claim: morton county sheriff kyle kirchmeier published pro-dakota access pipeline and anti-native american content via twitter.
question: morton county sheriff kyle kirchmeier’s twitter account
origin: in november 2016, the twitter account @kylekirchmeier appeared, purporting to belong to the sheriff of morton county, north dakota (site of the proposed dakota access pipeline and the ensuing protests) and publishing clearly offensive content:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  first of all, the bundy’s are white. secondly, they had guns. you can’t expect unarmed brown people to be treated the same. #thisisamerica https://t.co/9ksuc7tgpt
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  — sheriff kirchmeier (@kylekirchmeier) november 28, 2016
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  nazi concentration camps were inspired by north dakota indian laws and reservation systems. #fact #lookitup #trueleadership https://t.co/alkj2gf2iu
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  — sheriff kirchmeier (@kylekirchmeier) november 29, 2016
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  @y0ssarian11 if indians take their land and resources back, they could pose a serious threat to current american culture and leadership. — sheriff kirchmeier (@kylekirchmeier) december 7, 2016
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  a significant portion of the account’s activity involved engagement with other twitter users, many of whom were not aware the @kylekirchmeier account was illegitimate. however, on 6 december 2016, the official @mortoncountysd confirmed that the account is phony:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “the twitter account @kylekirchmeier is fake. we are working to get it taken down.” the blue checkmark is a sign that this is the true acct. — mortoncountysheriff (@mortoncountysd) december 7, 2016
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  in the tweet, the morton county sheriff’s department indicated it was not aware who was behind the parody @kylekirchmeier account. however, the department said that it was working with twitter to remove the parody account.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  we have big plans. we need your help.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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comment: a parody twitter account attributed to morton county sheriff kyle kirchmeier contained a number of satirical (and outrageous) tweets about the dakota access pipeline protests.
summary: in november 2016, the twitter account @kylekirchmeier appeared, purporting to belong to the sheriff of morton county, north dakota. a significant portion of the account’s activity involved engagement with other twitter users, many of whom were not aware the parody account was illegitimate. the official @mortoncountysd confirmed on 6 december 2016 that theaccount is fake and is working with twitter to remove it.