| USA TODAY
Protesters gather for Portland rallies
People gathered in Portland on Saturday afternoon for protests as the city approached its fifth month of near-night protests against racial injustice and police brutality. (September 26)
AP
The demand: Speaker Pelosi sent a letter to Wheeler, mayor of Portland, asking him to follow the ‘Democratic Play book’ and blame Trump for riots
A fake letter circulated on social media claims that House President Nancy Pelosi, D-California Mayor Ted Wheeler of Portland, Oregon, was urged to ‘stick to the proven Democratic Playbook’ when he respond to protest action.
The letter urges Wheeler to take several steps, including denying that there is a problem, and to show support to the camera for anyone who violates the law, and the debt to President Donald Trump if the order is not restored can not be and condemn the president.
The letter, complete with Wheeler’s official email address and Pelosi’s signature and seal, concluded: “We CAN NOT give TRUMP any victory before the election!”
The letter is dated August 27, the day Pelosi contentious advised then presidential candidate Joe Biden not to debate Trump during the 2020 presidential debates.
“Georgia’s attorney Lin Wood also posted this document,” Trump Train News Media encouraged his followers in his January 10 Facebook post, which was later removed. “Read the document carefully and note who it comes from.”
Some followers of the conservative media group stressed the authenticity of the document, while others questioned whether it was being changed.
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Closer examination shows that parts of the document are faintly discolored, indicating that the letter’s body, Pelosi’s seal and Pelos’ signature were apparently processed together.
When USA TODAY contacted Trump Train News Media for comment, the page did not respond and deleted the message.
The letter is still visible in a Reddit thread called r / ParlerWatch.
Another Facebook user posted the text of the letter in a January 10 Facebook post. The Facebook user has not yet responded to USA TODAY’s request for comment.
Pelosi and Wheeler’s offices confirm that the letter was fabricated
Pelosi Deputy Chief of Staff Drew Hammill said in an email today that the letter was false.
Timothy Becker, a spokeswoman for Wheeler’s office, also confirmed in an email to the U.S. TODAY that the mayor has never received the letter.
Portland center of political conflict for Trump
This fabrication letter comes after months of fiery protests in Portland, for which many conservatives blame radical liberal actors. Portland’s anti-racist protests have centered around police brutality since the death of George Floyd on May 25 under the auspices of Minneapolis police. The protests also focused strongly on the shooting of Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake.
Portland’s protests reached several boiling points, where protesters, counter-protesters and police clashed violently.
During the protests, Wheeler received criticism from both sides of the aisle for the police’s treatment of protesters.
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On June 26, Trump signed an executive order enabling him to send federal officers to Portland to prevent damage to government property and monuments. Homeland Security agents soon followed. When violence erupted between protesters and the growing presence of law enforcers, Wheeler said he did not invite federal officials to help the Portland Police Department.
“This past week, President Trump used our city as a stage to advance his political agenda, setting his base on fire to cause further divisions,” Wheeler told a July 17 news conference. “Mr. President, federal agencies should never be used as your own personal army.”
The next day, Pelosi condemned the use of force and ‘violent tactics against protesters in Portland’ by the Trump administration in a joint statement with Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Portland.
The Trump administration and government officials were negotiating federal officials from Portland in late July.
The allegations that left-wing radicals were to blame for the unrest gained traction in early September, after a self-proclaimed antifa supporter shot dead a conservative counter-protester. Police fatally shot the shooter shortly thereafter.
In response to the protests and shooting incident, Trump Wheeler called a ‘fool for a mayor’ and ‘weak and pathetic’ in a series of tweets on August 30 urging local leaders to call in the National Guard to suppress protests .
‘I’m going to do the job I have to do here in my local community with my local officials to take responsibility for what’s happening in our streets, and I’m appreciating that the president supports us, or that he stays the hell out of the away, ”Wheeler replied.
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Protesters in Portland and several civil rights groups called on Wheeler to resign, arguing that he did not do enough to prevent violence during protests.
Our rating: false
In a fabricated letter, it appears that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is urging Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler to follow the “Democratic Play book” and blame Trump for protests. Both the offices of Pelosi and Wheeler confirmed that the viral fake letter was not sent or received. We consider this claim to be FALSE because it is not supported by our research.
Our sources for fact checking:
- Trump Train News Media, January 10, Facebook Post
- Portland.gov, visited on January 12, “Mayor Ted Wheeler”
- USA TODAY, August 27, “Pelosi: ‘I do not think there should be any debate’ between Biden and Trump”
- Reddit, r / ParlerWatch, January 10, “They Really Think It’s Really”
- Joseph J Wilson Jr., January 10, Facebook post
- USA TODAY, January 11, email with Drew Hammill, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Office of the Speaker of the US House of Representatives
- USA TODAY, January 11, email with Timothy Becker, Mayor’s Spokeswoman Ted Wheeler
- USA TODAY, September 5, “100 photos to remind you that protests have been raging in Portland for 100 days”
- Oregon Live, July 18, “Evidence shows Portland police cooperate with federal officials in protests, contradicting state officials”
- OPB, July 17, “Portland Mayor accuses Trump of using federal agents as ‘personal army'”
- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, July 18, “Pelosi, Blumenauer issues joint statement on Trump administration actions in Portland”
- NPR, July 29, “Federal Law Enforcement Officers to Leave Portland, Ore.”
- USA TODAY 4 Sept. “Federal task force kills shooting suspect in Portland while investigators move him”
- USA TODAY, August 30, “Oregon Government Kate Brown announces Portland peace plan after fatal shooting of ‘Patriot Prayer’ supporter, months of protests”
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