Independent Journalist Max Bonilla showed up at a future gas station site in Palm Springs and incorrectly blamed Gavin Newsom and Democrats for prices that are being used for test purposes, only.
Self-proclaimed right-wing independent journalist Max Bonilla, who goes by @OutragedTeen on X/Twitter.com, thought he did something when he shared a video of himself on the former bird site blaming Gavin Newsom and the democrats for gas prices displayed at this Palm Springs, CA gas station showing prices as high as $7.77 for premium.
Bonilla didn’t realize that the prices displayed were for test purposes ONLY, the gas station, a future 16-pump station next to Walmart, was not even open yet.
Although Bonilla deleted his tweet, here are a couple screenshots from his “takedown” with what he said verbatim.
“Hey guys, so I’m in Palm Springs, CA for the Trump Rally. And look at these gas prices, this is ludicrous. $7.77, $7.74, and $7.67? What is this? This is Gavin Newsom’s state of California. This is what you would be getting if Kamala Harris got elected president. You would have this state as a model for the rest of the nation. So think twice about who you’re voting for.
“Hello California, my name is Riley Nimi. In the past four years, we’ve seen our gas prices go straight to the roof under Kamala Harris and Biden as VP and President. As you can see here, has prices have just reached $7.77 in Palm Springs right outside of the Trump Rally tomorrow in Coachella, Palm Springs area. This is absolutely ludicrous and we need to elect trump in office right now to get these prices back to $2.50.”
Shortly after Bonilla’s video started gaining traction, it was quickly fact-checked by those in the know, particularly Gas Buddy founder Patrick De Haan, who pointed out those prices are for test purposes only.
Ooops- this station is NOT yet open. These prices are commonly used to test POS (point of sale) systems, making sure everything is in order. They do so with high prices so people don't bother trying to pull in and fill up. https://t.co/KQqwjZMcCk
— Patrick De Haan ⛽️📊 (@GasBuddyGuy) October 13, 2024
“These prices are commonly used to test POS (point of sale) systems, making sure everything is in order,” De Haan’s RT caption says.
I can confirm. We had a new gas station open in my MA town and they had their sign say $7.77 in the weeks before they actually opened. Got gas for $2.79 a gallon there this week.
— Maudi63 (@maudi63) October 13, 2024
As De Haan and others pointed out, prices at surrounding stations and across California are actually, on average, between $4.40-$4.90.
De Haan’s RT was then used to Community Note Bonilla’s post before Bonilla himself deleted it, presumably out of shame and to stop the replies calling him out on his journalistic blunder.
Calling yourself a journalist is a tall order, Bonilla, a title I don’t even call myself.
I’m sure Bonilla’s learned a valuable lesson and will fact-check himself in the future before posting.
I really doubt that Mr. Bonilla will change his way of “reporting” “the news”. Just because he was outed once doesn’t push him to fact check his stories. Just look at his heroes Donald Trump and J. D. Vance. I haven’t seen any change in their rhetoric after being told numerous times about their false statements about legal immigrants living in Springfield, Ohio. Or their statements about Venezuelan gangs “taking over” Aurora, Colorado. Why would Mr. Bonilla change his stories if his heroes don’t.
Gas prices in Calif are direct result of the idiotic voters in Calif who rejected Proposition 6. They never read the initiative but instead they saw TV ads from CHP and engineers who said bridges and overpasses were going to fall down and we are all going to be killed unless this passes. The voters stupid!