Ilhan Omar and the Chamber of "Secret Fundraisers"

See what Snopes.com is debunking today. [Web Version]( 27 March 2019 Daily Debunker Ilhan Omar and the Chamber of "Secret Fundraisers" The Washington Free Beacon has accused U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) of holding "secret fundraisers with groups that have been tied to the support of terrorism." The same report mentions that the events were "closed to the press and hidden from public view." Our staff writer Bethania Palma spent several days examining the evidence and found the claims to be seriously wanting. Omar did attend two fundraisers in February and March of 2019, and neither was open to the news media. However, the two events were not secret, nor were they hosted by groups "tied to terror." A third event, also not secret, was livestreamed by Fox News on 23 March 2019. [Read more]( Fact Checks Un-bee-lievably Outdated Neonicotinoids are a class of insecticides that are associated with declines in bee populations. Over the last several years, the Home Depot home-improvement chain has been transparent about its gradual phase-out of products containing the chemicals. But old images keep receiving shares. [Outdated]( Ring True Readers questioned if this video from ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live had been altered for comedic purposes. The clip shows Pope Francis withdrawing his hand over and over as parishioners attempted to kiss his ring. [True]( A Cuddle-Worthy Pooch? The viral tale of a child contracting a fatal case of heartworm after kissing and sleeping with a dog may set off alarms for parents with both children and pets. However, the facts about Dirofilaria immitis (heartworm) tell a different story. [False]( Support Snopes.com Dear Reader If you ever found an answer on Snopes.com, you understand the valuable service we provide. Consider putting a number to that value and make a direct contribution in support of our work. Thank you. [Contribute Now]( In the News Congress Could Get Mueller Report in April, Graham Says South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham told The Associated Press that he had dinner with U.S. Attorney William Barr, who said he is willing to testify before Graham's committee after he sends the report to Congress. [Read more]( Facebook Extends Ban on Hate Speech to 'White Nationalists' The social network said that it didn't apply the ban previously to expressions of white nationalism because it linked such expressions with broader concepts of nationalism and separatism — such as American pride or Basque separatism (which are still allowed). [Read more]( Olympic Champion Says Interview Comments Open 'Old Wounds' Caster Semenya accused IAAF president Sebastian Coe of opening "old wounds" in an Australian newspaper interview, where he said the two-time, Olympic 800-meter champion and other female athletes with high levels of naturally occurring testosterone were a threat to "the sanctity of fair competition." [Read more]( Dismissal of Smollett Case Brings Backlash, More Questions The dismissal drew a swift backlash from Chicago’s mayor and police chief and raised questions about why television actor Jussie Smollett was not forced to admit what prosecutors had said they could prove in court — that the hate-crime incident perpetrated on him was a publicity stunt. [Read more]( Man Picks Perfect NCAA Tourney Bracket Heading into Sweet 16 The NCAA bracket tracker says the bracket is the only perfect one remaining across all major online bracket games, including Yahoo, ESPN, CBS, Fox, Sports Illustrated and the NCAA's own contest. It's the longest streak of correct bracket picks, breaking the reported record of 39 games from 2017. [Read more]( Staff Pick Our 2018 April Fools' Day Roundup This year's April Fools' Day will most likely be clogged with gags from big websites and personalities. As we approach April 1 in a few days, take a few moments to look back at the pranks we reported this time last year. [Read more]( Snopes Media Group Inc. 864 Grand Ave #256 San Diego, CA 92109 © 1994-2019 by Snopes Media Group Inc. This material may not be reproduced without permission. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes Media Group. [Manage Preferences]( [Unsubscribe](