WaPo ‘Fact-Checker’ Takes Buyout, Internet Reminds Him He Stopped Dealing In ‘Facts’ Long Ago

The Washington Post’s longtime fact-checker Glenn Kessler has taken the outlet’s buyout offer — and reports of his imminent exit prompted a number of his critics on X to say that he’d actually sold out a long time ago.

Kessler, who worked for The Washington Post for nearly three decades (27 years, to be exact), joined the growing list of experienced staffers fleeing the outlet, aided by a buyout offer that was extended in May with the express purpose of targeting staffers who had been with the outlet for more than ten years.

“After more than 27 years at The Washington Post, including almost 15 as The Fact Checker, I will be leaving on July 31, having taken a buyout. Much as I would have liked to keep scrutinizing politicians in Washington, especially in this era, the financial considerations were impossible to dismiss,” Kessler said, according to a report published Monday by Fox News Digital.

“When I started in 2011, there were only a handful of fact-checking organizations around the world, and I have been thrilled to watch the movement expand across the globe. So many of these brave and diligent fact checkers have become good friends,” he continued. “My fact checks were routinely the most-read articles on The Post’s website. I had my detractors, from both the left and right, but many readers appreciated my efforts to sort out the truth in political rhetoric.”

He went on to say that he had attempted to work with the outlet to find a replacement — and to stay on and train the new Fact-Check editor on a contract basis — but that it didn’t happen: “I didn’t want The Post to have a gap in fact-checking coverage during this fraught period in U.S. history. But we couldn’t work out an agreement.”

According to the buyout details reported by Fox News Digital, Kessler’s 27 years at the outlet would make him eligible for a buyout that included 18 months base pay plus “12 months of pay credit” added to his retirement account.

But critics took the opportunity to argue that while the idea of fact-checking might have merit on its face, Kessler was the living embodiment of what happened when someone who was not politically objective was determining what the facts were.

“Glenn Kessler actually was one of the guys that started fact checking, and it was a good idea. But, he failed his profession and his conscience by becoming a partisan watchdog instead of an honest arbiter of the facts. And for that, he deserves all the criticism he now gets,” Pradheep Shanker posted.

Glenn Kessler actually was one of the guys that started fact checking, and it was a good idea.

But, he failed his profession and his conscience by becoming a partisan watchdog instead of an honest arbiter of the facts.

And for that, he deserves all the criticism he now gets.

— Pradheep J. Shanker, M.D. (@neoavatara) July 28, 2025

“Glen Kessler used his position to protect left wing political opinions through ‘fact checking,’ particularly during COVID, when he happily ignored evidence that his party was wrong about masks, lockdowns, the lab leak and COVID vaccines,” Ian Miller posted — and shared an example relating to COVID.

Here’s just one example. https://t.co/EkHGnCj3I1

— Ian Miller (@ianmSC) July 28, 2025

Greg Price joined a number of others in sharing “just a few of Glenn Kessler’s all time bangers.”

Just a few of Glenn Kessler’s all time bangers. https://t.co/hT0AII6voU pic.twitter.com/eHXdHxiob4

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) July 28, 2025

“‘I fear @tedcruz missed the scientific animation’ was an all-time Glenn Kessler classic,” Peter Hasson added.

“I fear @tedcruz missed the scientific animation” was an all-time Glenn Kessler classic https://t.co/YEG45sfg3f pic.twitter.com/7IFvjbkFVP

— Peter J. Hasson (@peterjhasson) July 28, 2025

“In 2011, I wrote a cover story for Weekly Standard called ‘Lies, Damned Lies, and ‘Fact Checking.’ So began a personal and professional crusade. FWIW, I dealt with Glenn a fair bit and he was always nice to me. But the end of ‘fact checking’ is a victory for healthy debate,” Mark Hemingway said.

In 2011, I wrote a cover story for Weekly Standard called “Lies, Damned Lies, and ‘Fact Checking.’” So began a personal and professional crusade.

FWIW, I dealt with Glenn a fair bit and he was always nice to me. But the end of ‘fact checking’ is a victory for healthy debate. https://t.co/G04XPUJTLm

— Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) July 28, 2025

The Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway gave an example relating to the Russian collusion hoax — back in the news due to recent revelations from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

“This is a great example of how ‘fact’ ‘checking’ is almost without exception just the laundering of Democrat info ops with another layer of supposed credibility. Sometimes really evil info ops against the American people, as seen below,” she said.

And just last week — LAST WEEK — Kessler was continuing the propaganda press’ role in the Russia collusion hoax, falsely alleging there was nothing new in the recent explosive revelations.

— Mollie (@MZHemingway) July 28, 2025

“And just last week — LAST WEEK — Kessler was continuing the propaganda press’ role in the Russia collusion hoax, falsely alleging there was nothing new in the recent explosive revelations,” Hemingway added.

But it was Kate Hyde who asked the question on everyone’s mind: “How many Pinocchios will be at the goodbye party?”

How many Pinocchios will be at the goodbye party? https://t.co/HrTpI7AyDQ

— Kate Hyde (@KateHydeNY) July 28, 2025