A story shared on social media falsely claims that Malia Obama was “busted” for selling “trinkets” she stole from the White House. That story originated on a self-described satirical website.
Fictitious Story on Malia Obama’s White House ‘Trinkets’
Stories by Angelo Fichera
Former Staff Writer, FactCheck.org
Viral Posts Spread Iran-‘Deep State’ Conspiracy Theory
An online conspiracy theory falsely claims that Democratic leaders coordinated the June attacks on two oil tankers and a U.S. drone and that President Donald Trump caught them in the act. The Trump administration has placed the blame squarely on Iran.
Pelosi, a Ripped Speech, and the Records Debate
Q: Did House Speaker Nancy Pelosi break the law by ripping up the president’s State of the Union address?
A: Legal experts have widely dismissed the idea that Pelosi’s copy of the address would be subject to a criminal statute cited by some conservatives.
Report Prompts False Claims of ‘Voter Fraud’ in Iowa
A report by a conservative legal organization about voter registration rates in eight Iowa counties has been cited to promote baseless suggestions of voter fraud.
Viral Photo Doesn’t Show Schiff With Whistleblower
Viral posts are spreading a false claim that a photograph shows Rep. Adam Schiff with the “whistleblower.” The photo was posted by Schiff and shows his family and his daughter’s boyfriend — who is a college student, not an intelligence official.
Virginia Bill Wouldn’t Criminalize Criticism
Online headlines falsely claim that Virginia lawmakers want to make criticizing state officials a “criminal offense.” The bill doesn’t create new offenses. It would merely allow cases of threats or harassment against some state officials to be prosecuted in Richmond.
New Coronavirus Wasn’t ‘Predicted’ In Simulation
A conspiracy theory website distorted the facts about an emergency preparedness exercise to suggest that the “GATES FOUNDATION & OTHERS PREDICTED UP TO 65 MILLION DEATHS” from the coronavirus now spreading. The event dealt with a hypothetical scenario involving a fictional virus.
Misinformation on Coronavirus Death Toll
Websites and social media posts have circulated the erroneous claim that there are “thousands” or “10,000” dead as a result of the Wuhan coronavirus. As of early Jan. 27, the estimated death toll is 81 — all of them in China.
Misleading Posts Target Nine Republicans on Impeachment
Posts circulating amid the Senate impeachment trial misleadingly accuse nine Republican senators of having “joined Democrats on impeachment.” The claim originated in October as a list of senators who had not yet co-sponsored an impeachment-related resolution — but six of them did sign on to that measure.
Impeachment-Social Security Hoax Resurfaces in Video
A viral YouTube video rehashed, and added to, a debunked hoax about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi taking money from Social Security to pay for the impeachment investigation into President Donald Trump. The claim originated on a self-described satirical website.