Facebook post pushes claim about a slap that just doesn’t connect

Recent high-profile slapping incidents might bring to mind the 2022 Academy Awards, when actor Will Smith slapped host Chris Rock. But should we be thinking of a Republican congressman from Ohio instead? 

An April 10 Facebook post suggests as much. 

"‘YOU ARE LYING’ Jim Jordan SLAPS Mueller at hearing after ‘fake proof’ in Trump’s ‘Russian’ case," the post says. 

It was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)

The eight-minute video clip in the post is old  — and, spoiler, it doesn’t show Jordan slapping Robert Mueller, former FBI director and special counsel who oversaw an investigation into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

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The video is from a July 2019 House Judiciary Committee hearing in which Jordan questioned Mueller about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and its possible ties to former President Donald Trump’s campaign.

Although Jordan talks about someone else lying, he doesn’t accuse Mueller of lying, nor does he utter the words "you are lying," as the post describes. 

And both men remain seated. No one is slapped. 

We rate this post Pants on Fire!