This week, readers sent us letters regarding our coverage of Donald Trump’s speech on the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, and his speech about Hillary Clinton.
In the FactCheck Mailbag, we feature some of the email we receive. Readers can send comments to editor@factcheck.org. Letters may be edited for length.
Syrian Refugees
It is obvious that your article [“Donald Trump on Orlando Shooting,” June 14] is absolutely political and biased. I would ask you just one thing. You can easily see what one person can do. So, if I give you 1,000 M&Ms and tell you that one of them is poison, would you eat any? I am sure the answer is NO! While it is a shame that that the Syrian refugees have this great problem, we have the problem of first protecting the people of the United States. A temporary ban on people coming from a terrorist country is a proper thing to do at this time. We know that our government cannot properly vet all of these people and if just one gets in, it is disaster. You people should wake up and get rid of your political correctness and be fair about your reporting.
I’m not holding my breath.
Niel C. Cavanaugh
Mendham, New Jersey
Benghazi Attacks
I read your fact-check [“Trump’s Attack on Clinton’s Character,” June 22] on Trump’s statements on Hillary’s character, and your article confuses from the first item: Trump says Clinton Slept While Chris Stevens dies in Benghazi. Your statement is: Clinton’s emails show she was awake after learning of Chris Stevens’ death. So is it true or not that she was sleeping while Mr. Stevens died…yes or no and explain your answer. When you state that you’re a fact checker, you must be above reproach. Your own article lends credence to what Trump said, that Hillary was sleeping when Chris Stevens died. From your article that would appear to be true. Again please clarify.
Don Weiler
Ashland, Ohio
FactCheck.org Responds: First, the burden is on the person making the claim to provide evidence that the statement is correct. Trump has provided no evidence that Clinton was asleep when Stevens died. Second, we explain in our story what we do know: that Clinton was engaged in the government’s response from the start of the attacks, which happened at about 3:45 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, until at least 11:30 p.m. EDT, when she last sent an email. (See “Trump on Clinton’s ‘3 a.m.’ Call” for more.) Third, we explain what we don’t know. As we wrote: “Other than Clinton’s word, we can’t independently verify whether Clinton did sleep for a brief period that night.” There is no evidence to support Trump’s claim that Clinton was asleep when Stevens was killed, and there is evidence that she was engaged before and after Stevens’ death.
‘Tired of Exaggerations and Untruths’
Thank you for your in-depth article on Trump’s “Hillary” speech [“Trump’s Attack on Clinton’s Character,” June 22]. It is SO refreshing to read an article that intelligently discusses issues without making each issue political. I’m so tired of all the exaggerations and untruths! Please continue to be helpful to voters over the coming months! We need your enlightenment to make sound decisions.
Betty Staples
Hampton, Virginia