A conspiracy theory has been floating around the internet that FBI special agent Aaron Rouse, who heads the Las Vegas division of the FBI, is John Podesta’s son-in-law.
Verdict: False
The FBI agent overseeing the Las Vegas shooting investigation has no relationship to the Podesta family.
Fact Check:
Users on Twitter, Reddit, 4chan and elsewhere allege that Rouse is a Democratic Party plant covering up the role ISIS, Antifa and others played in the Las Vegas shooting massacre. His supposed connection to Podesta, a long-time advisor to the Clintons, is considered evidence of a conspiracy.
“#FBI agent #AaronRouse in #Vegas is son in law of #JohnPodesta #WereNotStupid #vegascoverup”
“#FBI agent #AaronRouse in #Vegas is son in law of #JohnPodesta America is stupid… We need to prosecute these clowns”
“Was #AaronRouse appointed by LIAR #Comey as a plant to get even with Trump? A long planned set up in place?”
The conspiracy theory appears to have started out as a case of mistaken identity – Podesta has a daughter named Megan Rouse, so people assumed the FBI agent was Podesta’s son-in-law.
His real son-in-law, however, is Gordon Rouse. The Daily Caller News Foundation found plenty of WikiLeaks emails linking Gordon to the Podesta family and reached out to him. Gordon confirmed to TheDCNF that he’s married to Podesta’s daughter and in no way related to the FBI agent.
A colleague associated with Podesta also confirmed to TheDCNF that the FBI agent is not related to Podesta, nor has Podesta ever met him. We rate the claim as false.
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