Liberal student activist threatened herself with rape in Facebook hoax to frame conservatives

A University of Wyoming student targeted by an anonymous Facebook posting that included a threat of sexual violence had posted the item herself, police said.

The university in Laramie, Wyoming announced on Tuesday that campus police cited Meg Lanker-Simons for misdemeanor interference with a police investigation by giving false statements.

The posting that threatened Lanker-Simons occurred on a Facebook forum for UW students, leading to an outcry and an investigation by UW police because it was directed at a student.

Hoax: University of Wyoming student Meg Lanker-Simons (pictured on April 29 with her husband Andrew) posted a threatening message targeting her, in order to frame Republicans

Threats: Police say the woman mentioned in this post, Meg Lanker Simons, actually wrote the threatening message. Her husband, Andrew, responded angrily (below)

The Facebook page, which is not officially affiliated with the university, was taken down and a student-led demonstration against sexual violence was held.

UW police say they found what they called 'substantial evidence' verifying that the post came from the computer belonging to Lanker-Simons.

Lanker-Simons is a blogger and local radio show host who advocates for liberal causes.

In 2010, she filed a lawsuit against the university that forced UW to allow 1960s radical Bill Ayers on the campus for a speech on education.



Outrage: The posting sparked an outcry across the University and students even organized protests. Meg Lanker-Simons went along with the outrage until police learned she was behind the post



Ironic: Meg Lanker-Simons, pictured in 2011, wrote a strongly worded reaction to the threatening post (that she herself posted) calling it 'disgusting'

Ayers co-founded the Weather Underground, an anti-war group from the Vietnam Era that claimed to be responsible for a series of bombings, including nonfatal explosions at the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol.

The Facebook post came to light last week when people including Pamela Kandt, co-convener of the Episcopal Women's Caucus and a Casper activist, complained to the university and demanded action.

Besides the threat of sexual assault, the posting was written to make it appear as if its author was a conservative Republican.

Kandt came to Lanker-Simons' defense Tuesday.

'I will tell you, I believe Meg is innocent of this outrage,' Kandt told the Laramie Boomerang , adding she believes the citation issued by police is a 'classic case of blaming the victim.'

'I mean, my God, who would do this to herself?' she added.