Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene caused a stir on social media when she posted a false claim about an alleged ABC whistleblower’s death.
The Hindustan Times reported that Greene asserted that the whistleblower, who reportedly accused ABC of giving Kamala Harris debate questions in advance, had died in a car accident. Her post, which appeared on X on September 15, lacked any credible evidence but quickly ignited speculation and controversy online.
The claim was debunked the following day, but not before it triggered widespread conspiracy theories and confusion.
Greene's post read, “The ABC whistleblower who claimed Kamala Harris was given debate questions ahead of the debate has died in a car crash according to news reports.”
However, Greene did not cite any reliable sources for this information. The post came on the heels of similar unverified claims circulating on X, particularly from users like @RetroCoast, who shared similar details on September 13.
Despite the lack of credible information, Greene's tweet quickly gained traction. Conspiracy theories and calls for further investigation into the whistleblower’s alleged death began to surface.
Many users questioned the validity of the claim, but the momentum continued to build as Greene doubled down on her demands for an inquiry.
Trump and his allies had long accused ABC News of bias, specifically during debates following Joe Biden’s departure from the presidential race in July. The unsubstantiated claim that Harris was given debate questions in advance reignited Trump’s allegations that the debate had been rigged to favor her.
Nearly a day after her initial post, Greene acknowledged that her claim was false. She tweeted, “This story appears to be false and I'm glad to hear it.”
However, she did not remove her original tweet, allowing the misinformation to remain visible on her feed. While she retracted her statement, Greene remained firm on the need for further investigation into the whistleblower’s allegations, claiming that Kamala Harris had received debate questions ahead of time.
Other social media accounts, such as @DocNetyoutube, also contributed to the debate. The user had previously indicated communication with the alleged whistleblower and promised to release an affidavit detailing the allegations against ABC. However, @DocNetyoutube later denied the whistleblower’s death in subsequent posts, while also expressing awareness of legal pressures surrounding the situation.
Adding to the confusion, a report surfaced from a questionable website titled 'CountyLocalNews.com,' claiming that the whistleblower had died in a car crash in Maryland.
The article, titled “ABC News Whistleblower in Kamala Harris Debate Question Scandal Dies in Maryland Crash,” was authored by someone listed only as "admin," further casting doubt on its credibility.
This report, along with unverified posts on X, created a murky situation in which no public identity of the alleged whistleblower had been confirmed. Nonetheless, Greene's posts and the online rumors continued to fuel theories without any substantive evidence.
Donald Trump has repeatedly accused media outlets like ABC of bias, particularly during the debates in which Kamala Harris faced off against him.
Following Biden’s exit from the race in July, Trump argued that the debate was “a rigged deal,” pointing to moments when moderators allegedly corrected him while allowing Harris to make unchecked statements.
Trump further added that many of his statements, which were later debunked, led him to believe the moderators had shown favoritism. “My stuff was right, but they would correct you,” Trump said, asserting that Harris received favorable treatment.
Despite Greene’s retraction, the initial impact of her tweet was significant. Social media users shared, commented on, and speculated about the story, with some continuing to believe the false information. Greene’s refusal to delete her tweet left many to wonder whether misinformation was allowed to spread unchecked for political gain.
Even with the revelation that the claim was untrue, Greene and other voices like @DocNetyoutube remain focused on the original whistleblower allegations regarding Harris. @DocNetyoutube continues to promise the release of an affidavit, despite denying the whistleblower’s reported death. However, there is still no concrete evidence that supports any of the allegations made.
