Top US Democrat Pelosi did not raid Social Security to fund impeachment
- This article is more than one year old.
- Published on January 23, 2020 at 23:44
- Updated on January 27, 2020 at 20:58
- 5 min read
- By W.G. DUNLOP, AFP USA
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One article -- shared here and here -- is headlined “Pelosi Diverts $2.4 Billion From Social Security To Cover Impeachment Costs.”
“You and I, Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer, are looking at about 2 and a half billion dollars. Hope your boss can give you a raise,” it says.
The article appears on potatriotsunite.com, which includes an “About Us” section that reads: “Everything on this website is fiction. It is not a lie and it is not fake news because it is not real. If you believe that it is real, you should have your head examined.”
Despite the disclaimer on the website -- which is not clearly visible when the link is shared on Facebook, though the web address is -- reactions of users show that the article has been believed as fact.
“WE ALL NEED TO SIGN A PETITION AND DEMAND SHE PUT THE MONEY BACK IN SOCIAL SECURITY-THIS IS FRAUD AND THEFT OF OUR FUNDS- IT WILL HURT ALL OF US WHO ARE RETIRED. LET US ADDRESS IT TO PRESIDENT TRUMP WHO COULD REVERSE THIS DECISION AND EXPOSE HER THEFT,” one user wrote in a post that included a link to the article.
Most of the comments on the post reflected similar belief in the “information,” such as: “HEY YOU UGLY WITCH, THAT IS MY MONEY YOU ARE GIVING AWAY. USE THE MONEY ‘WE THE PEOPLE’ HAVE WORKED FOR AND YOU HAVE ALREADY STOLEN FROM US TO PACK YOUR WALLET.”
But one user expressed doubt about the claim, while another said it could be satire.
Social Security Administration spokeswoman Dorothy Clark told AFP that $2.4 billion was not in fact withdrawn to fund impeachment.
“The Trust Funds are used for two purposes: Social Security benefit payments and program administrative costs. By law, income to the trust funds must be invested, on a daily basis, in securities guaranteed as to both principal and interest by the Federal government,” Clark said by email.
A second article -- shared here and here -- is headlined “FACT CHECK: Yes, Nancy Pelosi Moved Billions from SSI to Cover Impeachment Costs.”
The web address of the site that published it -- freedomfictions.com -- is visible when the link is shared, and the text makes clear that the claim is untrue.
“Pelosi in no way would be able to pull off such a ridiculous stunt, even if she wanted to, and 2.4 billion dollars was randomly invented to sound large. Although it would be worth it to see that cartoon embarrassment of a President gone,” the article says.
The website also has the same disclaimer in its “About US” section as appears on potatriotsunite.com.
But again, many comments on posts linking to the “fact check” indicate people believe it is real.
“You’ll think it’s funny with all your benefits on the hill and out of congress! I have great news for you’ll ! You will never be able to escape the lawlessness you created ! You will pay back one way or the other!” one user commented.
“Impeach her—get her out she is trouble with a capital T,” wrote another.
The websites on which the articles appear are part of the “America’s Last Line of Defense” network.
On Facebook, the “America’s Last Line of Defense” page includes the disclaimer: “Nothing on this page is real. It is a collection of the satirical whimsies of liberal trolls masquerading as conservatives. You have been warned.”
The page says it gives “Good Old Fashioned Liberal Troll Provided Fantasy presented as comedy to the left and a social experiment to the right.”
Articles on the network of websites -- which make outrageous claims written as fact, albeit with clear indications that they are not real -- are shared in droves by people apparently believing they are true amid a hyper-partisan American political environment.
Asked why he thinks people believe and share his articles, “America’s Last Line of Defense” founder and owner Christopher Blair responded: “Confirmation bias.”
“It goes so much further than just ignoring disclaimers. These people are told that they're sharing satire, and it doesn't matter. We point out the debunks from fact-checkers that go out with every share and they call them ‘liberal lies,’” he told AFP by email.
“The truth is no longer important to them. All they care about is holding on to their hate and fear,” he said.
“The people who share our content don't care about the truth. They share 500 things a day, most of which are hate-filled lies. When they share something of ours, there's a chance at accountability,” Blair said.
Blair is supported by “a group of a couple hundred trolls” who “patrol the pages,” he said by phone.
“They make sure that there’s accountability for the people commenting, they go into the shares and tell people who are sharing, you know, you’re sharing satire, this isn’t real.”
Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives on December 18, 2019 for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. He is now on trial in the US Senate, where members of his Republican party hold enough seats that he is likely to be acquitted.
UPDATE: This article was updated on January 27, 2020 to add comments from Christopher Blair.
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