Media punked by likely hoax lawsuit

Published March 24, 2016 7:00pm ET



Newsrooms reported this week that the shooter in the 2011 Tucson, Ariz., massacre had brought a lawsuit against one of the survivors of his deadly rampage, former Democratic Rep. Gabby Giffords, but the story is reportedly a hoax.

The legal filing against the former congresswoman is likely the handiwork of notorious pro se trickster Jonathan Lee Riches, the same man who duped the press with phony lawsuits involving Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy and Jacksonville Jaguars first-round pick Blake Bortles, according to popehat.com contributor Adam Steinbaugh.

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.