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Q: Was the police technique of “stop-and-frisk” found unconstitutional?
A: The practice is not unconstitutional, but a judge ruled in 2013 that New York City’s stop-and-frisk program was carried out in a manner that violated the U.S. Constitution.
Q: Did President Obama sign an executive order banning the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools?
A: No. That claim comes from a satirical story on a fake news website.
Q: Did Hillary Clinton volunteer in 1975 to defend a rapist, who was found not guilty, and laugh about it in an interview in 1980?
A: Clinton defended an accused rapist, but she did not volunteer. He pleaded guilty to a lesser offense. She laughed when recalling unusual aspects of the case.
No. Obama requested an additional $588,000 in FY2017 to cover pensions and other costs for four former presidents plus “new spending for new former President Barack Obama.”
Q: Did Bill and Hillary Clinton return furniture they took from the White House in 2001?
A: Yes. The Clintons returned more than $28,000 worth of items, which, they said, they thought were personal gifts given to them and not to the White House.
Q: Did President Obama cut benefits for veterans by $2.6 billion to give the money to Syrian refugees?
A: No. The Department of Veterans Affairs transferred funds to close a $2.6 billion gap in a health care program. The transfer is unrelated to Syrian refugee aid.
Q: Is President Obama the only president not to attend funeral services for a sitting Supreme Court justice (Antonin Scalia) or a former first lady (Nancy Reagan)?
A: Obama is not the first president to miss the funeral of a sitting justice, and presidents rarely attend the funerals of former first ladies.
Q: Did genetically modified mosquitoes cause the Zika outbreak?
A: No. In fact, GM mosquitoes may be able to help control the virus’ spread.
Q: Are the Obamas buying a vacation home in Dubai?
A: No. This rumor was circulated on a fake news website.
Q: Was there a pro-ISIS rally in Dearborn, Michigan, on Dec. 5?
A: No. Actually, there was an anti-ISIS rally on Dec. 5 in Dearborn. False information about that rally was spread on social media.