WASHINGTON, D.C. — House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and her colleague Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) were duped by a clearly-labeled “parody” Twitter account pretending to be resigned White House national security adviser Gen. Michael Flynn, promoting the top Democrats to go on a rant about the definition of the term “scapegoat.”

“I didn’t know until I heard it from my colleague that the tweet of General Flynn today was ‘scapegoat,'” Pelosi reportedly said during a press conference.

“Scapegoat. Do you know what a scapegoat is?” Pelosi asked. “That means in a community where people want to absolve themselves of guilt, they get a goat, and they heap all of the ills onto the goat, and then they run the goat out of town. So the inference to be drawn from his statement is that other people have blame that should be shared in all of this.”

She added, “The good news is that General Flynn is gone.”

https://twitter.com/gabriellahope_/status/831563781507543040

The parody Flynn account tweeted, “While I accept full responsibility for my actions, I feel it is unfair that I have been made the sole scapegoat for what happened. (1/2).” In a second tweet, the account wrote, “But if a scapegoat is what’s needed for this Administration to continue to take this great nation forward, I am proud to do my duty.”

While I accept full responsibility for my actions, I feel it is unfair that I have been made the sole scapegoat for what happened. (1/2) — Not Michael Flynn (@GenMikeFlynn) February 14, 2017

But if a scapegoat is what's needed for this Administration to continue to take this great nation forward, I am proud to do my duty. — Not Michael Flynn (@GenMikeFlynn) February 14, 2017

The Washington Free Beacon reported that soon after her press conference, one of Pelosi’s aides reportedly told her the tweet was fake, to which she reacted in disbelief: “What do you mean it’s fake?”

Aide tells Pelosi the "scapegoat" Flynn tweet was fake, "what do you mean it's fake?" She says. pic.twitter.com/tLNQswqfpb — Ema O'Connor (@o_ema) February 14, 2017

Gen. Flynn resigned Monday following reports that he misled Vice President Mike Pence on discussions he had held with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak before President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20.

However, reports emerged last week indicating Flynn and Kyslyak discussed sanctions against Russia one month earlier. Those reports contradict denials from VP Pence that the topic never came up in calls between the men.

Retired Army Lt. Gen. Joseph Keith Kellogg, Jr. has taken Gen. Flynn’s place as acting national security advisor.

Follow Adelle Nazarian on Twitter and Periscope @AdelleNaz