ICYMI: “Bogus Report” of N.C. Democrats Attending Sept. 11 Ceremonies During Veto Override “A Giant Pile of Trash”

Raleigh, N.C. – The Washington Examiner published a piece on Thursday debunking fake news claims that North Carolina Democrats were attending commemorations for victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks during a veto override vote, calling the false reports “a giant pile of trash.”

The Office of House Speaker Tim Moore also released audio on Friday obtained from the House Democratic Leader the day of the veto override confirming his caucus was attending meetings for upcoming committees and not at ceremonies, as is being falsely reported by outlets across the country.

State capital reporters at the North Carolina General Assembly have thoroughly debunked the fake news story, but national outlets including USA Today, the Washington Post, NOW THIS, GQ, and the American Prospect, among others, continue to publish the outrageously false, fabricated claim.

Below are excerpts from the Washington Examiner piece that once again, thoroughly debunk the lie: 

“The Washington Post tweeted Wednesday afternoon, “North Carolina Republicans overrode a budget veto while Democrats were at a 9/11 ceremony.”

“Don’t get too attached to the Post’s supposedly damning scoop. It is a giant pile of trash.”

“It is unclear where the rest of the Democratic caucus was at the time of the vote, but what we do know is that it was not at Sept. 11 memorial services as the Post report originally claimed.”

“Democrats, who claim falsely that Republicans broke the rules, had plenty of fair warning.”

“To recap: A planned vote was held this week in the North Carolina House, during which time a single House Democrat happened also to be at a Sept. 11 memorial ceremony. This is the entire basis for the Post’s faulty reporting.”

“Amazingly enough, the paper has not retracted its story. It has not even fully corrected it.”

“That the paper refuses to retract its story or even provide a full correction shows it is every bit as conniving and dishonest as it falsely accused North Carolina Republicans of being.”

The Office of House Speaker Tim Moore has contacted all of the aforementioned media outlets and others to demand a correction, without success.  As of this press release, only the Washington Post has made corrections to its story, and Moore’s office considers those insufficient.