A Jan. 8 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) features a picture of Rep. Adam Schiff, claiming the California Democrat used taxpayer dollars for a sexual harassment settlement with a 19-year-old male in 2013.
"BREAKING: Congressional Sources Confirm Representative Adam Schiff Used Taxpayer Money To Settle A Sexual Harassment Claim With A 19 Year Old Boy Back In 2013," reads text within the post.
The post garnered more than 500 likes in two days. Similar versions of the claim have been shared on Instagram.
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There is no evidence to support this claim, which has circulated since 2018. It has been repeatedly shared alongside a fabricated article about the supposed settlement and a 2017 CNN article about money Congress paid out in legal settlements, which doesn't mention Schiff.
The screenshot labels the Schiff claim as "breaking," but identically worded claims have been circulating since 2018. At no point in that span has anyone provided evidence supporting the claim.
The claim was shared then on Twitter, alongside a 2017 CNN article about funds paid to settle cases involving members of Congress and their staff.
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