Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent his Twitter feed to a low over the weekend when he was duped by a satirical website into literally sharing fake news about country music icon Garth Brooks.
Abbott linked to a story about Brooks from a satirical website called The Dunning-Kruger Times. If the name alone is not a giveaway, the site states directly that it’s part of a “network of parody, satire and silliness,” adding, “If you think it’s real, you should have your head examined.”
The story Abbott told says Brooks was booed off the stage at the 123rd Annual Texas Country Jamboree in Hambriston, Texas.
But the jamboree isn’t an actual event, and Hambriston isn’t an actual place — details that didn’t seem to ring alarm bells with the state governor when he tweeted the story.
“Get awake. “Go broke,” he tweeted. “Well done Texas.”
For the record, Texas loves Brooks just as much as anywhere else: He sold out at the 72,000-seat NRG Stadium in Houston and the 80,000-seat AT&T Stadium in Arlington when his tour reached the Lone Star State last year.
Abbott turned off He released the tweet but did not apologize to his constituents or Brooks for sharing the false report. And while the tweet itself has disappeared, it has been preserved online by a number of people, including Rep. Greg Casar (D-Tex.):
Journalist Christopher Hooks also shared a screenshot of the tweet, and then added an excerpt of the story the governor fell for:
The Twitter account of the story’s “author,” Flagg Eagleton, is enjoying himself at Abbott’s expense, he notes he is the official at the highest level Falling in love with one of his previous stories and “calling” it one of hisfinest work.”
He also tweeted in response to a Daily Beast report:
Brooks hasn’t been overtly political for most of his career, but he did offer some words of wisdom in a 2020 interview with the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
“My message forever is tolerance” he told the newspaper. “And don’t choose the party, choose the person.”
Earlier this month he was a bit more explicit when discussing the opening of his new bar in Nashville. While conservatives are boycotting Bud Light for its partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Brooks said he would serve “any brand” of beer.
“I want it to be a place where you feel safe. I want it to be a place where you feel that manners rule and people like each other.” Brooks told Billboard. “Our thing is this: if you [are let] Come into this house, love one another. If you’re an A-hole, there are plenty of other places down Broadway.”
In a live stream on his Facebook page, he added that he supports diversity and inclusivity.
“It’s me,” he said. “It’s always been me.”
Twitter users slammed Abbott for sharing the wrong report about Brooks: