Huffington Post congressional reporter Matt Fuller made up a story about Republican Rep. Russ Fulcher being under investigation by Capitol Police over objections to illegal metal detectors set up in front of the House chamber.
Last week, Fuller wrote on Twitter that Capitol Police requested an interview for an investigation into Fulcher “manhandling an officer” outside the metal detectors.
“I saw him very aggressively brush a female officer aside after he set the magnetometer off the night of [Jan. 12],” Fuller reported, with no confirmation.
The first investigation is about Rep. Russ Fulcher manhandling an officer who was at the metal detectors outside the House floor.
I saw him very aggressively brush a female officer aside after he set the magnetometer off the night of 1/12.
— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) February 17, 2021
Mind you: This was six days after January 6th, and the first night of the metal detectors outside the House floor.
These cops had been through an awful lot, and this Member really was…aggressive.
— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) February 17, 2021
Fuller had also tweeted about the alleged incident on the day he said it occurred, with an indictment of Fulcher.
“Another member — I believe it was Russ Fulcher — just pushed his way through,” Fuller wrote. “He went through the metal detector, set it off, ran into a cop, and then pushed his way past her.”
Another member — I believe it was Russ Fulcher — just pushed his way through. He went through the metal detector, set it off, ran into a cop, and then pushed his way past her.
— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) January 13, 2021
Fulcher had put out a statement on Jan. 13 to condemn the new metal detectors while rejecting Fuller’s reporting.
Yesterday, metal detectors and member screening procedures were initiated at entrances of the House chamber, unauthorized via House rule. Info thus far shows the events on Jan. 6 came from outside, not from members.
2/5
— Rep. Russ Fulcher (@RepRussFulcher) January 13, 2021
Fuller’s tweets generated several stories in major publications, which cited Fuller’s unverified claims of a Capitol Police investigation as their only source, including MSNBC and New York Magazine.
As MSNBC wrote: “The Capitol Police are investigating an incident involving allegations that Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-ID) had assaulted a female officer as he passed through metal detectors outside of the House chamber last month, HuffPost reported late Wednesday.”
New York Magazine promoted Fuller’s tweets at the top of a piece headlined, “House Republicans Disobey Police, Dodge Metal Detectors in Capitol.”
Capitol Police revealed Thursday, however, that no such investigation into Fulcher exists nor has ever existed.
In a formal letter to Fulcher’s office, Capitol Police Chief of Staff Salley Wood debunked Fuller’s made-up reporting and laid to rest the rumor.
“To the Department’s knowledge, there is no current investigation into an alleged or rumored incident occurring on or around the House Floor on January 12, 2021 involving Congressman Fulcher,” Wood wrote.
