Denver mayor used auto-delete messaging platform to have secret talks about migrant crisis



Democratic Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and his team used Signal, a messaging application with an auto-delete feature, to have secret communications about the sanctuary city's immigration crisis.

KCNC-TV revealed the scandal in a Thursday report, explaining that the mayor and 14 of his senior advisers, appointees, and lawyers created a "Strike Force" group on the application to have sensitive discussions that would otherwise have been accessible to the public through open records requests. Instead, the end-to-end encryption software and its auto-delete feature concealed their communications.

'Giving the impression that we are doing something we don't want the public to see.'

Joshua Posner, the mayor's director of strategic initiatives, sent a text message on January 15 to several administration members instructing them to move their conversations about immigration to Signal, KCNC reported.

Posner wrote, "We are going to use Signal to communicate with Strike Force so that communication remains encrypted and secure (and messages auto delete.)"

He proceeded to explain to the mayor's team how to download the application to their phones.

Steven Zansberg, a Denver attorney, told KCNC that the actions of the mayor and his administration were "unlawful."

"It deprives us of the rights we have as Coloradans to observe the conduct of public business," he stated, noting that three years is the "standard records retention requirement."

"It seems like a pretty plain, straightforward, deliberate effort to evade transparency," Zansberg concluded.

Jeff Roberts, director of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition, also argued that the move undermined that state's open records law.

"This is not transparent," Roberts told the news outlet. "They are giving the impression that we are doing something we don't want the public to see. The city is saying at the get-go, 'These are records the public should never see.'"

When confronted about the messaging scandal, Johnston's office blamed President Donald Trump's administration.

Jordan Fuja, a spokesperson for the mayor, told KCNC, "When President Trump took office in January, it was clear that there would be rapidly developing changes to the way the federal government interacts with cities that could have significant impacts on how Denver operates. The particular group was started in January for internal staff to easily keep track of and share information regarding federal actions that impact Denver under the new administration."

Fuja argued, "The City retention schedule does not obligate city employees to retain electronic mail messages."

KCNC reported that the city confirmed Signal messages were set to auto-delete from January 15 to January 29, after which the feature was disabled.

The decision to move the communication to Signal came just weeks after America First Legal requested that Johnston's administration turn over communications related to immigration issues.

AFL demanded "all records, including communications, calendar entries, and documents mentioning or belonging to Mike Johnston, Mayor since November 1, 2024."

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Illegal aliens bust out of Colorado detention center — local authorities 'declined to assist' manhunt: ICE



Two illegal aliens busted out of a Colorado detention center on Tuesday, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The escape was reportedly the result of a power outage at the facility that caused the back doors to unlock.

Joel Jose Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 32, and Geilond Vido-Romero, 24, reportedly fled from the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora sometime after 2 p.m. on Tuesday — the last facility-wide headcount at which they were confirmed present.

'If they were being held on criminal detainers, we would be able to get involved and start a fugitive roundup.'

Aurora City Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky told KDVR that the ICE detention center experienced a power outage at about 9:30 p.m., causing a door leading out to the soccer facility to unlock.

When ICE agents conducted an emergency count at midnight, they soon realized that Gonzalez-Gonzalez and Vido-Romero had apparently broken out.

ICE released a statement about the incident, claiming that local authorities had refused to help the federal agency with its ongoing manhunt.

"Two detainees escaped March 18 from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Denver Contract Detention Facility, in Aurora, Colorado. Local authorities were notified immediately and declined to assist with the search. ICE also notified additional state and federal law enforcement partners," an ICE spokesperson said.///

The agency stated that Gonzalez-Gonzalez entered the U.S. in February 2013 through the El Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso, Texas, but he violated his admission conditions. ICE issued a detainer request after his detention in Adams County Jail in Brighton on local charges. On February 12, ICE arrested Gonzalez-Gonzalez and held him at the Aurora detention facility pending immigration proceedings.

Vido-Romero reportedly entered the U.S. near El Paso, Texas, in December 2023. ICE issued a detainer after his detention in Douglas County Jail in Castle Rock on local charges. An immigration judge previously ordered his return to Venezuela. ICE held him at the detention center pending his deportation.

According to the Aurora Police Department, it was not notified until roughly 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday about the men's escape.

"We received late notification about the incident, and upon response, learned the event occurred several hours prior," the department told KDVR. "The Aurora Police Department is available to assist our federal partners with active public safety emergencies. As a municipal law enforcement agency, we do not enforce federal immigration law and cannot participate in large-scale searches or follow-ups."

Aurora Police Public Information Officer Joe Moylan told Fox News Digital that Aurora police are willing to "assist with the apprehension" if the escapees are still in the city.

"This was a cold event from the time we were notified about it," Moylan stated. "We are working with our federal partners to determine if the escapees have any connection to the city of Aurora. When the time comes that warrants are active and information is confirmed that these men are in Aurora, we will assist with the apprehension."

The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation stated that they were not notified about the escaped detainees. The Adams County Sheriff's Office said that it did not receive a request to assist ICE.

The Colorado governor's office told KDVR, "The State was asked to issue a 'be on the lookout' (BOLO) notice to law enforcement and sent out the standard notice. ICE has not asked for any additional assistance from the State. We continue to urge ICE to be transparent with the State and the public about this incident as it develops including whether any escapees are a danger to the public."

Jurinsky told the news outlet that she took "great offense" to ICE's claims that Aurora officials refused to help with the manhunt.

"To the people of Aurora, there is a state law here that supersedes the jurisdiction of the Aurora Police Department, ICE knows that," Jurinsky stated. "It's not a fair statement to say that we refused to get involved. This is completely on ICE."

"We've taken great pride in the strides that we have made to getting back to fighting crime in this city, and that starts with the police chief that we hired, Todd Chamberlain," she added.

Jurinsky noted that ICE has not made it clear whether the two illegal aliens are being held on civil or criminal detainers.

"From what I understand, they are not being held on criminal detainers," she said. "If they were being held on criminal detainers, we would be able to get involved and start a fugitive roundup."

Blaze News contacted ICE for a response to Jurinsky's and local authorities' claims; however, the agency did not reply to any specific questions, providing only the same previously issued statement.

"The aliens are still at large and the search is ongoing," ICE stated.

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Sanctuary mayors face DOJ criminal referral for allegedly harboring illegal aliens



Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) announced Wednesday her plans to refer several sanctuary city mayors to the Department of Justice for a criminal investigation, accusing them of harboring illegal aliens.

Luna shared the announcement during the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s hearing with Democratic Mayors Michelle Wu of Boston, Brandon Johnson of Chicago, Mike Johnston of Denver, and Eric Adams of New York City. The hearing was held as part of the committee’s investigation into the impact of sanctuary city policies.

'I just referred the sanctuary city mayors to the Department of Justice for CRIMINAL investigations.'

She opened her remarks by questioning Wu, Johnson, and Johnston about their cities’ sanctuary policies. She did not pose any questions to Adams, who has agreed to work with President Donald Trump, border czar Tom Homan, and the rest of the administration to address New York City’s illegal immigration crisis.

“After this line of questioning, it’s very clear that these policies, that you will have all implicated are active and alive and well in your cities, are in direct violation with U.S. Title 8 code, subsection 1324, and is a federal offense,” Luna told the mayors.

“But you all speak about a broken immigration system, and yet here you guys are aiding and abetting in that entire process,” she continued. “I want to be very clear about something: Open border policies, which is something that you guys are talking about, hurts people on both sides, meaning the people that are coming here illegally and then American citizens as well.”

Luna stated that she does not believe the Democratic mayors “are bad people” but instead that they are “ideologically misled.”

“Unfortunately, based on your responses, I’m ... going to be criminally referring you to the Department of Justice for investigation, and as soon as I leave here, these will be going over to Pam Bondi,” Luna declared, as she held up three apparent DOJ referrals, potentially indicating she may have excluded Adams from the scrutiny.

Several media reports stated that Luna referred all four sanctuary mayors; however, it remains unclear from her direct statements whether Adams was included.

Luna noted that the referrals were not intended to “bully” the mayors.

“But I do believe that your policies are hurting the American people, and you can make that known with the evidence that you could present to the Department of Justice. But if you guys continue doing what you’re doing, you’re not going to help anyone. You’re going to hurt more people, and that’s exactly why I’m tired of it. The American people are tired of it,” she concluded.

Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) used the remainder of Luna’s yielded time to question Adams about the financial impact the influx of illegal aliens has had on New York City.

Adams explained that city taxpayers have shelled out roughly $6.9 billion in response to the immigration crisis.

“The long-term impact of that is extremely significant,” Adams replied.

After the hearing, Luna wrote in a post on X, “I just referred the sanctuary city mayors to the Department of Justice for CRIMINAL investigations based on evidence from their own comments and policies, proving that they were breaking federal law.”

“Open borders ideologies hurt people on both sides. If you hold federal office and are breaking the law, you’ll be criminally investigated by the DOJ,” she added.

The DOJ and the mayors' offices did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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Jordan slams sanctuary mayor for Venezuelan gang member's alleged attack on ICE agents



Representative Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) grilled Denver Mayor Mike Johnston (D) on Wednesday over the city's refusal to comply with federal immigration officials' detainer requests.

During a congressional oversight hearing on sanctuary policies, Jordan blasted the mayor for a preventable violent clash, allegedly between a gang member and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

'An officer got assaulted because of your policy.'

New York Mayor Eric Adams (D), Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D), and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu (D) were also in the hot seat on Wednesday.

Jordan opened his comments by asking Johnston about Abraham Gonzalez, an alleged Venezuelan gang member who was released from jail on Friday.

The congressman explained that Gonzalez was charged with aggravated assault, motor vehicle theft, and felony menacing. Despite ICE's detainer request, Gonzalez was released back onto Denver streets.

ICE had requested a 48-hour notice of Gonzalez's release. However, according to Jordan, Denver law enforcement officials provided the federal immigration agency with a one-hour notice.

Johnston argued that, in this instance and 1,200 others, Denver cooperated with ICE's detainer requests by notifying the agency about the planned release. Yet, he did not deny Jordan's claim that ICE was given only one-hour notice.

"We notified them of release. There was six ICE agents present when he was released, so they had enough time to respond and to be present," Johnston stated.

Jordan explained that the alleged gang member was not turned over to ICE inside of the jail. Instead, he was released out onto the streets outside of the prison, where several ICE agents were waiting to arrest him in the parking lot.

"Guess what happened in the parking lot?" Jordan asked. "One of the ICE officers got assaulted, didn't he? They had to tase the guy, didn't they?"

Jordan further noted that only two ICE officers would have been necessary to turn the individual over to federal custody if the transfer had been completed inside the safety of the jail.

"Do you know why you don't do it that way?" Jordan asked Johnston. "Because you're a sanctuary city."

Johnston continued to deny that Denver shields illegal aliens from law enforcement officials. The mayor claimed that since the altercation, he has contacted ICE to "coordinate on strategies" for release.

"An officer got assaulted because of your policy," Jordan remarked.

John Fabbricatore, a retired ICE field office director, responded to Johnston's comments in a post on X, stating that the mayor "does not care about the safety of citizens."

"He cares about illegal aliens and gang members more. American citizens should come first," he added.

On Tuesday, Fabbricatore spoke before the oversight committee's subcommittee Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation. During the hearing, he detailed how Colorado's sanctuary policies "limit cooperation" with ICE, including restrictions on the department of motor vehicles and state labor records.

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'Drop the gun! I will f**king kill you!' Bodycam video shows cop shooting fleeing teen suspected of attempted murder



Denver Police bodycam video shows an officer shooting a fleeing teen suspected of attempted murder, the Denver Post reported.

Police on Monday released the bodycam video from last week's encounter in Paco Sánchez Park, the Post said, adding that the teen was shot at least once in the leg.

A second teen seen running in the video was arrested on suspicion of weapons charges. The paper, citing police, said the second teen 'was carrying a Glock with an extended magazine and auto sear, which modifies it into an automatic weapon.'

Officers responded to a pair of ShotSpotter reports from the 1300 block of Lowell Boulevard around 10:40 p.m. Feb. 24 and located three shell casings in the area, the paper said, citing Denver Police Department Cmdr. Matt Clark.

More from the Post:

A resident who called 911 about the gunshots reported seeing a group of people on scooters and bikes fleeing on Lowell, and officers later found a group of four juvenile males on scooters near West 13th Avenue and Knox Court and followed them into the park, Clark said.

One officer recognized one of the teens as a suspect in a shooting in southwest Denver in early February where someone shot into a home while people were inside.

The officer saw the 17-year-old holding a gun in his right hand and ordered him to drop it. The officer then saw him “turn his shoulder toward him” and began shooting at the teen, Clark said.

The bodycam video in question shows the teen running away and the officer yelling at him to “drop the f**king gun, I will shoot you!” before the officer opens fire a total of 10 times.

Image source: Denver Police bodycam video screenshot

Video shows police soon catching up to the teen — whose face is redacted in the video — lying on the ground with a pool of blood visible on a walkway.

“Drop the gun! Drop the gun! I will f**king kill you! I will f**king kill you!" the officer hollers as he approaches the suspect.

“I don’t have a gun, sir!” the teen replies in an agitated tone. “You guys shot me for nothing!"

Image source: Denver Police bodycam video screenshot

Officers applied a tourniquet to the teen’s leg, and he was taken to a hospital where he was still being treated Monday; he's expected to recover, the Post reported, citing Clark.

Investigators found a Glock along the park path with one round in the chamber as well as a magazine elsewhere in the park, the paper said.

The wounded teen is in custody on suspicion of attempted murder in the early February shooting, the Post reported, adding that a second teen seen running in the video was arrested on suspicion of weapons charges. The paper, citing police, said the second teen "was carrying a Glock with an extended magazine and auto sear, which modifies it into an automatic weapon."

Police Chief Ron Thomas said during the news briefing that he was comfortable with the officer’s actions because “he perceived a significant threat to our community” and responded appropriately, the Post added.

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Border Czar Tom Homan Says Venezuelan Gang Members Were Tipped Off Ahead of Aurora Deportation Raids

White House border czar Tom Homan said Thursday he would deal with leakers believed to have tipped off Venezuelan gang members ahead of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Denver and neighboring Aurora.

The post Border Czar Tom Homan Says Venezuelan Gang Members Were Tipped Off Ahead of Aurora Deportation Raids appeared first on .

Trump’s Education Department Probes Blue State School For Turning Girls’ Bathroom Into ‘All-Gender’ Space

'Appears to directly violate the civil rights'

Democratic mayors called to testify as House committee launches investigation into sanctuary cities



The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee announced Monday that it is launching an investigation into sanctuary jurisdictions and their impact on public safety and federal immigration enforcement.

Sanctuary policies prohibit local officials from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

'Misguided and obstructionist policies.'

A press release from Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) explained that the committee sent letters to mayors of several sanctuary cities: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu (D), Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D), Denver Mayor Mike Johnston (D), and New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D).

The mayors were requested to turn over “documents and communications related to their cities’ sanctuary policies” and asked to testify before the committee during a hearing scheduled for February 11.

The committee’s press release noted that there are roughly “12 states and hundreds of cities and counties with sanctuary laws or policies across the country” that are “shielding removable aliens, especially criminals, from federal law enforcement.” It stated that the cities’ leaders “refuse to fully cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.”

In the letters to the mayors, the committee explained that it decided to specifically investigate those four sanctuary cities because they “stand out in their abject failure to comply with federal law,” adding that the cities’ citizens have “suffered” as a result.

“Sanctuary jurisdictions and their misguided and obstructionist policies hinder the ability of federal law enforcement officers to effectuate safe arrests and remove dangerous criminals from American communities, making Americans less safe,” Comer stated.

“On the first day of his second term, President Donald Trump took decisive actions to restore the rule of law with respect to immigration enforcement,” he continued. “In addition to the efforts of the Trump Administration to ensure federal immigration enforcement can proceed unimpeded, Congress must determine whether further legislation is necessary to enhance border security and public safety. It is imperative that federal immigration law is enforced and that criminal aliens are swiftly removed from our communities.”

A spokesperson for Wu’s office released a statement in response to the House committee’s letter.

“We are proud that Boston is the safest major city in the United States. We have received the letter and are reviewing it,” the statement read.

Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn told WCVB, “When someone commits a crime, regardless of immigration status, we can’t stand in the way of justice for a survivor of crime or respect for the rule of law and society.”

“A respectful and cooperative working relationship between Boston Police and federal authorities, including ICE, is critical. We can’t play politics with the security and safety of residents,” Flynn added.

A spokesperson for Adams’ office told Fox News Digital, “Mayor Adams has made clear that New York City is committed to working with our federal partners to fix our broken immigration system and focus on the small number of people who are entering our localities and committing violent crimes.”

“We will review the letter and respond accordingly,” the spokesperson said.

A representative for Denver Mayor Johnston said Monday night, “The most helpful thing congressional Republicans could do right now is fix our broken immigration system. While they work on that, we will focus on running the cities that manage the consequences of their failure to act.”

Chicago Mayor Johnson’s office did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Last week, acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove issued a three-page memo signaling a crackdown on sanctuary cities. The correspondence directed the Department of Justice’s prosecutors to open investigations into state and local leaders who obstruct the Trump administration’s deportation plans.

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Denver Mayor Johnston reverses sanctuary stance, agrees to work with ICE amid pressure from Trump's DOJ



Denver Mayor Mike Johnston (D), who previously vowed to stop President Donald Trump's deportation efforts, appears to have backed down from his sanctuary stance amid pressure from the Department of Justice.

During a Wednesday interview with KDVR, Johnston stated that Denver would cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in certain circumstances.

'If we have someone in custody that ICE is looking for they could reach out to us and we can release them.'

In the case of illegal aliens who have committed additional crimes in the United States, Johnston said Denver would notify ICE about their scheduled release.

Yet Johnston also claimed that Denver's hands are tied by sanctuary state law.

"The whole state is bound by our state law in this, which is pretty consistent in some of these practices like everywhere in the state, we don't honor ICE detainers," Johnston told KDVR. "If ICE calls and says, 'Will you hold someone for three more days?' That doesn't happen in Douglas County or Yuma or in Denver. A lot of these practices are similar statewide, but we think ours finds a common-sense balance of making sure we're not having our local police doing federal law enforcement, that's not our job, we're not going to do ICE's job for them. But, if they call for information on folks we have in custody, we'll let them know when we're releasing them."

ICE's detainers request local jails hold criminal illegal aliens up to 48 hours after their scheduled release — not three days, as Johnston indicated.

"We think our values are not going to change. We think we want to be both a welcoming city, and a city that serves all of our residents," Johnston continued. "We're not going to be bullied or blackmailed into changing our policies but we think our policies serve everyone well right now."

He stated that local law enforcement officials do not request immigration status when pulling over a vehicle for a traffic infraction but noted that "if we have someone in custody that ICE is looking for they could reach out to us and we can release them to them when they get released from our jails."

Johnston's Wednesday comments appear to be a departure from his statements in November to the Denverite. At that time, the mayor implied that he would use local law enforcement officers to create a blockade against Trump's federal immigration agents.

"More than us having DPD [Denver Police Department] stationed at the county line to keep them out, you would have 50,000 Denverites there," he stated. "It's like the Tiananmen Square moment with the rose and the gun, right? You'd have every one of those Highland moms who came out for the migrants. And you do not want to mess with them."

In a subsequent interview, Johnston attempted to walk back the statements, claiming he had "no plan" to deploy police officers on the county line. He also noted that he planned to join Denver residents protesting Trump's deportations.

"If I think things are happening that are illegal or immoral or un-American in our city, I would certainly protest it, and I would expect other residents would do the same," Johnston said.

He added that he was "not afraid" of facing jail time to protect illegal aliens. However, Johnston also stated that those who commit "serious crimes like murder or rape ... should be prosecuted" and deported.

Johnston's newly declared commitment to assist ICE — at least in some cases — follows a report that Trump's DOJ has instructed its prosecutors to investigate state and local leaders who obstruct the federal government's deportation efforts.

A Tuesday memo from acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove read, "Federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting, obstructing, and otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands and requests."

"The U.S. Attorney's Offices and litigating components of the Department of Justice shall investigate incidents involving any such misconduct for potential prosecution, including for obstructing federal functions," he wrote.

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Aurora mayor accuses Denver of covert migrant relocation scheme causing gang surge: 'Tell the truth'



Mike Coffman (R), the mayor of Aurora, Colorado, accused Denver Mayor Mike Johnston (D) of facilitating a covert migrant relocation scheme that led to a severe increase in gang activity in Aurora.

In a Monday op-ed for the Denver Gazette, Coffman blamed Johnston for the ongoing immigration and gang crisis, claiming he partnered with two non-governmental organizations to move foreign nationals from Denver, a sanctuary city, to other neighboring towns.

'Coffman's weak leadership allowed this to happen.'

Coffman, who has come under fire for his role in allowing illegal aliens to settle in Aurora, defended his decision in November to grant Johnston permission to use a Quality Inn hotel to house "busloads of migrants that were overwhelming Denver."

"I initially said yes, but it soon became apparent that beyond giving the newly arrived migrants a 30-day hotel voucher, he had no plan for them other than leaving them homeless in Aurora," Coffman wrote.

He claimed that he demanded that Johnston pick up the migrants and transport them back to Denver.

"He did, and from that point forward, I turned down his requests for further assistance," Coffman said.

He declared Johnston "talks incessantly in political sound bites."

Coffman cited in his article a City Journal report that indicated Johnston had drafted contracts with NGOs to house migrants in and around the sanctuary city.

Specifically, the report claimed that one of the organizations partnered with CBZ Management, a property management company, to move migrants to three of its Aurora apartment complexes: the Edge of Lowry, Whispering Pines, and Fitzsimons Place, which is also known as Aspen Grove.

CBZ Management and its apartment complexes were thrown into the center of the national immigration debate after a former resident at the Edge of Lowry released footage of a group of armed men storming through the complex.

One of the men in the video, who was later arrested, reportedly admitted to law enforcement that he was a member of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which has spread to more than a dozen states in the country.

CBZ Management has blamed the city for allowing the gang to take over its apartment buildings.

"After reading the article, I confronted Johnston about whether this was true. He affirmed that Denver had contracts with nonprofits that 'have' placed migrants from Denver to Aurora but he refused to confirm a number, where they were housed, or what resources they were given," Coffman wrote.

He explained that an open records request revealed that Denver's contracts with the nonprofits allowed them to place migrants "in Denver or in the surrounding communities." He claimed such wording allowed the NGOs to put the migrants in Aurora without notifying city leaders.

"It gives Johnston cover, should it become public, by allowing him to say that it wasn't his decision to put them in Aurora; it was the nonprofits who made the decision," Coffman stated.

He concluded, "Aurora has suffered from a national embarrassment that has harmed the image of our city in a way that could have lasting economic consequences. As the mayor of Aurora, I'm asking that Mayor Mike Johnston be transparent and tell the truth about what he did."

Johnston's office told Fox News Digital, "Denver did not direct any nonprofit or agency to place newcomers in Aurora."

"We also have no documentation nor knowledge to suggest that any city funds were put toward rental support at CBZ properties. Any suggestion otherwise is untrue," the spokesperson continued. "Denver is proud to have supported nearly 43,000 people from the southern border, many of whom arrived on buses chartered by the governor of Texas despite having had no intentions of making Denver or Colorado their home."

John Fabbricatore, a retired ICE Denver Field Office director, claimed that Coffman's op-ed was an attempt to "cover his tracks."

"He had known about this for a while and knew that Denver had been moving Venezuelans into Aurora. Coffman's weak leadership allowed this to happen. He also learned through APD [Aurora Police Department] that Tren De Aragua had moved into North Aurora in December of 2023. He knew all of this, yet he lied about it to the media," Fabbricatore wrote in a post on X.

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