U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear a case aimed at removing President Joe Biden and reinstating former President Donald Trump. However, an examination of the facts reveals a different story.
AP’s Assessment: False Information Spreads Despite Supreme Court’s Decision
Contrary to the circulating misinformation, the U.S. Supreme Court has not agreed to hear a case seeking to oust President Biden and reinstall Trump. On February 21, the justices rejected, for the second time, a case grounded in baseless claims of 2020 election fraud. This case aimed to remove numerous elected officials, including Biden, and bar them from future government positions. Notably, the Supreme Court has remained steadfast in its decision to not entertain such unfounded narratives.
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The Facts: Social Media Misinformation Persists
Despite the Supreme Court’s clear stance, social media continues to propagate false information. A misleading Instagram post garnered significant attention with a headline falsely proclaiming, “Supreme Court To Hear Case To Reinstate Donald Trump Over ‘Rigged’ Election.” The accompanying article, published four days after the court’s decision, wrongly claimed that the court was reconsidering the lawsuit. Subsequently, the post was taken down, and a correction was published on February 28.
Additional social media posts echoed the inaccurate narrative, garnering tens of thousands of likes and shares on platforms like Twitter. The misinformation persists, even though the case, known as Adams v. Brunson, et al., had been dismissed by a lower court and its dismissal upheld on appeal.
Legal Background: Adams v. Brunson, et al.
The Adams v. Brunson, et al. lawsuit, filed in October 2022, contends that President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former Vice President Mike Pence, and 385 members of Congress committed treason by neglecting to investigate baseless claims of election rigging in 2020. The suit sought the removal of these officials and a ban on their future participation in elected office. Notably, it does not specifically name Donald Trump.
Despite an appeal to the Supreme Court, the case was rejected in January 2023, with a subsequent appeal meeting the same fate on February 21. Legal experts, including Aziz Huq of the University of Chicago, assert that cases built on false narratives are unlikely to gain traction in the Supreme Court.
In light of these developments, it is crucial to distinguish fact from fiction as misinformation continues to circulate on social media platforms.
