A story on Facebook says that House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and former FBI director Robert Mueller are having a “steamy, 13-year affair,” but the story is fake news.
“Mueller will be forced to resign over Pelosi affair,” stated a Jan. 18 headline by The Patriot Report.
Facebook users flagged the post as being potentially fabricated, as part of the social network’s efforts to combat fake news. The story has no evidence and is fake news. The story attributes the information to Ladies of Liberty, a website that describes itself as satire.
Mueller was appointed by the Justice Department as special counsel to investigate connections between President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia. In May, Pelosi supported Mueller’s appointment as a “first step” but in October called for an “outside, fully independent investigation.”
The Patriot Report said that Pelosi and Mueller had a 13-year affair that will force Mueller to resign, but Pelosi will hold her California congressional seat until she dies.
The story said that Pelosi said her husband was aware of the affair and that her “husband was afforded the same freedom to explore ‘pleasures of the flesh.’ “
Pelosi has never made any such comment.
Fictional affairs are common fodder on fake news websites. We previously debunked fake articles claiming that U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Florida Democrat, had an affair with former FBI Director James Comey, and that U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, had an affair with a cheerleader. We rated both of those claims Pants on Fire.
We sent a message to The Patriot Report on Facebook and did not get a reply.
A headline said that “Mueller will be forced to resign over Pelosi affair.” There is no evidence that such an affair occurred. We rate this headline Pants on Fire.
Truth-o-meter Ruling
Statement
"Mueller will be forced to resign over Pelosi affair."
Context
a headlineSpeaker/Target
Statement Date
Our Sources
The Patriot Report, "Mueller will be forced to resign over Pelosi affair," Jan. 8, 2018
Ladies of Liberty, "UPDATE: Mueller will be forced to resign over Pelosi affair," Dec. 2, 2018
U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Biography, Accessed Jan. 23, 2018
U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, "Pelosi Statement on Special Prosecutor to Investigate Trump-Russia Connection," May 17, 2017
CNN, "Capitol Hill is reeling after Mueller indictments," Oct. 30, 2017
PolitiFact, "Who is Robert Mueller? New special counsel leading Russian investigation," May 17, 2017
PolitiFact, "Fake news says Chuck Schumer had affair with teenage cheerleader," Dec. 18, 2017
PolitiFact, "It's fake news that James Comey and Debbie Wasserman Schultz are an item," July 10, 2017
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