Maxine Waters told her followers on X not to follow Omar Navarro because he is a “Hispanic Republican.”
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U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., speaking during the Democratic National Convention Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP)
Maxine Waters didn’t tell people to unfollow her opponent because he is a “Hispanic Republican”
If Your Time is short
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The post is not on U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters’ official X or Instagram accounts.
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J. Ellis McGinnis, chief of staff for the California Democrat, told PolitiFact via email that the post was fake.
Omar Navarro was charged with misusing campaign funds after unsuccessfully running against U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., in four consecutive congressional elections. But Waters did not make an online post to discourage people from following Navarro, as social media users claimed.
"DO NOT FOLLOW @REALOMARNAVARRO! He’s a young Hispanic Republican spreading lies on Instagram," a screenshot on Instagram purporting to be from Waters’ official social media account says. "He claims Democrats have failed Hispanic America. He is also pro-life and pro-Trump. Why is he not suspended? Do NOT follow him!"
(Screengrab from Instagram)
Featured Fact-check
The post did not include a time stamp and is not on Water’s official X and Instagram accounts. We also found no media reports about it. And Waters did not delete any X posts in the last 30 days according to Social Blade, a social media analytics platform.
J. Ellis McGinnis, Waters’ chief of staff, told PolitiFact in an email that the post was fake.
We rate the claim that Maxine Waters told her followers on X not to follow Omar Navarro because he is a Hispanic Republican Pants on Fire!
PolitiFact Researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.
Our Sources
Instagram post (archived), Aug. 22, 2024
Department of Justice, Four-Time Congressional Candidate Charged in Long-Running Misuse of Campaign Funds, Sep. 27, 2023
Los Angeles Times, Frequent GOP L.A. congressional candidate charged with misusing campaign funds, Sep. 27, 2023
Maxine Waters X account, accessed Aug. 23, 2024
Maxine Waters Instagram account, accessed Aug. 23, 2024
Social Blade, Maxine Waters, accessed Aug. 23, 2024
Email interview, J. Ellis McGinnis, Maxine Waters’ chief of staff, Aug. 23, 2024
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Maxine Waters didn’t tell people to unfollow her opponent because he is a “Hispanic Republican”
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