Category Archives: FactCheck.org

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”

Quick Take The IRS Criminal Investigation division’s “Adrian Project” educates the public about the IRS through community outreach sessions with high school and college students. Posts on social media are sharing a video from one of the sessions to falsely claim it shows agents in training. The images were posted by a New Jersey universityContinue reading “Images Show IRS Educational Program, Not Training of Agents”

Quick Take The Inflation Reduction Act includes $79 billion for the IRS. Social media posts misleadingly claim the IRS will now hire “87,000 new agents” to investigate average citizens. But most new hires will provide customer services, and enforcement efforts will be aimed at “high-income and corporate tax evaders,” a Treasury Department spokesperson said. Full Story  President Joe Biden signedContinue reading “IRS Will Target ‘High-Income’ Tax Evaders with New Funding, Contrary to Social Media Posts”

Quick Take  The House passed a bill on July 29 that would make it a crime to knowingly “import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon.” Social media posts falsely claim “millions of people will become felons overnight” because of the bill. Under the bill, current owners of such firearms would be allowedContinue reading “Proposed ‘Assault Weapons Ban’ Includes Grandfather Clause, Contrary to Social Media Posts”