This week, CNN’s Jake Tapper and FactCheck.org examine Sen. Ted Cruz’s claim that he and Sen. Bernie Sanders are alike when it comes to raising campaign funds.
Video: Cruz’s ‘Outsider’ Stretch
Issues: campaign contributions
Ted Cruz an ‘Outsider’ Like Sanders?
Sen. Ted Cruz claimed that he and Sen. Bernie Sanders are “outsiders” who “don’t find our fuel in bundlers and special interests. But rather directly from the people.” But Cruz’s comparison to Sanders is a bit of a stretch.
FactChecking the 10th GOP Debate
In a Texas showdown, Republican presidential candidates stretched the truth in the last debate before Super Tuesday.
Clinton and Fossil Fuel Money
Hillary Clinton and a man from an environmental group sparred about whether she had taken money from the fossil fuel industry. Campaigns are prohibited from taking money directly from corporations, but Clinton has received donations from employees of oil and gas companies.
Gingrich Makes a French Connection
Newt Gingrich attacks Mitt Romney once again, this time in a Web video that bashes Romney for raising taxes, giving money to Democrats (back in 1992) and — sacre bleu! — speaking French. But a few of the claims, besides the French one, could use some context.
The one-minute video says that Romney “donated to Democrats.” That’s true, but voters might want to know that he gave a total of $1,500 to three congressional candidates 20 years ago,
Targeting Ensign
We’re not ones to doubt that money can influence politics. But uncovering a paying-for-favors scandal takes more than a mere list of campaign contributions and a few committee votes.
That tactic, however, is being used – again – in the health care debate, this time in an ad from the liberal group Health Care for America Now. HCAN’s TV spot, which will run in Reno and Las Vegas for one week on a $110,000 buy, draws a link between Republican Sen.
Hitting Grassley With Inflated Numbers
Two liberal groups, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and Democracy for America are airing an ad that faults Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley for not supporting a "public option" as part of any proposed health care legislation. But their ad uses inflated figures.
Grassley has spoken out against including a "public option" as part of a health care bill. The ad implies that he’s done so because he’s "taken over $2 million dollars from the big health and insurance industries that oppose reform."
‘Dealergate’: Mistaking Anecdotes for Data
Ever since Chrysler announced that it wanted to shed 789 of its 3,188 nationwide dealerships, speculation and outright accusations have circulated to the effect that Republican donors were being singled out. The list of dealers slated for closing contained some who had given to Republican candidates, and far fewer who had given to Democrats. One blogger’s early tabulation, based on the first five pages of the 40-page list of closed dealers, showed $120,000 had been given to GOP candidates and $34,350 to Democratic candidates in 2004 and 2008 (exclusive of presidential candidates).
No Personal Use of Campaign Money
Q: Can the presidential candidates keep their campaign money?
A: No. They can donate any contributions they haven’t spent to charities or political parties, and they can pay leftover campaign bills. The big rule is: no personal use.
Not Pictured Here
Summary
An Obama ad features video of McCain walking toward the camera with a group of people in power suits, as the narrator says, "the lobbyists, running his low road campaign." None of the people pictured are lobbyists, however.
The ad also repeats a misleading claim that McCain favors "billions in tax breaks for big oil and drug companies." But McCain’s tax policy doesn’t target those industries. He calls for lowering the corporate tax rate for all companies.