Fact-checkers and social media users went crazy on Thursday night after Kellyanne Conway mentioned the "Bowling Green massacre" to defend President Trump's controversial travel and immigration ban. Why? Well, the so-called massacre never occurred.
During an interview with MSNBC's Chris Matthews, Conway said that President Obama had implemented a similar ban to Trump's after a 2011 "massacre" in Kentucky. "President Obama had a six-month ban on the Iraqi refugee program after two Iraqis came here to this country, were radicalized, and they were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre, Conway said. "Most people don't know that because it didn't get covered." It didn't get covered because the "massacre" never happened. On Friday morning, Conway sort of corrected the record and said she misspoke. According to a tweet, she meant to say "Bowling Green terrorists" during the interview. However, her description of the 2011 Obama administration policy as a ban was also a mischaracterization, which she didn't correct. Obama never banned Iraqi refugees or other Iraqi travelers from coming to the United States. His administration did slow down the processing for Iraqis seeking Special Immigrant Visas, which are given to translators and interpreters who worked with the U.S. in that country. The slowdown was prompted by the May 2011 arrest of two men in Kentucky charged with plotting to send weapons and money to al-Qaida operatives abroad. Waad Ramadan Alwan and Mohanad Shareef Hammadi were mistakenly admitted to the U.S. as Iraqi refugees in 2009 and resettled in Bowling Green, Kentucky. They are now in prison after pleading guilty. However, they were never accused of plotting to launch attacks inside the U.S.
During an interview with MSNBC's Chris Matthews, Conway said that President Obama had implemented a similar ban to Trump's after a 2011 "massacre" in Kentucky. "President Obama had a six-month ban on the Iraqi refugee program after two Iraqis came here to this country, were radicalized, and they were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre, Conway said. "Most people don't know that because it didn't get covered." It didn't get covered because the "massacre" never happened. On Friday morning, Conway sort of corrected the record and said she misspoke. According to a tweet, she meant to say "Bowling Green terrorists" during the interview. However, her description of the 2011 Obama administration policy as a ban was also a mischaracterization, which she didn't correct. Obama never banned Iraqi refugees or other Iraqi travelers from coming to the United States. His administration did slow down the processing for Iraqis seeking Special Immigrant Visas, which are given to translators and interpreters who worked with the U.S. in that country. The slowdown was prompted by the May 2011 arrest of two men in Kentucky charged with plotting to send weapons and money to al-Qaida operatives abroad. Waad Ramadan Alwan and Mohanad Shareef Hammadi were mistakenly admitted to the U.S. as Iraqi refugees in 2009 and resettled in Bowling Green, Kentucky. They are now in prison after pleading guilty. However, they were never accused of plotting to launch attacks inside the U.S.