Author Archives: BreaJjournalist

Quick Take Millions of Arizona voters requested ballots to vote early in the 2022 election. Early voting results cannot be released until after the election, and ballot security measures prevent widespread voter fraud. Yet a viral video advises Republicans not to vote early, making the baseless claim that it could show Democrats how many votesContinue reading “Viral Video Spouts Baseless Claim About Early Voting in Arizona”

The Congressional Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC, is running ads on TV and social media that distort Democratic House candidate Josh Riley’s positions on crime. One ad misleadingly claims that the New York Democrat said he “supports help not handcuffs” for criminals. Another ad from the super PAC accurately says that Riley is supported by the Working FamiliesContinue reading “Super PAC Ads Distort New York Congressional Candidate’s ‘Help Not Handcuffs’ Quote”

In TV and social media ads, Club for Growth Action misleadingly edited remarks by independent Senate candidate Evan McMullin of Utah to make it appear he said that “the Republican base is racist.” In fact, McMullin said “there is an element of the Republican base that is racist,” and that the party’s leaders won’t stand up to them for fearContinue reading “Ad from Super PAC Misleadingly Edits Utah Candidate’s Comments About Republican Base”

Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels — who opposes abortion rights —made headlines when he said in a radio interview last month that as governor, he would sign an abortion ban that included exceptions for rape and incest. A Facebook ad from the Republican Accountability PAC says Michels “supports no exceptions for rape [or] incest.” The adContinue reading “Unraveling Wisconsin GOP Candidate’s Abortion Position”

An ad from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee falsely claims that Nevada Republican House candidate April Becker supports a nationwide abortion ban and “taking away a woman’s right to abortion with no exceptions.”  Becker has said she supports a ban on abortion except in cases of rape, incest, and to save the life of the mother. BeckerContinue reading “Ad Distorts Abortion Views of Republican House Candidate from Nevada”

In digital ads, a political advocacy group makes the false claim that Democratic Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Illinois Democrats voted to “eliminate all restrictions on abortions up until the day of birth.” Illinois law doesn’t allow for abortions after fetal viability unless the pregnant person’s life or health is at risk. Since Roe v.Continue reading “Illinois Law Doesn’t ‘Eliminate All Restrictions on Abortions,’ Contrary to Ad from Advocacy Group”

A day after a protest in Grand Rapids inspired by the murder of George Floyd turned violent, Democratic House candidate Hillary Scholten of Michigan pleaded for “peaceful” protests and urged demonstrators “to not resort to violence and destruction.” Yet, a six-second Facebook ad from a Republican PAC falsely claims Scholten “dismissed the destruction” during the May 30, 2020, demonstration. TheContinue reading “GOP Ad Mischaracterizes Michigan Candidate’s Response to 2020 Protests”

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to eliminate state permit requirements for carrying concealed firearms, and he supports banning abortion, with limited exceptions, after 15 weeks of pregnancy. But political ads from former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist’s campaign misleadingly claim that DeSantis opposes “any background checks” on gun buyers and “wants to ban abortion” in all cases. “ThinkContinue reading “Crist Ads Misrepresent DeSantis Statements on Abortion and Background Checks on Guns”

SciCheck Digest In a 2012 documentary, Magic Johnson discussed his HIV diagnosis and how it has affected his career. Social media posts are sharing an image from the documentary to falsely claim it shows Johnson donating blood for people with COVID-19. Johnson hasn’t donated HIV-infected blood for any medical reason. Full Story  Due to a drop inContinue reading “Social Media Posts Falsely Claim Magic Johnson Donated Blood for People with COVID-19”

Quick Take After Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes funding to increase staff at the IRS, social media posts falsely claimed members of Congress “voted to exempt themselves from IRS auditing of their personal finances.” An IRS spokesperson told us “there is no such special exemption,” and we found no such vote hadContinue reading “Posts Fabricate Claim that Congress Voted to Exempt Members from IRS Audits”