Fail! WaPost writer tricked by Twitter

Washington Post journalist Jonathan Capehart was apparently tricked into writing a political story based on the incessant ramblings of a fake Twitter account.

According to the Huffington Post, the phony Twitter personality has been identified as @RepJackKimble – an imaginary Republican congressman from California’s non-existent 54th district.

“Why have the wars cost so much under Obama? Check the budgets, Bush fought 2 wars without costing taxpayers a dime,” @RepJackKimble’s tweet alleged.

Unsurprisingly, Capehart labeled Kimble’s tweet a “stunning bit of fiscal ignorance” before posting the following correction:

“CLARIFICATION, 1:22 a.m.: The Twitterer RepJackKimble cited below is not a real member of Congress. The budget deficits are real deficits…Yes, I got bamboozled by @repjackkimble but the point remains.”

Meanwhile, Kimble responded to Capehart’s faux pas by gloating and tweeting: 

”Washington Post unjustly attacks Congressman Kimble on war costs. Real journalists can read a budget.”

It should be noted that the WaPost recently suspended a sports columnist for participating in yet another Twitter hoax.