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Viral Spiral
FactCheck Mailbag
FactCheck Mailbag, Week of May 7-13.
See letters from previous weeks“ Why is that worth noting? Does it change the facts? ” -
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2012 Players Guide
Author Archives: Ben Finley
Florida Primary Flier Frames Republican
In a primary battle between two House Republicans, a Florida congressman claims in a campaign mailer that his opponent was someone President Barack Obama “counted on” to “approve” stimulus spending. Not really. The mailer’s target, Sandy Adams, is a freshman congresswoman who arrived in Washington nearly two years after the …
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Posted in Spin Detectors Articles, The FactCheck Wire
Tagged John Mica, Sandy Adams, stimulus
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Spotlight On: Jim Watson
Jim Watson was immediately skeptical of American Commitment’s attack ad, which he saw on Facebook. The ad’s narrator claimed Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, voted to increase electricity costs while displaying the text, “Ohio: Electric Bills Will Skyrocket.” “Like all political ads, the extreme language (skyrocket) and the improbable …
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Posted in Spin Detectors Spotlight Articles
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Group Blows Fuse With Electric Bill Claim
A conservative group goes too far in TV ads that claim a new EPA regulation on coal power plants will make Ohio’s electric bills “skyrocket.” Utility officials say it’s too soon to determine how big the impact will be. Nationally, projections from the Energy Information Administration show only a slight …
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Posted in Spin Detectors Articles, The FactCheck Wire
Tagged American Commitment, coal, energy (39), Environmental Protection Agency, Sherrod Brown
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Spotlight On: Richard Rowlands
Richard Rowlands describes himself as liberal. But he subscribes to several conservative groups’ email lists “just to keep track of what they’re doing and saying.” One such group is AmeriPAC, which claims in a fundraising email that President Barack Obama is raising gas prices to pay for failed green energy …
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PAC’s Email Spreads Energy Conspiracy Theory
In a fundraising email, a conservative PAC claims President Barack Obama is raising natural gas prices to pay for failed green energy companies. But the letter offers only false claims and twisted facts to support this conspiracy theory. The email says Solar Trust of America, a now-bankrupt company, received “the second …
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Posted in Spin Detectors Articles, The FactCheck Wire
Tagged American Political Action Committee, AmeriPAC, energy (39), Fracking, green jobs, Natural Gas, Solyndra
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Bachmann Mailer Misrepresents Jobs Report
In a mailer to her constituents, Michele Bachmann incorrectly claims a new trade agreement with South Korea – which she supported — will “create almost 1,000 jobs” in her Minnesota congressional district. Bachmann misreads a report produced by the Business Roundtable, an association of CEOs. The report states that 1,001 …
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Posted in Spin Detectors Articles, The FactCheck Wire
Tagged Free Trade, jobs, Michelle Bachmann, Minnesota, South Korea
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Spotlight On: John Heath
John Heath said he’s skeptical of claims that portray the government as incompetent. So, he was suspicious of a recent Web video produced by Arkansas Rep. Tim Griffin. The video depicts a program that subsidizes phone service for very low-income persons as a government giveaway that is costing taxpayers billions. …
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Posted in Spin Detectors Spotlight Articles
Tagged Arkansas Rep. Tim Griffin, Lifeline program
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Congressman’s Slippery Cell Phone Claim
A congressman’s Web video goes too far when it portrays a program that subsidizes cell phone service for very low-income persons as a government giveaway that is costing taxpayers billions. The video also misleadingly claims Arkansas Rep. Tim Griffin is “reforming” the program. His proposed legislation — the “Stop Taxpayer-Funded Cell …
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Posted in Spin Detectors Articles, The FactCheck Wire
Tagged Federal Communications Commission, Lifeline program, Tim Griffin
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Spotlight On: Mark DiBiasio
Mark DiBiasio is a registered Republican in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District, which means his mailbox is brimming with campaign mailers. Ten Republicans are trying to win the May 8 primary this year. But one particular candidate, wealthy businessman and former state Sen. Robert Pittenger, is bombarding voters with glossy …
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