The establishment media giant CNN fact checked “false” claims made by leftist pundits against Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert (CO).
CNN called out leftists for accusing Boebert of hypocrisy. During Boebert’s speech over the weekend at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas, she said, “We’re here to tell government: we don’t want your benefits, we don’t want your welfare, don’t come knockin’ on my door with your Fauci ouchie.”
The media giant called out “podcaster” Brian Tyler Cohen, who claimed that Boebert’s restaurant received government aid from the Paycheck Protection Program. He tweeted, “Lauren Boebert’s restaurant received a $233,305 PPP check and she receives a $174,000 taxpayer-funded salary.”
Cohen also has a Youtube channel with more than 1.2 million subscribers, according to CNN. His tweet had been retweeted more than 18,000 times, and some Twitter users, which CNN claims are “left-leaning,” have also repeated the claim.
CNN shared that the congresswoman’s restaurant Shooters Grill had not received a $233,305 PPP loan, which was also shoed by federal records. However, ProPublica claims that the recipient of the $233,305 PPP loan was Shooters Sports Grill LLC.
Ben Stout, a spokesman for the congresswoman, told CNN there was no connection between the two restaurants. Shooters Sports Grill LLC also told CNN that the restaurant located in Ohio had no relationship with Boebert.
“After CNN contacted Brian Tyler Cohen to ask about the claim that Boebert’s restaurant got PPP money, he deleted the tweet and acknowledged that the claim was inaccurate,” the fact check stated.
The media giant also claimed that after the debunking happened, Richard Ojeda, a former West Virginia state senator and unsuccessful candidate for the House, Senate, and presidency, had tweeted a similar false claim.
He said, “Boebert says she doesn’t want your ‘Socialism,’ but her business took a $233,305 PPP Loan from our government. This is what happens when you elect someone who doesn’t even hold a high school diploma.” The tweet remains on Twitter’s website.
Ricky Davila, a singer-songwriter and avid political tweeter, also tweeted but eventually deleted his tweet after CNN reached out to the singer.
The Facebook account “The People for Bernie Sanders,” which has more than 1.5 million followers, posted a screenshot of a tweet accusing GOP pensioners of taking government money. The post still remains on Facebook’s website.