CNN’s Jim Acosta set off a fake news wave when he reported that a bust of Abe Lincoln was “leaving” the White House, leading many, including Keith Olbermann, to claim it was being stolen.
The item was one of a number of things being removed by members of the Trump administration before Joe Biden’s inauguration next week.
“More stuff (appears to be Abe Lincoln bust) leaving the West Wing this afternoon,” tweeted Acosta alongside an image of a man carrying the bust.
You can't blame the New York Post for forbidding the use of CNN as a primary source when its Chief White House Correspondent set off a wave of misinformation with this tweet just yesterday pic.twitter.com/g1IzhlAwnq
— Charlie Nash (@CharlieNash) January 15, 2021
This prompted blue checkmarks on Twitter to have meltdowns, claiming a Trump administration member was stealing the item.
“Sure! Add a little theft to treason,” said Keith Olbermann.
“Now they’re looters on top of everything else?” remarked Markos Moulitsas.
John Aravosis jumped on the tweet to assert that the Trump family was “looting the White House.”
Keith Olbermann, the founder of the Daily Kos, a former Clinton staffer, and many more baselessly accused the Trump admin of "looting" the White House yesterday. A blue wave of fake news and disinformation https://t.co/mea7C6GBG1 pic.twitter.com/qAcZvBkHvB
— Charlie Nash (@CharlieNash) January 15, 2021
However, as the Independent reports, the bust was not being removed as a personal item.
“The statue will be returned to a museum, as incoming officials generally choose their own items from among national artefacts to decorate the White House during their term,” states the report.
Maybe Acosta should have clarified that, although it doesn’t take much to set off Keith Olbermann, who is prone to routine outbursts, including when he angrily asserted that all Trump supporters should be “prosecuted, convicted, and removed from society.”
