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“(Charlie) Crist said Scott’s per-pupil education spending is “about $200 less” than the Crist administration did during the recession. … We rate the statement Mostly True.” —PolitiFact Florida, from a July 18, 2014 fact check of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist Overview PolitiFact Florida’s fact check misleads on Crist’s nearly meaningless claim. The Facts On July 18, 2014, PolitiFact…
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In a July 19, 2014 fact check of an Associated Press fact check, we omitted a word in our summary section leading to the need for a correction. The sentence originally stated that the “Question from Don” ad from the Alison Lundergan Grimes campaign for one of Kentucky’s two senate seats was Grimes’ first television ad. We had reviewed reporting…
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“Alison Lundergan Grimes, Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell’s Democratic opponent, released her first attack ad Tuesday.” —The Associated Press, in a July 9, 2014 fact-check story Overview Unnecessary factoid fails to ring true. The Facts On July 9, 2014 the Associated Press published a fact check story written by Adam Beam and Calvin Woodward. The fact check examined two…
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“Taking into account all the health insurance expansions initiated by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), an estimated 20 million Americans have gained coverage as of May 1, 2014.” —The Commonwealth Fund, from “Health Care Coverage Under the Affordable Care Act—A Progress Report,” July 2, 2014 Overview “Gained” gains an expanded meaning? The Facts On July 3, The Commonwealth Fund…
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In June 2014, FactCheck.org and PolitiFact Florida fact checked the same ad from the Florida Democratic Party. The ad attacked incumbent Florida Governor Rick Scott (R-Fla.). A comparison of the fact checks helps explain why we view FactCheck.org as the current king of the fact-checking hill, with PolitiFact occupying the other end of the spectrum. The Florida Democratic Party aired…
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“(Debbie) Wasserman Schultz said that ‘nearly 60 percent of women who use birth control do so for more than just family planning.’ … The statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information. We rate it Mostly True.” —PolitiFact Florida’s June 30 rating of a statement by Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz Overview The “Mostly True” rating of Wasserman Schultz…
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“Myth: Climate change is just a liberal scare tactic.” —The Democratic National Committee, on its “My Republican Uncle” website, Nov. 27, 2013 Overview Climate change is more than just a liberal scare tactic. But it doubles as a pretty good scare tactic. The Facts With fact checking completed on the gender equity, economy and health care sections of the…
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A viral video featuring the latest news comedian’s take on the climate change debate caught our attention this week. Comedian John Oliver’s HBO program “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” follows a trail blazed by John Stewart and Stephen Colbert. As with Stewart and Colbert, we’re willing to cut Oliver a break on the accuracy of his content. He’s a…
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“Myth: Obamacare makes men buy coverage for pregnancy, pap smears, mammograms, and other services that are for women.” —The Democratic National Committee, January 2014 on its “Your Republican Uncle” website Overview Your Republican uncle is right. It’s no myth. The Facts Zebra Fact Check continues its series on the Democratic National Committee’s “Your Republican Uncle” website with the DNC’s…
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Quote Check Attributed to Thomas Jefferson: “Laws that forbid the carrying of arms … only disarm those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes … Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they are serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence…
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