CNN Politics Reporter and Editor-at-Large Chris Cillizza shared a post from a fake account pretending to be fired FBI special agent Peter Strzok, boosting salacious claims hours after Strzok confirmed his termination on a different, legitimate account.

Why did Cillizza skip the most basic of due diligence? It may have been that the post he shared would have meant Strzok accused President Donald Trump of being “a Russian asset” — total catnip to Russia-obsessed CNN.

“I have been fired for expressing my personal opinion in private texts about a dictator that history will soon deem not only a Russian asset but an unhinged madman threatening the sovereignty of the United States of America,” the Strzok parody account declared.

https://twitter.com/notpeterstrzok/status/1029104137030578177

The tweet, which has garnered

So I guess Strzok isn't sorry or…. https://t.co/us5E4cq4OI — Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) August 13, 2018

Nearly 15 minutes later, he admitted that he had fallen for the fake account, which switched its handle from @_peterstrzok to @notpeterstrzok over the course of the day. “And now I am told this is a fake Strzok account…,”

And now I am told this is a fake Strzok account… https://t.co/9d7jj5XHMA — Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) August 13, 2018

Fellow journalists called out @CillizzaCNN

This is a fake account @CillizzaCNN and everyone else retweeting it indiscriminately 🙄 pic.twitter.com/MxHa7sGuBO — Jane Lytvynenko 🏽‍♀️🏽‍♀️🏽‍♀️ (@JaneLytv) August 13, 2018

Note that the fake twitter account changed its username after being locked down by Twitter. The real account you're looking for is @petestrzok pic.twitter.com/hWX1rfsLEF — Jane Lytvynenko 🏽‍♀️🏽‍♀️🏽‍♀️ (@JaneLytv) August 13, 2018

Riley Robert, former chief speechwriter to Attorney General Eric Holder, scolded clearly a fake account.” “The responsible thing would have been to check, as @BuzzFeedNews did (Strzok’s lawyers confirmed over an hour ago that his real handle is @petestrzok) before sharing something so clearly implausible and out of character with your many followers,” Roberts wrote.

It's clearly a fake account. The responsible thing would have been to check, as @BuzzFeedNews did (Strzok's lawyers confirmed over an hour ago that his real handle is @petestrzok) before sharing something so clearly implausible and out of character with your many followers. — Riley Roberts (@rileylroberts) August 13, 2018

Cillizza’s former colleague, pro-Trump media pundit Jeffrey Lord, responded to the blunder, tweeting: “Oh geez. This stuff is the bane of Tweeting existence.”

Oh geez. This stuff is the bane of Tweeting existence. — Jeff Lord (@realJeffreyLord) August 13, 2018

“[F]ake. account,” MSNBC producer Nick Ramsey wrote bluntly to the beclowned CNN blogger.

fake. account. — fake nick ramsey (@nick_ramsey) August 13, 2018

Strzok, tweeting from the username “@petestrzok,” confirmed that the FBI fired him, presumably over messages disparaging then-candidate Donald Trump and his supporters while working on the Clinton email probe. He released a statement written by his lawyer Aitan Goelman of Zuckerman Spaeder LLP, explaining the events surrounding his firing from the law enforcement agency on Friday. The fired FBI agent’s genuine Twitter account — which follows 30 others, ranging from Never Trumper Weekly Standard Editor William Kristol and actor Jim Carrey — is approaching 10,000 followers.

Deeply saddened by this decision. It has been an honor to serve my country and work with the fine men and women of the FBI. https://t.co/iET9SbeTrv pic.twitter.com/7VTswzjoxE — Peter Strzok (@petestrzok) August 13, 2018

The disgraced investigator launched a GoFundMe campaign with a target to raise $150,000 tp cover legal fees and lost income. “We are asking you to support a man who has dedicated his life to defending America; to stand up for the freedoms on which this country was built and a government that truly serves the people by protecting all Americans, including dedicated government employees, from constantly being subjected to the whims and influence of politicians,” reads Strzok’s GoFundMe account campaign. As of 6:39 p.m. EST, the campaign has taken in $59,549.