the international community — a world order of peace and justice,” Nixon said.

    At the end of the Cold War, President George H. W. Bush spoke of what he called a “new world order,” which “involved collective security with multinational cooperation” by breaking down “Cold War conceptions” and creating “new allies,” as Stephen Knott, a professor of national security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College, explained in an article for the Miller Center at the University of Virginia.

    In a speech to Congress after the U.S. victory in the first Gulf War, Bush spoke of a “new world order,” quoting the late Winston Churchill, prime minister of the United Kingdom during World War II.

    “Now, we can see a new world coming into view. A world in which there is the very real prospect of a new world order,” Bush said. “In the words of Winston Churchill, a world order in which ‘the principles of justice and fair play protect the weak against the strong. . . .’ A world where the United Nations, freed from Cold War stalemate, is poised to fulfill the historic vision of its founders.”

    An April 2020 paper titled “The Rise of the Liberal World Order,” written by Samantha A. Taylor for the U.S. Army War College website, explained how the rise of the United States is tied to the creation of the liberal world order.

    “[T]he rise of the liberal world order is connected to the rise of the United States in the international system. This development occurred in three phases. The first phase occurred between 1917 and 1945, during which the United States emerged as a world power,” wrote Taylor, a visiting professor at the college. “The second phase from 1945 to 1991 occurred as the United States stood as one of two superpowers. The third phase began in 1991 and continues to today, where the United States stands as the world’s sole superpower and supporter of the liberal world order.”

    But that context is ignored in social media posts that misleadingly suggest Biden is pushing a “new liberal world order” to make Americans pay “high gas prices forever.”

    Editor’s note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here. Facebook has no control over our editorial content.

    Sources

    “2022 NATO Summit.” North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 30 Jun 2022.

    Biden, Joe. “Remarks by President Biden at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.” White House. 30 Apr 2022.

    Biden, Joe. “Remarks by President Biden Before Business Roundtable’s CEO Quarterly Meeting.” White House. 21 Mar 2022.

    Biden, Joe. “Remarks by President Biden in Press Conference | Madrid, Spain.” White House. 30 Jun 2022.

    Bush, George. “Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the Cessation of the Persian Gulf Conflict.” The American Presidency Project. 6 Mar 1991. 

    Boebert, Lauren (@laurenboebert). “The White House openly stated that you’re just going to have to pay more in gas so that they can hold the ‘liberal world order’ together and it barely registers as breaking news. They’re telling you EVERYTHING they plan to do and most don’t even care. WAKE UP!” Twitter. 1 Jul 2022. 

    “Brian Deese” biography. Council on Foreign Relations. Accessed 7 Jun 2022.

    Dore, Jimmy. “High Gas Prices FOREVER Says Biden.” Facebook. 2 Jul 2022.

    Dore, Jimmy. “High Gas Prices FOREVER Says Biden.” YouTube. 2 Jul 2022.

    Funakoshi, Minami, et al. “Tracking sanctions against Russia.” Reuters. Updated 7 Jul 2022.

    Gore, D’Angelo, “Gasoline Prices Up Due to Global Supply-Demand Issues, Russian Invasion of Ukraine.” FactCheck.org. 1 Jul 2022. 

    Jones, Brea. “FDA-Approved ‘Electronic Pill’ Isn’t Evidence That COVID-19 Vaccine ‘Microchip’ Conspiracy Is ‘Proven’.” FactCheck.org. 26 May 2022. 

    Jones, Brea. “Social Media Posts Falsely Attribute Statement on Gasoline Prices to Nonexistent ‘BP Oil Executive’.” FactCheck.org 9 Jun 2022. 

    Ikenberry, G. John. “The Future of the Liberal World Order.” Princeton.edu. Accessed 6 Jul 2022. 

    Knott, Stephen. “GEORGE H. W. BUSH: FOREIGN AFFAIRS.” Accessed 6 Jul 2022. 

    Kundnani, Hans. “What is the Liberal International Order?” German Marshall Fund. 3 May 2017. 

    Mo, Jiachen. “Why are Gas Prices Surging Around the World?” 16 Mar 2022.

    Nixon, Richard. “Special Message to the Congress on Foreign Aid.” The American Presidency Project. 28 May 1969.

    Sands, Leo. “Ukraine war could last for years, warns Nato chief.” BBC News. 19 Jun 2022.

    Sekulow, Logan. “The Biden Administration Pushes ‘Liberal World Order’.” American Center for Law and Justice. 1 Jul 2022. 

    “Stephen F. Knott, Ph.D.” webpage. U.S. Naval War College. Accessed 8 Jun 2022.

    Taylor, Samantha A. “The Rise of the Liberal World Order.” Army War College. 29 Apr 2020.

    “What Is the Liberal World Order?” Council on Foreign Relations. Accessed 8 Jun 2022.

    The post ‘Liberal World Order’ Is Decades-Old Term Misinterpreted by Social Media Posts appeared first on FactCheck.org.

    This post was originally published on FactCheck.org.

  • Social Media Posts Misrepresent Police Statement About Fourth of July Shooter

    Quick Take

    Seven people died in a mass shooting in a Chicago suburb on Independence Day. Police said they believe the shooter was dressed in women’s clothing to conceal his identity and help him during his escape. But some social media users are claiming, with no evidence, that he is transgender.

    Full Story

    A gunman killed seven people during a Fourth of July parade in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, Illinois, and police arrested 21-year-old Robert Crimo III later that day.

    Crimo is charged with seven counts of first-degree murder, and prosecutors said they expect to file more charges.

    A mourner visits a memorial for the victims of a mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois. Photo by Jim Vondruska via Getty Images.

    According to officials, Crimo confessed to the shooting, but they said his motive was unclear. In the absence of information about what led him to carry out the killings, partisan posts online have made various claims about his political affiliation — some alleging that he was a far-right conservative while others asserting that he was a left-wing activist. His actual ideology hasn’t become clear yet.

    In some cases, though, the online claims have devolved into transphobic rhetoric.

    “There’s alot of talk about the Highland Park shooter,” said one suggestive Facebook post from Peggy Hubbard, who ran unsuccessfully to be the Republican Senate candidate from Illinois. “MSM is desperately trying to call him a Trump supporter and a ‘Proud Boy’ affiliate Here he is! Dressed in women’s clothing, arrested in women’s clothing. See, OUR Conservative men…DON’T WEAR DRESSES! NICE TRY!” Hubbard’s post racked up more than 10,000 engagements.

    Other posts explicitly claimed that Crimo is transgender. For example, right-wing provocateur Anthime Joseph Gionet, who goes by the moniker Baked Alaska online and who was arrested for entering the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack, claimed on Telegram that Crimo was a “tranny.”

    And a Facebook page called The Conservative Hammer posted a message that said, “the Highland Park 4th of July parade shooter carried out his attack while dressed in WOMEN’S CLOTHING. The LGBTQ/Trans movement is spawning MENTAL ILLNESS and encouraging it. FACT.”

    That post also gives the false impression that those who are transgender are more likely to carry out violent attacks when, in reality, they are actually more likely to be victims of violence. A 2021 study from the Williams Institute at UCLA’s School of Law found that transgender people are over four times more likely to be victims of violent crime than cisgender people, based on data from the 2017 and 2018 National Crime Victimization Survey.

    That’s a trend that appears to be continuing, too. According to the FBI’s hate crimes statistics, bias-motivated incidents targeting trans people increased 41% between 2019 and 2020, the most recent year for which data is available.

    Beyond that, there’s been no evidence to suggest that Crimo is transgender.

    Officials said that he had worn women’s clothing during the attack, but they’ve said nothing to indicate that the clothes were an expression of Crimo’s gender identity.

    Rather, the outfit was part of his planned assault.

    “During the attack, Crimo was dressed in women’s clothing, and investigators do believe he did this to conceal his facial tattoos and his identity and help him during the escape with the other people who were fleeing the chaos,” Chris Covelli, spokesman for the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force, said at a July 5 press conference.

    So, there’s no evidence to suggest that Crimo is trans. Rather, the claims online misrepresent what police have said about how he allegedly carried out the attack and play into general transphobic bias, not unlike the false claims that circulated shortly after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.

    Editor’s note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here. Facebook has no control over our editorial content.

    Sources

    Krieg, Gregory. “What we know about the Highland Park shooting.” CNN. 7 Jul 2022.

    Darcy, Oliver. “The untold story of Baked Alaska, a rapper turned BuzzFeed personality turned alt-right troll.” Insider. 30 Apr 2017.

    U.S. v. Anthime Joseph Gionet. Criminal complaint. 7 Jan 2021.

    Williams Institute. UCLA School of Law. Press release. “Transgender people over four times more likely than cisgender people to be victims of violent crime.” 23 Mar 2021.

    Federal Bureau of Investigation. 2020 Hate Crimes Statistics. Updated 5 May 2022.

    Bloomberg. “LIVE: Highland Park, Illinois Police Hold Press Conference on July 4 Parade Shooting.” YouTube. 5 Jul 2022.

    Hale Spencer, Saranac. “Social Media Posts Make Baseless Claims About Gender Identity of Uvalde Shooter.” FactCheck.org. 26 May 2022.

    The post Social Media Posts Misrepresent Police Statement About Fourth of July Shooter appeared first on FactCheck.org.

    This post was originally published on FactCheck.org.

  • Abortion Is Sometimes Medically Necessary, Contrary to Facebook Posts

    SciCheck Digest

    There are life-threatening complications in which abortion is medically necessary, and social media posts claiming otherwise are incorrect, physicians said. “In some situations, abortion is the only medical intervention that can preserve a patient’s health,” the president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists told us.

    Full Story

    The Supreme Court on June 24 overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that established abortion as a constitutional right. The decision set in motion a flurry of activity across states, triggering laws banning or severely restricting the practice in some states and spurring efforts in others to protect abortion rights, as we’ve reported.

    In the weeks following the decision, social media posts claimed “abortion is never medically necessary.” Those posts are inaccurate and misleading, obstetricians told us, as the alternative the posts suggest — early delivery — is generally not feasible early in pregnancy.

    Among the life-threatening conditions the obstetricians cited were placental abruption, which can lead to hemorrhaging, and cases in which a pregnancy aggravates existing conditions such as renal or cardiac disease.

    Yet a Facebook post from the anti-abortion organization Live Action says, “Abortion is NEVER medically necessary.” The post includes a video by neonatologist Kendra Kolb saying that even in high-risk situations, “there is no medical reason why the life of the child must be directly and intentionally ended with an abortion procedure.”

    She then misleadingly says procedures such as “preterm delivery” or treatment for medical conditions that may result in miscarriage — such as chemotherapy for cancer or treatment for ectopic pregnancy — are not considered abortion.

    In another video shared on Facebook, also posted by Live Action, Dr. Christina Francis, who describes herself as “a pro-life OB/GYN,” makes the same claim. She defines abortion as a procedure that is intended to “produce a dead baby,” and says, “That’s not the intent when we intervene to save a woman’s life when she has a ruptured ectopic pregnancy or she’s going through a miscarriage.”

    A post featuring a clip of a 2019 speech by activist Lila Rose that makes a similar argument has previously been debunked by Health Feedback. In an article refuting Rose’s contention that early delivery is an alternative to abortion, Health Feedback said that she “redefines the meaning of abortion” to exclude cases that make it medically necessary, such as those that occur early in pregnancy.

    The idea that early delivery is an option for a high-risk or complicated pregnancy, as the videos claim, is wrong, physicians told us. Early delivery, they said, suggests the fetus is developed enough to survive outside the womb — generally about 24 weeks — and many conditions necessitate the termination of a pregnancy before that point.

    Ectopic pregnancy — when a fertilized egg implants itself outside the uterus — could be such an exception. Francis says in her Facebook video that treating an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage “is not the same thing” as an abortion.

    PolitiFact reported that “while in some cases there is some overlap in the way ectopic pregnancies are treated and how pregnancies are electively terminated through abortion, that overlap appears to be small.” The larger concern, PolitiFact said, is whether medical providers interpret their state’s abortion laws as limiting how they treat patients with ectopic pregnancies, which can be life-threatening.

    Indeed, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, or ACOG, warns that abortion bans “threaten to impede ectopic pregnancy treatment” and can cause confusion and delays.

    “Health care professionals should never have to navigate vague legal or statutory language to determine whether the law allows them to exercise their professional judgment and provide evidence-based care,” the association says.

    Other life-threatening conditions clearly require abortion, physicians said. Placental abruption, a condition in which the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus, can lead to “massive hemorrhage” that can only be stopped by ending a pregnancy, Dr. Melissa Simon, vice chair for research in the OB-GYN department at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, told us in an email.

    “I have had hundreds of patients with ectopic pregnancies, and also I have treated hundreds of patients with abruption,” Simon said. “Without treatment, none of these patients would have survived.”

    Preeclampsia — severe bleeding caused by a damaged placenta — or the “worsening of existing conditions,” such as renal or cardiac disease, are other conditions that can pose serious hazards, said Dr. Iffath A. Hoskins, president of ACOG.

    “These and other illnesses can severely compromise health,” Hoskins said in a statement emailed to FactCheck.org. “They can cause death. In some situations, abortion is the only medical intervention that can preserve a patient’s health or save their life. Without question, abortion can be medically necessary.”

    ACOG “strongly opposes any effort that impedes access to abortion care and interferes in the relationship between a person and their healthcare professional,” the organization says in a statement on its website. “Abortion is an essential component of comprehensive, evidence-based health care,” the organization says.

    Editor’s note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here. Facebook has no control over our editorial content.

    Sources

    Bendix, Aria. NBC News. “How Life-threatening Must a Pregnancy Be to End it Legally?” 30 Jun 2022.

    Berry-Roberts, Crystal. Obstetrician and gynecologist. Phone interview with FactCheck.org. 30 Jun 2022.

    Hoskins, Iffath A. President, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Email to FactCheck.org. 29 Jun 2022.

    Kiely, Eugene and Lori Robertson. “What Happens if Roe v. Wade Is Overturned?” FactCheck.org. Updated 24 Jun 2022.

    Kitchener, Caroline, et al. “Abortion is Now banned in These States. See Where Laws Have Changed.” Washington Post. 24 Jun 2022.

    Mayo Clinic. Patient Care & Health Information. “Ectopic pregnancy.” Accessed 7 Jul 2022.

    Mayo Clinic. Patient Care & Health Information. “Placental abruption.” Accessed 7 Jul 2022.

    Mayo Clinic. Patient Care & Health Information. “Preeclampsia.” Accessed 7 Jul 2022.

    Simon, Melissa, Vice chair for research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Email to FactCheck.org.

    Teoh, Flora. “Lila Rose Claim That ‘Abortion is Never Medically Necessary is Inaccurate; It is Necessary in Certain Cases to Preserve Mother’s Life.” Health Feedback. 30 Aug 2019.

     

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  • Fabricated Fourth of July Tweet Was Not from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene

    Quick Take

    Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was among the many politicians who posted Fourth of July messages on social media. But a bogus, nonsensical July Fourth tweet purportedly from the congresswoman has been spread by partisan accounts. The post was meant as a spoof.

    Full Story

    Like many members of Congress, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia posted a Fourth of July message on social media.

    Her official Twitter account shared an image of a stone slab with claims about the signers of the Declaration of Independence beneath text that said: “Happy Independence Day! Let us have honor like these men.”

    But a different Independence Day message that’s been made to look as though it came from Greene’s account has been circulating on social media.

    The phony tweet, which appropriates Greene’s Twitter profile photo, says: “246 years ago Jesus Christ performed his miracle of making a single days worth of bullets last 8 days, allowing The Continental Army (Americans Woot!) to defeat the Socialist Mexicans and the Liberal British (who were also Muslim). That’s why I give thanks this 4th of July.”

    The post alludes to the story of Hanukkah, in which oil that was supposed to last for only one night miraculously lasted for eight nights, and Thanksgiving, a holiday on which people traditionally give thanks. The tweet doesn’t appear anywhere on Greene’s official Twitter feed, and it’s not in the database of politicians’ deleted tweets that’s maintained by ProPublica.

    The tweet has been shared by a satirical Facebook page and others who have suggested that it’s a spoof. But many haven’t included that disclosure, leading social media users to believe that it was really a tweet from the congresswoman.

    We’ve written many times before about similarly fake tweets. This is just the latest example of a fictitious post circulated by partisan accounts.

    Editor’s note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here. Facebook has no control over our editorial content.

    Sources

    Greene, Marjorie Taylor (@RepMTG). “Happy Independence Day! Let us have honor like these men.” Twitter. 4 Jul 2022.

    Mikkelson, David. “The Price They Paid.” Snopes. 28 Jun 2005.

    Greene, Marjorie Taylor (@RepMTG). Twitter feed. Accessed 5 Jul 2022.

    ProPublica. Politwoops. Deleted Tweets From Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. Accessed 5 Jul 2022.

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  • Planned Parenthood Centers Remain Open Following the Ruling on Roe v. Wade

    Quick Take

    Planned Parenthood has not closed any of its health centers after the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, the organization told us. But social media posts falsely claim that Planned Parenthood clinics have been closing “all over the country” since the ruling. Some clinics have ceased performing abortions but are still providing health services.

    Full Story

    Planned Parenthood is a leading provider of sexual and reproductive health care in the U.S., overseeing more than 600 health centers throughout the country and providing preventive care, including birth control, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, and screenings for cervical and other cancers.  

    The organization continues to operate health care centers in states where abortion is legal or illegal, though it has suspended abortion services at centers in areas that outlawed abortion following the Supreme Court ruling on June 24 that overturned Roe v. Wade. Abortion services are still available at many Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide.

    Yet posts on Facebook falsely claim that the decision on Roe v. Wade has caused Planned Parenthood to close its health care centers across the U.S.

    “Why are Planned Parenthood clinics closing down all over the country?” reads one post, continuing, “I thought abortion was only 3% of their business.”

    Versions of the claim have been shared by New Mexico state Sen. Gregg Schmedes and Nick Freitas, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates.

    Abortion rights activists protest outside the Planned Parenthood Reproductive Health Services Center in St. Louis, Missouri, after the overturning of Roe Vs. Wade by the Supreme Court on June 24, 2022. Photo by Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images.

    But Gloria Martinez, a press officer at Planned Parenthood, told us in an email, “To be clear: no Planned Parenthood health centers have closed since the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe.”

    “The landscape of abortion access across the country is changing rapidly following the court’s decision to eliminate our federal constitutional right to abortion,” Martinez said. “As always, Planned Parenthood affiliates across the country will make operational decisions in an effort to best meet the needs of the unique communities they serve amid increasingly challenging environments for abortion access.”

    In states with pre-Roe abortion bans that have gone into effect, such as Missouri or Alabama, and states with trigger laws on abortion, such as Texas, Arizona and Tennessee, Planned Parenthood clinics are still open, but ceasing abortion service operations.

    The organization is also opening health care centers in states neighboring those areas with abortion bans. For example, Planned Parenthood built a clinic in Illinois to help serve residents of Missouri in 2019 in anticipation of tightened restrictions on abortions in nearby states. 

    “Planned Parenthood health centers across the country will continue to provide the full range of high-quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care services, including birth control methods, sexually-transmitted infection (STI) testing and treatment, cancer screenings, gender-affirming care, and more — even at health centers that are forced to deny abortion care to patients in need due to their state’s legal landscape,” Martinez said.

    Republicans have misleadingly claimed that abortions are “94 percent of Planned Parenthood’s pregnancy services,” and they have worked on legislation to defund Planned Parenthood for years, as we’ve written before.

    In some states, those efforts have been successful.  

    Closures of Planned Parenthood centers have been occurring for almost a decade due to a lack of funding. But no centers have closed, as some social media posts claim, due to the recent ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.

    Editor’s note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here. Facebook has no control over our editorial content.   

    Sources 

    Arthur, Shay. “Planned Parenthood suspends abortion services, CHOICES provides abortions under ban.” News Channel3. 29 Jun 2022.

    Associated Press. “Wyoming to lose only Planned Parenthood clinic.” 17 May 2017.

    Carroll, Katherine, et al. “Abortion provider braces for jump in patients from restrictive states.” ABC News. 28 Jun 2022.

    Douglas, Erin and Eleanor Klibanoff. “Abortions in Texas have stopped after Attorney General Ken Paxton said pre-Roe bans could be in effect, clinics say.” Texas Tribune. 24 Jun 2022. 

    Gore, D’Angelo. “Planned Parenthood’s Services.” FactCheck.org. 4 Sep 2015. 

    Kolpack, Dave. “Planned Parenthood to step in if North Dakota clinic closes.” Associated Press. 24 May 2022. 

    Malla, Sameer. “‘We will see desperation’: Planned Parenthood Arizona stops abortions after Roe v. Wade overturned.” Cronkite News. 24 Jun 2022.  

    Martinez, Gloria. Press officer at Planned Parenthood. Email to FactCheck.org. 29 Jun 2022. 

    “Missouri Enacts Abortion Ban Trigger Law. Planned Parenthood Opens Clinic 15 Mins. Away in Illinois.” Democracy Now. 27 Jun 2022. 

    Planned Parenthood. “Abortion Clinics Near You.” Accessed 29 Jun 2022.

    Planned Parenthood. “Power Family Health Center of Ann Arbor, MI.”  Accessed 30 Jun 2022.

    Planned Parenthood. “The Effects of Defunding: Texas and Indiana.” Accessed 29 Jun 2022.

    Planned Parenthood Keystone. “Abortion is still legal in Pennsylvania.” Accessed 30 Jun 2022.

    Planned Parenthood of Montana. “Abortion Care.” Accessed 29 Jun 2022.

    Planned Parenthood of Utah. “Abortion Services Resume in Utah.  Accessed 30 Jun 2022.

    Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. “Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin has temporarily suspended abortion services.”  Accessed 30 Jun 2022.

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    This post was originally published on FactCheck.org.

  • Satirical Amendment Cited in False Claims About Kentucky Abortion Law

    Quick Take

    The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, allowing laws banning abortion in several states, including Kentucky, to take effect. But social media posts falsely claim Kentucky is considering a law requiring all women of childbearing age to undergo monthly pregnancy testing. The claim stemmed from a lawmaker’s satirical amendment.

    Full Story

    Three years before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Kentucky passed what’s known as a trigger law that set up an abortion ban to take effect whenever the landmark decision legalizing abortion nationwide was reversed.

    Kentucky state Rep. Mary Lou Marzian was so strongly opposed to the proposed law that she submitted a spoof amendment satirizing it. She told a local newspaper at the time that she hoped the stunt would draw attention to the bill, which she believed was unnecessary and intrusive.

    “It’s none of our business, to interfere in personal and private decisions of women,” Marzian said.

    Despite her protest, the bill passed the state House by a vote of 69-20 and later passed the Senate. The governor signed it into law on March 26, 2019.

    It took effect on June 24, 2022 — the day the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade as part of its ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson, a case about a Mississippi law prohibiting most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The Kentucky law makes it a felony to perform an abortion except for cases in which a doctor has determined “that such a procedure is necessary to protect the life of a pregnant mother,” according to a memo issued by the state’s attorney general.

    Marzian’s amendment — which was designed to be criticism rather than serious legislation — didn’t become part of that law.

    But, following the Supreme Court’s recent decision, social media users have shared the text of the satirical amendment as though it’s a currently proposed bill.

    The amendment was featured in a viral video on TikTok and has been spreading on Facebook and Twitter, where people have shared screenshots of the amendment with messages expressing concern about the impact it would have.

    The satirical amendment said, in part, “All women who are Kentucky residents, and of child bearing age, shall acquire a signed and notarized statement from a practitioner licensed pursuant to this chapter each month that states whether she is pregnant or not pregnant. … Any woman who is pregnant and fails to provide this monthly signed and notarized statement to the cabinet will be fitted with an ankle monitor for the duration of the pregnancy in addition to any arrest and fines.”

    When copies of her proposal started circulating on social media recently, Marzian took to Twitter to explain her intention.

    “Since Friday’s horrendous US Supreme Court ruling on abortion, I have seen several references to a satirical amendment I filed in 2019, when the General Assembly passed the trigger law that immediately stopped elective abortions once the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was made,” she wrote on June 27.

    “I vehemently opposed that law and in protest filed an amendment that would have required all women to undergo monthly pregnancy checks by the state,” she explained. “I of course never intended it to become law, and it was never considered (although I worry we’re getting closer to that reality).”

    So, the claims that Kentucky is considering state-mandated pregnancy checks are based on a political lampoon from 2019.

    Editor’s note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here. Facebook has no control over our editorial content.

    Sources

    Kiely, Eugene and Lori Robertson. “What Happens if Roe v. Wade Is Overturned?” FactCheck.org. Updated 24 Jun 2022.

    Kentucky General Assembly. “H.B. 148, AN ACT relating to abortion.” As passed 26 Mar 2029.

    Marzian, Mary Lou. Amend printed copy of HB 148/HCS 1. Accessed 28 Jun 2022.

    Cameron, Daniel. Kentucky Attorney General. “Attorney General Advisory: The effect and scope of the Human Life Protection Act in light of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.” 24 Jun 2022.

    Marzian, Mary Lou (@MaryLouMarzian). “Since Friday’s horrendous US Supreme Court ruling on abortion, I have seen several references to a satirical amendment I filed in 2019, when the General Assembly passed the trigger law that immediately stopped elective abortions once the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was made.” (1/5) Twitter. 27 Jun 2022.

    The post Satirical Amendment Cited in False Claims About Kentucky Abortion Law appeared first on FactCheck.org.

    This post was originally published on FactCheck.org.

  • Post Misleadingly Equates 2016 Democratic Effort to Trump’s 2020 ‘Alternate Electors’

    Quick Take

    After the 2016 presidential election, some progressive Democrats tried to convince electors for Donald Trump to switch their Electoral College votes to Hillary Clinton. But a conservative commentator misleadingly claimed in a social media post that the Democrats were “calling for alternate electors” — as Trump did after losing the 2020 election.

    Full Story

    In 2016, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by 2.9 million votes, but lost the Electoral College to Donald Trump. Prior to the Electoral College vote, which Trump was expected to win 306-232, some progressive Democrats proposed getting Republican electors to switch their votes to Clinton or another Republican on the grounds Trump was unfit for office.

    The effort ultimately failed, as expected, with Trump winning 304-227 after five Clinton electors and two Trump electors switched votes and took on the mantle of “faithless electors” — electors who cast a vote for someone other than their party’s nominee. The effort cost Clinton more electoral votes than it did Trump.

    Now, the Democrats’ effort in 2016 has emerged as a justification for the Republican effort in 2020 to replace full slates of duly chosen electors pledged to Joe Biden with so-called “alternate electors” loyal to Trump.

    In a snapshot of a tweet shared on Instagram, Dinesh D’Souza, a conservative political commentator, equated the two efforts and said the 2016 bid probably inspired then-President Trump in 2020 to pursue the alternate electors’ route. The scheme has become a focus of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

    “I’m chuckling about the fake outrage over Trump seeking alternate electors for the 2020 election,” tweeted D’Souza. He then misleadingly claimed, “The Left and the Democrats were calling for alternate electors after the 2016 election. Trump most likely got the idea FROM THEM.”

    D’Souza produced the film “2000 Mules” — which, as we’ve written, uses unreliable data to make unproven allegations of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. D’Souza himself was convicted of election finance fraud in 2014 for making illegal contributions to a Senate campaign in the names of others.

    As with anything involving the Electoral College, D’Souza’s claim requires some unpacking to reveal the apples-and-oranges character of his spurious claim.

    Basic Differences in 2016 and 2020 Efforts

    First, the Democrats were not calling for “alternate electors” in 2016 but “faithless electors” who were duly chosen to represent their states in the Electoral College. Most of those who did switch their votes broke their own states’ laws by not voting for the candidate to whom they were pledged.

    Those seeking to submit slates of alternative electors in 2020 wanted to remove duly chosen electors by fiat and reverse the outcome in battleground states won by Biden and certified by state election officials. No one has been charged in that effort yet, but Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco told CNN that federal prosecutors were looking into the fraudulent elector certifications.

    Forty-eight states have winner-take-all laws giving all their electoral votes to the top vote-getter in their states. Maine and Nebraska award two votes to the popular vote winner and give the remainder to the top-place candidate in each congressional district.

    Faithless electors have emerged in the past, and 33 states and the District of Columbia have laws requiring electors to vote for the winner of the popular vote in their domains.

    In 2016, a small group of Democratic electors pledged to vote for another candidate in the hopes of swaying Republican electors to vote for anyone but Trump. They were known as Hamilton Electors after a Federalist Paper in which Alexander Hamilton argued that the Electoral College should be an “intermediate body” that’s less exposed to the people’s “heats and ferments.”

    Congress certified Trump’s Electoral College victory on Jan. 6, 2017, with then-Vice President Joe Biden 11 times gaveling down objections by Democrats to electors from several states.

    On July 6, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld the constitutionality of the state laws requiring electors to vote for the winner of the presidential election in their separate states. It ruled that faithless electors in Washington and Colorado had acted illegally, and those states had the authority to penalize or remove them.

    “The Constitution’s text and the Nation’s history both support allowing a State to enforce an elector’s pledge to support his party’s nominee — and the state voters’ choice — for President,” Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the court.

    Four Democratic electors from Washington state who were part of the effort to encourage GOP electors to abandon their pledges were fined $1,000 each under their state’s law. The fifth Democrat cast his vote in Hawaii, where there is no penalty. The two GOP rogue electors came from Texas, which has no faithless elector law. (In Colorado, a Clinton elector cast his electoral vote for Republican John Kasich, but the state discarded his vote and replaced him with an elector who voted for Clinton.)

    In 2020, Biden won the popular election by 7 million votes and stood to receive 306 of the 538 votes when the Electoral College met in December.

    While the 2016 effort was aimed at influencing duly chosen electors, the 2020 push sought to create lists of electors who would vote for Trump in battleground states that he lost and where the Republicans falsely claimed there had been widespread election irregularities.

    The House select committee has said “bogus slates of Electoral-College votes” were submitted in seven states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – in a ploy to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

    “The so-called alternate electors from those states then transmitted the purported Electoral-College certificates to Congress, which multiple people advising former President Trump or his campaign used to justify delaying or blocking the certification of the election during the Joint Session of Congress on January 6th, 2021,” the committee said.

    Attempt to Switch Slate ‘Resembled a Coup’

    “Both issues stem from the Electoral College system, but differ in fundamental ways,” John R. Vile, a constitutional scholar and political science dean at Middle Tennessee State University, said in an email to FactCheck.org.

    “The issue in the 2020 election was whether state legislatures disappointed with the voting majorities in their states had the power to substitute a whole set of electors pledged to Biden with another set pledged to Trump on the basis of perceived electoral irregularities,” Vile said.

    “Had there been genuine evidence that state voting totals were inaccurate, states may have had power to decide which slate of electors should be reported from their states,” said Vile, the author of “A Companion to the United States Constitution and Its Amendments.”

    “But Trump challenges to election counts (which included baseless challenges by Sidney Powell, Rudolph Giuliani, and Mike Lindell of MyPillow) were consistently and firmly rejected as unfounded by courts that examined the issue, so the attempt to replace one set of electors with another would have resembled a coup rather than an attempt to remedy electoral irregularities,” Vile said.

    Noting that the laws barring faithless electors seek to uphold the will of voters, Vile said, “… the attempt to substitute alternate elector lists was designed to thwart this will.”

    During a June 21 hearing of the House select committee, Arizona House Speaker Russell Bowers, a Republican, testified that he was pressured by Trump aides to participate in a lawless scheme in his state to remove Biden electors and replace them with Trump electors.

    “You are asking me to do something against my oath,” Bowers recalled telling Giuliani, “and I will not break my oath.”

    Editor’s note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here. Facebook has no control over our editorial content.

    Sources

    Cheney, Kyle. “Democratic presidential electors revolt against Trump.” Politico. 22 Nov 2016.

    FairVote. Faithless electors. Updated 15 Dec 2020.

    FairVote. Faithless Elector State Laws. Updated 7 Jul 2020.

    Farley, Robert. “Evidence Gaps in ‘2000 Mules.’” FactCheck.org. 10 Jun 2022.

    Gutman, David. “4 Washington state electors decided to not vote for Hilary Clinton in 2016. They were fined $1,000, went to court, and lost.” Seattle Times. 23 May 2019.

    Hellman, Jessie. “Democratic elector in Hawaii votes for Sanders.” The Hill. 19 Dec 2016.

    House Select Committee investigating Jan. 6, 2020 attack on the U.S Capitol. “Select Committee Subpoenas Seven ‘Alternate Electors’ From Seven States.” News release. 28 Jan 2022.

    Johnson, Eric M. and Jon Herskovitz. “Trump wins Electoral College vote; a few electors break ranks.” Reuters. 19 Dec 2016.

    Lerer, Lisa. “Clinton wins popular vote by 2.9 million.” Associated Press. 16 Dec 2016.

    New York Times. “2020 Presidential Election Results: Biden Wins.” Accessed 24 Jun 2022.

    Perez, Evan and Tierney Sneed. “Federal prosecutors looking at 2020 fake elector certifications, deputy attorney general tells CNN.” CNN. 26 Jan 2022.

    Polantz, Katelyn. “Federal investigation into Trump fake electors expands to multiple states.” CNN. 7 May 2022.

    Svitek, Patrick, Bobby Blanchard and Aliyya Swaby. “Texas electors cast 36 votes for Trump, 1 for Kasich and 1 for Ron Paul.” Texas Tribune. 19 Dec 2016.

    U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. “Dinesh D’Souza Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to Five Years of Probation for Campaign Finance Fraud.” 23 Sep 2014.

    U.S. Supreme Court. Chiafalo v. Washington. 6 Jul 2020.

    Vile, John R. Constitutional scholar and dean at Middle Tennessee State University. Email to FactCheck.org. 24 Jun 2022.

    Vox. “The last-ditch push for the Electoral College to stop Trump, explained.” 16 Dec 2016.

    Williams, Brenna. “11 times VP Biden was interrupted during the electoral vote count.” CNN. 6 Jan. 2017.

     

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