FACT CHECK: Was Dick Cheney Arrested On Christmas Eve?

Kenia Mazariegos | Contributor

A post shared on Facebook claims former Vice President Dick Cheney was arrested on Christmas Eve.

Verdict: False

There is no evidence Cheney has been arrested. The claim appears to originate with a website that openly states it publishes “humor, parody, and satire.”

Fact Check: 

Baseless rumors about various high-level political figures being arrested are not uncommon on social media. Cheney, who served as vice president from 2001 to 2009, is seemingly the latest subject of such rumors. “Dick Cheney arrested Christmas eve,” reads a post shared on Facebook. (RELATED: No, Gavin Newsom was Not Sentenced to Death for Child Sex Crimes and Treason)

There is no evidence the former vice president was recently arrested. Check Your Fact searched press releases from the Department of Justice, as well as the websites of reputable news outlets like The New York Times, the Associated Press and The Washington Post, but found no mention of Cheney’s alleged Christmas Eve arrest. He was spotted on Jan. 6, less than two weeks after his purported detainment, visiting the Capitol where he joined with members of Congress in condemning last year’s attack on the building, according to The Washington Post.

The rumor of Cheney’s arrest appears to stem from a Dec. 28 article published on Real Raw News, a website that states on its “About Us” page that it contains “humor, parody, and satire.” The article claims Cheney was arrested on Christmas Eve by U.S. Special Forces and refers to him as “the 9/11 mastermind.”

Check Your Fact previously debunked a similar rumor that alleged former President George W. Bush was arrested by the military. That claim also appeared to originate from Real Raw News.

Kenia Mazariegos

Contributor

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