Joke's On You: Congressman Uses Onion Article As Factual Source
WASHINGTON (CBSDC) -- A pro-life congressman decided to share an article to his Facebook followers about an “$8 Billion Abortionplex.” The only problem -- it was an article that came from The Onion.
According to Buzzfeed, Rep. John Fleming, R-La., put the article on his Facebook page with the caption, “More on Planned Parenthood, abortion by the wholesale.”
However, the Abortionplex is not real. The Onion is a satirical newspaper that often releases articles to provoke a reaction.
The article, originally published last year, promised that “a sprawling abortion facility that will allow the organization to terminate unborn lives with an efficiency never before thought possible” was going to be built in Topeka, Kan.
The article continues with the amenities of the Abortionplex, which would include café’s, bars, restaurants, retail outlets, a three-story nightclub, and a multiplex movie theater complex complete with an IMAX screen.
The article says that the features would help clients relax and “make abortion more of a social event.”
Doug Sachtleben, spokesman for Rep. Fleming, told CBSDC that “it was inadvertently posted and it was taken down within minutes.”
Congressman Fleming wasn’t the first person to be fooled by the website. Last year, The Onion released a series of reports that Congress was holding Capitol Hill hostage that prompted calls to 911.
Joe Randazzo, The Onion's editor, took a jab at Fleming for citing the fake article.
"We're delighted to hear that Rep. Fleming is a regular reader of America's Finest News Source and doesn't bother himself with the New York Times, Washington Post, the mediums of television and radio, or any other lesser journalism outlets."
