Jeb Bush repeats lies about Vatican embassy

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Sigh/ugh.

Bush, widely seen as a top GOP contender for 2016, is the latest to join in criticism of what has been described, in some reports, as a closure of the mission.

However, State Department officials told reporters Monday that the embassy to the Vatican is not closing. Instead, they are moving the mission to a building within the larger U.S. compound in Rome, which also includes two separate buildings that house U.S. Embassy to Italy and the U.S. mission to the U.N. offices in Rome.

The State Department attributed the move to increased security and cost savings of up to $1.4 million a year in lease and operating costs.

Nevertheless, the National Republican Senatorial Committee created a petition this week that say “President Obama plans to close the U.S. Embassy to the Vatican.”