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U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack hasn’t been arrested, despite posts online claiming otherwise. The rumor appears to have originated in an April 29 story by Real Raw News, a website known for publishing fabricated stories that often include phony military arrests . The article was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook .) The story falsely said that Vilsack was arrested on April 26 by the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps because of his connection with calculated destruction of food processing facilities around the country. PolitiFact previously found no evidence to support claims that said fires at food processing plants were being set intentionally to disrupt the food supply and hasten a food shortage. There also is no evidence that any of the fires have resulted in a food shortage crisis in the U.S. Real Raw News’ About Us page features a disclaimer saying it contains humor, parody and satire, while calls for donations on its article pages claim that the site fights for truth and freedom of the press in an oppressed society. There is no satire or parody disclaimer on the story about Vilsack. There have been no credible reports about Vilsack’s alleged arrest. He had a full schedule on the day he was supposedly taken into custody that included multiple dealings with the press. He has also made several appearances since . A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed to PolitiFact in an email that claims of Vilsack’s arrest are false and highlighted our previous reporting about Real Raw News’ methods and history of fabrications. Patricia Babb, public affairs officer for the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps, also said the claim is false. We rate it Pants on Fire! RELATED: Hangings, guillotines and Gitmo: Going behind Real Raw News’ sensational (and fabricated) headlines
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