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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Posts Misleadingly Link Town Clerk’s Case to 2020 Presidential Election

Posts Misleadingly Link Town Clerk’s Case to 2020 Presidential Election

A Michigan town clerk pleaded no contest in 2023 to a charge of misconduct in office. Social media posts misleadingly highlight her case to push the false narrative that the 2020 presidential election was “rigged.” The clerk’s case was related to her local primary race, not the presidential election.

Unsupported Claim About Biden Paying Rent for ‘Illegal Immigrants’

Unsupported Claim About Biden Paying Rent for ‘Illegal Immigrants’

Michigan officials have said that only people who the federal government has determined are in the U.S. legally are eligible for a state program that temporarily pays rent for refugees and other qualifying immigrants. But a super PAC supporting former President Donald Trump claims that President Joe Biden “is paying rent for illegals.”

Threads Post Distorts Trump’s Remarks on Iron Dome for U.S.

Threads Post Distorts Trump’s Remarks on Iron Dome for U.S.

At a campaign rally in Michigan, former President Donald Trump promised to build an Iron Dome missile defense system for the U.S. that would serve as “a shield around our country.” A post on Threads falsely claimed Trump said the system would be used to “‘defend us’ from Canada.”

Indictment Details Trump’s Attempt to Overturn Swing State Election Outcomes

Indictment Details Trump’s Attempt to Overturn Swing State Election Outcomes

The federal indictment against former President Donald Trump, concerning his efforts to remain in office despite losing the election, details actions Trump and his co-conspirators allegedly took to get state officials to change legitimate electoral votes. The indictment says the pressure campaign involved knowingly making false claims of voter fraud — many of which we’ve written about before.

Internet Hoax Spreads False ID on Michigan State University Shooter

Internet Hoax Spreads False ID on Michigan State University Shooter

Police identified the suspect in the Feb. 13 mass shooting at Michigan State University as Anthony Dwayne McRae, who shot and killed himself. But a viral internet hoax used the photo of another man and falsely claimed that the suspect was named “Lynn Dee Walker.”

Social Media Claims Misrepresent Election Software CEO’s Arrest

Social Media Claims Misrepresent Election Software CEO’s Arrest

The arrest of a CEO whose company maintained poll worker data for Los Angeles County has sparked a wave of false voter fraud claims. County District Attorney George Gascón has said that the “alleged conduct had no impact on the tabulation of votes and did not alter election results.”

Pro-Dixon Ad Uses ‘Joke’ About Drag Queens in a Misleading Attack on Whitmer

Pro-Dixon Ad Uses ‘Joke’ About Drag Queens in a Misleading Attack on Whitmer

Michigan’s Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel said that she was joking when she said in a June speech that there should be “a drag queen for every school.” But a TV ad from a super PAC supporting Republican Tudor Dixon is using a version of Nessel’s quote out of context in a misleading attack against Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Republican TV Ad Makes False Claim About ‘Dead’ Voters

Republican TV Ad Makes False Claim About ‘Dead’ Voters

An illegal ballot cast on behalf of a deceased voter is rare, and we could find no examples of it occurring in Michigan in 2020 or 2016. Yet, a Republican gubernatorial candidate in Michigan falsely claims in a TV ad that “dead people always vote Democrat,” and misleadingly suggests it is a widespread problem in his state.