Trump Lawyer Jenna Ellis Defends Truth Using Fake Teddy Roosevelt Quote
A top legal adviser to President Donald Trump’s campaign is attempting to defend truth and honesty ― by using a quote falsely attributed to President Teddy Roosevelt.
Jenna Ellis posted a photo on Twitter Tuesday night of the 26th president with this quote:
“To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.”
— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) November 25, 2020
The problem is there is no evidence Roosevelt ever said that, according to Reuters.
A Snopes story from 2016 said the misattributed quote dates back to at least 2004, and possibly to 1999.
After she was called out for using a fake quote for a tweet defending truth and honesty, Ellis defended herself using “truthiness,” that term coined by Stephen Colbert to explain things that may not be true, but feel that way.
For people asking, this quotation has been attributed to Roosevelt, but there isn’t a specific record of him saying this in a speech. I posted it because the ifea itself is true, whether or not he said it! :)
— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) November 25, 2020
Twitter users pointed out the flaws in her argument.
This quotation is a lie, so ... I guess it makes you angry?
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) November 25, 2020
No-you posted a meme with his image attributing the quote TO HIM with no disclaimer to that effect. HOW ARE YOU A LAWYER?!
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) November 25, 2020
Seems like you're angry people told you the truth.
— luke oneil (@lukeoneil47) November 25, 2020
So updating this to be more accurate pic.twitter.com/hqK1eY4285
— Don "Big Chooch" Moynihan (@donmoyn) November 25, 2020
10 hours later: "I meant to do that. The huge photo and attribution to TR? Just felt like it. Had nothing to do with the quote. Just like the ifea." https://t.co/86R1k1R8si
— Jennifer M. Wood (@j_m_wood) November 25, 2020
In the spirit of Ellis’ post, many Twitter users made up their own quotes and falsely...