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Biden & Border Wall, 'Star Wars' Fighter Replica and Brushing Scams

Biden & Border Wall, 'Star Wars' Fighter Replica and Brushing Scams

Plus: Snopes Fact-Checked These Real — and Fake — Images in 2024

Izz LaMagdeleine
December 19, 2024

THURSDAY EDITION

Snopes Debunker

A large white building is shown from a distance. It appears to be around sunset.

Musk Falsely Claimed Spending Bill Included 40% Salary Increase for Congress. Here's the Real Number

In December, the budget bill came knocking again. As the deadline loomed, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson met with members of his party as well as Democratic lawmakers to craft the massive bill, sometimes called an omnibus bill, to keep the government running for a few more months.

According to some social media users, including Elon Musk, the bipartisan spending bill contained a provision to raise salaries for members of Congress by 40%. That was not true. In reality, the proposed salary increase was much lower. Snopes reporter Jack Izzo found the details, including the correct figure.

A X post says, "It is inconceivable that the federal government has no answers nor has taken any action to get to the bottom of the unidentified drones. The fecklessness of this administration was on display last year when a Chinese surveillance balloon was allowed to fly over the entire..." Attached to the post is an image that claims to show a crashed drone in Orange Beach retrieved from water and taken to unidentified location for further investigation.

State Senator Illustrated Post About 'Unidentified Drones' with Pic of 'Star Wars' Fighter Replica

One X user posted of Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano's post, "We've really lost our minds with this drone hysteria."

A person sits in a chair on the left side of an image, facing a large door with gold panels. A crowd sits to the side.

Pope Francis Isn't Opening '5 Sacred Portals' on Christmas Eve for Never-Before-Performed Ritual

The claim refers to a Roman Catholic tradition known as the Jubilee, or "Holy Year."

A white man sits in a car wearing sunglasses. At the bottom of the image, white text says, "a New York CEO is suing his employees."

Story of Employees Pooping in NY CEO's Lamborghini and Resigning Is Satire

Social media influencer Robby Witt shares what he calls "sixty second sitcoms" containing "fictional stories and satire."

A person scans a QR code on their phone from a piece of paper.

Warnings About Malicious QR Codes in Brushing Scams Exaggerate Danger

The claims involve codes that accompany unsolicited package deliveries.

Staff Pick

A collection of images are shown underneath a large white sign that says "2024."

Snopes Fact-Checked These Real — and Fake — Images in 2024

Learn how to decipher for yourself whether an image is genuine.