FACT CHECK: Did Lindsey Graham Make This Comment About Insulin And Overpopulation?
A post shared on Facebook claims Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham made comments about insulin and overpopulation on CSPAN.
Verdict: False
There is no evidence to suggest Graham made such comments. The account that posted the tweet later admitted the statement was satire.
Fact Check:
The U.S. Senate passed the $430 billion Inflation Reduction Act on Sunday, according to The Hill. The bill, which is expected to be passed by the House, includes a stipulation that would cap the cost of insulin for seniors on Medicare at $35 a month, the outlet reported. A group of Republican senators voted against extending the cap to others, with some claiming the bill fails to address the root cause of the skyrocketing insulin prices, The Washington Post reported.
An image shared on Facebook claims Graham recently weighed in on the matter. It shows a screen grab of a tweet that quotes him as saying, “The Democrats are trying to attack us over this insulin thing. But next time you’re in a long line at the grocery store, ask yourself: is it REALLY a good thing for more people to have life-saving medication? I thought liberals said we’re overpopulated.” The tweet, which has amassed over 2,600 retweets, claims he made these comments on CSPAN.
The claim is false. Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to suggest Graham made such comments on CSPAN or elsewhere. The purported quote does not appear on Graham’s official website or his verified social media accounts. The senator did not mention insulin or overpopulation during a Senate Republican news conference that aired on Aug. 5 on CSPAN in response to the Democrats’ proposed Inflation Reduction Act.
“I think what you’re doing is you’re empowering the most radical people in this country to tax and spend at a time we can ill afford it,” Graham said in response to Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema’s support of the bill at the 28:35 mark of the news conference.
The Twitter account that initially shared the post later admitted it was satire in a subsequent tweet. (RELATED: Does This Video Show Lindsey Graham Being Heckled At The Airport For His Stance On Gun Control?)
Check Your Fact has reached out to Graham’s office for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.