Republican Herschel Walker’s campaign deleted a false claim that he graduated from the University of Georgia hours after it was posted on a website promoting his U.S. Senate bid.
The former football star’s campaign removed the reference that he “graduated from UGA with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice” late Thursday after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution inquired about the claim.
It’s a falsehood that has proliferated elsewhere, including in an online biography advertising Walker’s book, at a campaign rally for his bid to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, and even during his introduction this year at a congressional hearing.
Walker released a statement to the newspaper acknowledging he did not graduate from college.
“I was majoring in criminal justice at UGA when I left to play in the USFL my junior year,” Walker said, referring to the professional football league. “After playing with the New Jersey Generals, I returned to Athens to complete my degree, but life and football got in the way.”