Herschel Walker Mocked Over False Claim He Was FBI Agent: ‘Humiliating Lie’
Herschel Walker #HerschelWalker
Georgia Republican U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker has been widely panned following a report that he falsely claimed to be a police officer and an FBI agent.
Walker claimed in 2017 that he was with the Cobb County Police Department in Georgia, but the department has now told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution it has no record of him working there
His campaign said he was an “honorary deputy,” but the police department could not confirm this. Walker also falsely claimed to have been an FBI agent in 2019 despite not being an agent, though he participated in a week’s training at the FBI’s school in Quantico, Virginia.
The former football star reportedly told an audience in 2019: “I spent time at Quantico at the FBI training school. Y’all didn’t know I was an agent?”
Social media users slammed Walker, with many accusing him of being a liar. Walker is running in the Senate race against incumbent Senator Raphael Warnock, a Democrat.
Occupy Democrats, a group that supports progressive Democrats, tweeted that Walker “must suspend his campaign after he was caught in a humiliating lie as it was exposed that he falsely claimed to have worked as a police officer and even an FBI agent.”
“Herschel Walker is the first person I’ve seen who actually lies more often than Donald Trump. Makes sense that they love each other so much,” tweeted Matthew Sheffield, founder of media platform Flux and who describes himself as “post-conservative.”
Walker was endorsed by former President Donald Trump in the Georgia Republican Senate primary and some Twitter users highlighted that connection.
Bakari Sellers, former member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, shared The Atlanta-Journal Constitution’s story and tweeted: “He may literally be the only person who lies more than Trump.”
Comedian Steve Hoffstetter wrote: “Herschel Walker, after falsely claiming to have been an FBI agent, said ‘Y’all didn’t know I was an agent?’ No, we didn’t. Because you were never an FBI agent.”
“Herschel Walker lies so often I’m starting to wonder if he ever played football,” Hofstetter added.
Anthony Michael Kreis, a law professor and political science at Georgia State University, tweeted: “At this rate, it appears that the only title Herschel Walker has failed to falsely claim for himself is Miss Georgia World 1976.”
“Herschel Walker is simply one of the worst candidates for major office any of us will ever see,” wrote Simon Rosenberg, founder of liberal think tank New Democrat Network.
“Herschel Walker just can’t stop lying,” tweeted Jon Cooper, former Long Island campaign chair for former President Barack Obama.
In the past, Walker has falsely claimed to have graduated from the University of Georgia as well as wrongly saying he was high school valedictorian and that he had founded a charity for veterans.
Walker had also made headlines during his primary campaign for questioning evolution and asking “why are there still apes?”
The Walker campaign told Newsweek in a statement on Tuesday: “Herschel studied criminal justice at UGA [University of Georgia] and has supported and worked with law enforcement for years, including speaking to police about mental health, leading a women’s self-defense training, participating in the FBI Academy at Quantico, and being awarded honorary deputy status in Cobb, along with 3 other Georgia counties.”
“Herschel has always supported our law enforcement and believes Raphael Warnock’s plan to defund the police is irresponsible and dangerous,” the statement said.
Update 06/14/22 10:10a.m. ET.: This article was updated to include a statement from the Walker campaign.
Heisman Trophy winner and Republican candidate for US Senate Herschel Walker speaks to supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump during a rally at the Banks County Dragway on March 26, 2022 in Commerce, Georgia. Critics have slammed Walker after a report that he falsely claimed to have been a police officer. Megan Varner/Getty Images