Representative Steve Scalise (R-LA) took to Twitter Monday night to debunk a new claim being reported from Stephanie Grisham's forthcoming book about the former Trump administration aide's time in the White House.
An excerpt of "I'll Take Your Questions Now: What I Saw in the Trump White House" obtained by Insider claims that after Scalise was shot by a radical leftist supporter of Bernie Sanders during congressional baseball practice in 2017, First Lady Melania Trump refused a meeting with the Scalises.
"Grisham wrote that Trump's staff asked her whether Melania wanted to visit the Scalises, who Grisham said were gathered in the Blue Room, and that Melania declined," according to Insider. "Her response was, 'No, I already said hello,'" referring to when the president and first lady had visited Scalise in the hospital.
Scalise blasted Grisham's claim in a thread on Twitter, bringing receipts in the form of photos that rip Grisham's narrative to shreds.
"This is how the fake news media machine against President Trump and [Melania Trump] works," Scalise said before addressing Grisham's story. "This never happened. My family went to visit the White House when I was still in the hospital and were graciously given a tour by President and Mrs. Trump."
?? THREAD:
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) October 5, 2021
This is how the fake news media machine against President Trump and @MELANIATRUMP works. This never happened. My family went to visit the White House while I was still in the hospital and were graciously given a tour by President and Mrs. Trump. https://t.co/oqwIUebtNg pic.twitter.com/pzJmEq1G1w
Continuing, Scalise calls Grisham's story about him "another pathetic attempt by a disgraced former staffer to tell lies in order to sell books. If her publisher or a single outlet covering this story had done any fact checking, they would've learned it was fake," he added before noting there was no attempt at verification because the debunked scenario "fits their fake narrative."
This is another pathetic attempt by a disgraced former staffer to tell lies in order to sell books. If her publisher or a single outlet covering this story had done any fact checking, they would’ve learned it was fake. But they didn’t because it fits their fake narrative.
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) October 5, 2021
"The fact they need to stoop so low to make up verifiably false stories about a shooting victim and his family to paint a false picture of the Trumps tells you everything you need to know about their credibility," Scalise added about Grisham and the anti-Trump echo chamber that is today's mainstream media.
The fact they need to stoop so low to make up verifiably false stories about a shooting victim and his family to paint a false picture of the Trumps tells you everything you need to know about their credibility.
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) October 5, 2021
Grisham then responded on Tuesday morning, tweeting "Hi sir. All due respect, this isn't the visit I write about in my book, as you were still in the hospital. I would never take advantage of the tragedy that befell you," continues Grisham — someone who is profiting off of a story about the tragedy that befell Scalise — before alleging his setting the record straight is due to Scalise's "need to defend the Trumps at all costs."
Hi sir. All due respect, this isn’t the visit I write about in my book, as you were still in the hospital. I would never take advantage of the tragedy that befell you, but nevertheless, understand your need to defend the Trumps at all costs. https://t.co/2iuN5fD0ac
— Stephanie Grisham (@OMGrisham) October 5, 2021
In a double-debunk, Scalise replied to Grisham's attempt at damage control saying "Really? What's the date? I never went for an unscheduled visit [to the White House] with my family after I left the hospital."
Really? What’s the date? I never went for an unscheduled visit with my family after I left the hospital. https://t.co/KmNTDJmNHg
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) October 5, 2021
At the time of publication, Grisham still has yet to respond to Scalise's question or provide any form of corroboration for her claims about Melania Trump's handling of meetings with the Scalises.