FACT CHECK: No, JAG Did Not Arrest Colorado Supreme Court Justice Richard Gabriel
A post shared on Facebook claims the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps purportedly arrested Colorado Supreme Court Justice Richard Gabriel following the court’s efforts to remove former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 primary ballot.
Verdict: False
The claim is false and stems from a Feb. 28 article published by the satire site “Real Raw News.” A spokesperson for the U.S. Navy JAG Corps denied the claim’s validity in an email to Check Your Fact.
Fact Check:
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that Trump cannot be removed from states’ 2024 primary ballots, according to NBC News. The high court reversed a decision from the Colorado Supreme Court, which sought to bar Trump from its primary ballot on claims of insurrection using Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, the outlet reported.
The post claims the U.S. Navy JAG Corps purportedly arrested Gabriel on Feb. 23 in Denver. The post further claims Gabriel’s arrest follows that of his fellow justices, Monica Marquez and William Hood in December and January, respectively.
The claim is false and stems from a Feb. 28 article published by the satire site “Real Raw News.” A “Disclaimer” included on the site’s “About Us” page indicates its content is not meant to be taken literally. “Information on this website is for informational and educational and entertainment purposes. This website contains humor, parody, and satire. We have included this disclaimer for our protection, on the advice on legal counsel,” the disclaimer reads.
Likewise, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports supporting the claim. In fact, the opposite is true. Lead Stories also labeled the claim as satirical in a Mar. 1 article. Additionally, the claim neither appears on the U.S. Navy JAG Corps website nor its verified social media accounts.
Furthermore, the claim also has not been referenced via the Colorado Judicial Department’s website. (RELATED: No, The U.S. Special Forces Did Not Arrest Colorado Supreme Court Justice William Hood)
Patricia Babb, a spokesperson for the U.S. Navy JAG Corps denied the claim’s validity in an email to Check Your Fact.
“This is not true,” Babb said of the claim.