Why it matters: This was an apparent effort to dupe reporters and smear a senator — both symptoms of an amped-up news environment where harassment charges are proliferating and reporters have become targets for fraud.

The former staffer told me in a phone interview that she did not author the document, that none of the charges ring true, and that her signature was forged.

She said she had never heard of the document before Axios took it to Schumer’s office for comment on Tuesday.

Matt House, Schumer’s communications director, told me: “The document is a forged document and every allegation is false. We have turned it over to the Capitol Police and asked them to investigate and pursue criminal charges because it is clear the law has been broken.”