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Some poor caseworker...

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On Feb 20, 2013, at 8:25 PM, Eric Schwerin <eschwerin@rosemontseneca.com> wrote:

> http://m.nydailynews.com/1.1268667
>
> Mitch McConnell falls for parody news report about Guantanamo Bay prisoners being eligible for GI Bill benefits
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> A fake news story claiming that Guantanamo Bay prisoners can apply for GI Bill benefits found a credulous victim in Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who posed a serious query to the Pentagon about the unbelievable report.
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> Wired reported that McConnell fell for a far-fetched story on The Duffel Blog, a parody news site with fake reports about the military.
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> One sample headline on the faux-news site: “Infantry battalions commanded by females more likely to stop for directions, arrive late.”
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> Another example: “Pope Benedict resignation tied to Paula Broadwell affair.”
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> The October story joked that the Defense Department had approved a “controversial move” letting prisoners apply for Post 9/11 GI bill benefit, in part to “completely crush their souls with bureaucracy.”
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> RELATED: PALIN MOCKS FALSE REPORT SHE’S JOINING AL JAZEERA
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> But when a constituent passed along the fake news report, McConnell’s office didn’t get the joke.
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> Wired obtained a Nov. 14 letter written by Mitch McConnell to Pentagon’s congressional liaison that appeared to take the joke story seriously.
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> “I am writing on behalf of a constituent who has contacted me regarding Guantanamo Bay prisoners receiving Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits,” McConnell’s letter read. “I would appreciate your review and response to my constituent’s concerns.”
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> “The very idea that the U.S. government would extend GI Bill benefits to enemy detainees is a patent absurdity,” says Army Lt. Col. Todd Breasseale, a Pentagon spokesman, told Wired.
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> McConnell spokesman Michael Brumas defended his office’s question about the fake news.
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> “The senator’s office had a request from a constituent asking us to inquire about an issue,” Brumas told the technology news site. “Our office forwarded the constituent’s question to the Defense Department.”
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> klee@nydailynews.com
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>
>
> Eric D. Schwerin
> eschwerin@rosemontseneca.com
>
> Sent from my iPhon