Fact-checking Katie Britt’s speech

Katie Britt’s weird response to the State of the Union included a disturbing story – that wasn’t true [Courier]( Friend, In case you missed it, Alabama Senator Katie Britt had an (off-putting? weird? disturbing?) response to President Biden’s State of the Union address. The speech inspired thousands of tweets, memes, and even a Saturday Night Live cold open. But the most disturbing moment from her response was Senator Britt’s graphic story of sex trafficking by cartels at the Mexican border – which she blamed on Biden’s border policies. Here’s the thing: the entire story wasn’t true. [In a moment, we’ll tell you the truth, but before we do, can you chip in $15 so we can stop right-wing propaganda like this from spreading into our communities and online spaces?]( So here are the facts: First, the victim in Britt’s story wasn’t trafficked during the Biden administration. She was kept in captivity during the Bush administration between 2004-2008. Second, the victim was never trafficked in the U.S., as Britt suggested. The events occurred entirely in Mexico. Third, the victim herself said Mexican cartels didn’t kidnap her, but rather a local family that trapped vulnerable girls and forced them into prostitution. Folks, the only truth to come out of all this is that Britt and the RNC believe that spreading lies and fear about the southern border will help Donald defeat Joe Biden this November. This sort of divisive, xenophobic demagoguery is where fascism thrives. It puts our democracy at risk. This whole, ugly episode is an important reminder about why COURIER exists in the first place. We stop right-wing misinformation like this from spreading by calling it out when we see it. The best part is that we publish in the social media newsfeeds and email inboxes where people actually spend their time. [We make our work freely available to anyone who needs it and that takes resources. When supporters like you step up, you’re doing your part to stop the spread of right-wing lies by fueling our ten battleground newsrooms across the country. If you support our mission to fight misinformation, can you pitch in $15?]( Express Donate: If you've stored your info with ActBlue Express, we'll process your contribution instantly: [$5]( [$15]( [$25]( [$50]( Thanks, COURIER --------------------------------------------------------------- Email us: info@couriernewsroom.com [Become a member!]( This message was sent to: {EMAIL}. Email is a critical way we communicate with grassroots supporters like you. However, if you would like to change your subscription preferences, here are some options: [Receive Fewer Emails]( [Update Your Information]( [unsubscribe]( To give by check: Courier Newsroom Box 509 New York, NY 10032