Urgent: Hoax Photo Busted as Jim Gavin’s Endorsement Falsified

BREAKING: A hoax photo falsely depicting Jim Gavin, Fianna Fail’s presidential nominee, endorsing Emer Higgins of Fine Gael has been exposed as a blatant fabrication. The misleading image, which has gone viral on social media, aims to sway public opinion ahead of the upcoming presidential election.

The doctored photo, which claims to show Gavin backing Higgins during a 2019 by-election in Dublin Mid-West, has raised alarms among Gavin’s supporters. Sources reveal that while the original image is authentic, taken at the Gibson Hotel in 2019, it was manipulated to include a false endorsement message: “I’m voting Emer Higgins No1 on Friday.”

Gavin, the former manager of the Dublin GAA team, is currently in the race to become President of Ireland. He is backed by Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, who believes Gavin will secure a decisive victory in the upcoming vote. Nominations for the party’s presidential candidate closed last Friday, with Gavin competing against MEP Billy Kelleher.

A spokesperson close to Gavin condemned the image, stating, “Jim didn’t create that photo and he never posted it anywhere. The only social media Jim uses is LinkedIn. Someone else has made this and is circulating it as some political ploy.” The source emphasized that Gavin has posed with countless individuals throughout his career and has no affiliation with the manipulated content.

The timing of this misinformation is critical, coming just days before the secret ballot vote scheduled for Tuesday, October 24, 2023. This vote will involve TDs, Senators, and MEPs, all of whom will decide on the party’s candidate to face off against Independent TD Catherine Connolly and Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys.

As the political landscape heats up, the stakes rise. Sinn Fein remains the only major party yet to declare a candidate for the presidential race, amplifying the urgency surrounding this election. With misinformation campaigns threatening to distort public perception, voters must remain vigilant.

Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.