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Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info ### I would like to contribute One Time Monthly Yearly Join Now ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 20, 2023 in a Facebook post: A video proves U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland faces “a lying charge” after giving a fake number to Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., at a hearing. ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"pants- fire\\"](\\" * Facebook Fact-checks * Facebook posts ![\\"Loreben](\\" By Loreben Tuquero September 26, 2023 # A video claims to show Merrick Garland facing a ‘lying charge.’ That’s not true. #### If Your Time is short * The video does not show U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland facing a \"lying charge.\" * Learn more about PolitiFact\'s fact-checking process and rating system. See the sources for this fact-check A Facebook post accusing U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland of facing a \"lying charge\" has its own credibility problems. \"Watch Garland CAN\'T SAVE himself from \'lying\' CHARGE after gives F.AKE number to Kennedy at hearing,\" read the caption of a Sept. 20 Facebook post. ![](\\" (Screengrab from Instagram) This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.) The video featured in the post is nearly two years old; it was clipped from an Oct. 27, 2021, Justice Department oversight hearing. It doesn’t show Garland faced a \"lying charge.\" Two statutes govern perjury when testifying before Congress: U.S. Code 1621 and 1001 of Title 18. #### Featured Fact-check ![](\\" ![](\\" Jeffrey Barke stated on August 23, 2024 in an Instagram post Food and Drug Administration approval for updated COVID-19 vaccines requires a public health emergency declaration. ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") By Jeff Cercone • August 27, 2024 Section 1621 penalizes anyone who commits general perjury or anyone who \"willfully and contrary to such oath states or subscribes any material matter which he does not believe to be true.\" Section 1001 penalizes anyone who \"knowingly and willfully\" makes \"materially false\" statements to Congress, even if unsworn. Garland, the nation’s top prosecutor, has not been charged with violating either statute, or any other crime. He didn’t give a \"fake number,\" either; Kennedy and Garland discussed a controversial memorandum Garland issued Oct. 4, 2021, to address \"the rise in criminal conduct directed toward school personnel.\" Garland didn’t mention a number when Kennedy questioned him. We rate the claim that a video showed Garland facing a \"lying\" charge Pants on Fire! #### Read About Our Process The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter ### Our Sources Facebook post, Sept. 20, 2023 C-SPAN, Department of Justice Oversight Hearing, Oct. 27, 2021 Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, U.S. Code 1001 Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, U.S Code 1621 CNBC, What happens if you lie to Congress, July 7, 2016 CNN, Lying to Congress can put you in jail, even if you’re not under oath, July 24, 2017 The Associated Press, Garland defends school board memo amid Republican criticism, Oct. 27, 2021 Office of the Attorney General, Memorandum for Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation Director, Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division United States Attorneys, Oct. 4, 2021 PolitiFact, Did Merrick Garland \'sic\' police on parents at school board meetings?, May 23, 2022 Nexis Search ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by Loreben Tuquero ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on September 12, 2024 in an Instagram post: Former President Donald Trump admitted during the Sept. 10 presidential debate that he “blew up the Nord Stream pipeline.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Loreben Tuquero • September 13, 2024 ![](\\" black/4590875651af69b2c789ceab409664dd.jpg\\") ![](\\" black/72988380e8c8bd188dc360d11552e4a0.jpg\\") X posts stated on September 11, 2024 in una publicación en X: Kamala Harris “descubierta usando unos zarcillos con audífonos inhalambricos, para que le soplaran las respuestas durante el debate contra Donald Trump”. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Maria Briceño • September 12, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Social Media stated on September 10, 2024 in social media posts: Vice President Kamala Harris wore NOVA H1 audio earrings in the Sept. 10, 2024, presidential debate. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Loreben Tuquero • September 11, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Social Media stated on September 2, 2024 in social media posts: The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is on the way to Aurora, Colorado, to confront a Venezuelan gang. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Loreben Tuquero • September 9, 2024 ![](\\" black/4590875651af69b2c789ceab409664dd.jpg\\") ![](\\" black/72988380e8c8bd188dc360d11552e4a0.jpg\\") X posts stated on September 4, 2024 in an X post: “BREAKING: Apalachee High School shooter has been identified as non-binary trans girl Samantha Hyde.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Loreben Tuquero • September 5, 2024 ![](\\" black/4590875651af69b2c789ceab409664dd.jpg\\") ![](\\" black/72988380e8c8bd188dc360d11552e4a0.jpg\\") X posts stated on September 3, 2024 in a video posted on X: On June 7, 2011, Kamala Harris was involved in a San Francisco hit-and-run crash that injured a woman named Alicia Brown. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Madison Czopek • September 5, 2024 ![](\\" logo-black-01/b6cedac93f6e57c68ecc025e5ec29d57.jpg\\") ![](\\" logo-black-01/438dbf066033f99de07598cbcc77ddcb.jpg\\") Threads posts stated on September 1, 2024 in a Threads post: “Melania Trump just filed for divorce MINUTES ago in Palm Beach.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Loreben Tuquero • September 4, 2024 ![](\\" black/4590875651af69b2c789ceab409664dd.jpg\\") ![](\\" black/72988380e8c8bd188dc360d11552e4a0.jpg\\") X posts stated on August 29, 2024 in X posts: President Joe Biden “did a campaign ad at the graves in Arlington in 2020.” ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Loreben Tuquero • August 30, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 25, 2024 in a Facebook post: Image shows Fox Business graphic titled “Tim Walz’s Communist Agenda.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Loreben Tuquero • August 30, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" JD Vance stated on August 7, 2024 in a campaign event in Eau Claire, Wisconsin: Minnesota Gov. 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A video proves US Attorney General Merrick Garland faces a lying charge after giving a fake number to Sen John Kennedy RLa at a hearing