A post shared on Facebook claims House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called recipients of Social Security benefits “a burden on society.”

Verdict: False

There is no record of Pelosi ever making such a statement. The claim appears to have originated on a satirical news website.

Fact Check:

Pelosi has been a popular target for viral misinformation and fabricated quotes on social media in recent weeks, with this particular Facebook post claiming the House speaker said, “Social Security recipients are just a burden on society.” (RELATED: Did Nancy Pelosi Announce A 2-Month Suspension Of Social Security Starting In April?)

There is, however, no evidence Pelosi ever made the statement. A search of her social media accounts and congressional websites didn’t turn up any matches. Had she made such a comment, it would have been picked up by major media outlets, yet none have reported on it, except to debunk the remark.

The quote appears to derive from a similar quote on Bustatroll.com, a parody news website that describes itself as part of a network that publishes “parody, satire, and tomfoolery.” That website states in a fictional story that Pelosi made a very similar comment while “at a recent $5000-a-plate fundraising event for orphaned San Francisco lemurs.”

Despite the disclaimer of the website’s satirical content, multiple Facebook users have continued to share the fake quote as if it was true.