PolitiFact's oddest fact-checks of 2012

The Truth-O-Meter has a sense of humor (we swear) so we occasionally do light-hearted or downright odd fact-checks. Here are some of the more unusual fact-checks we did in 2012.

By Bill Adair, Becky Bowers :: Published on Wednesday, December 26th, 2012 at 06:00 a.m.

PolitiFact's guide to Thanksgiving dinner

Find yourself sitting beside a relative who has sent you lots of chain e-mails? Here's our annual guide on what to say. Stash it under the green bean casserole until you need it.

By Bill Adair :: Published on Monday, November 19th, 2012 at 11:36 a.m.

Debunking claims about a new home sales tax

Did you get the chain email that claims the health care law will institute a new tax on home sales?  It boldly proclaims that the health care law includes "a 3.8% sales tax" on "all real estate transactions." The claim has persistently circulated for two years, but there's just one catch: It's not true. We ran it through the Truth-O-Meter.

By Robert Higgs :: Published on Thursday, July 26th, 2012 at 12:15 p.m.

Have lip readers figured out Michelle Obama's 9/11 comments?

A chain email claims that a lip-reading instructor for the River School has determined that at a 9/11 ceremony, Michelle Obama said, "All this for a damn flag." We check the facts.

By Bill Adair :: Published on Tuesday, June 26th, 2012 at 03:00 p.m.

The flood of falsehoods about the health care law

As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to review President Barack Obama's health care law, we review the falsehoods that simply won't stop.

By Martha M. Hamilton :: Published on Wednesday, March 21st, 2012 at 05:11 p.m.

PolitiFact's guide to Thanksgiving dinner

Find yourself sitting beside a relative who has sent you lots of chain e-mails? Here's our guide on what to say. Stash it under the green bean casserole until  you need it.

By Bill Adair :: Published on Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011 at 05:00 p.m.

PolitiFact's guide to Thanksgiving dinner

Find yourself sitting beside a relative who has sent you lots of chain e-mails? Here's our guide on what to say. Stash it under the green bean casserole until you need it.

By Bill Adair :: Published on Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011 at 06:01 a.m.

A 3.8 percent 'sales tax' on real estate transactions for health care?

A clause in the law sparked a Pants on Fire chain e-mail that's still going strong.

By Angie Drobnic Holan :: Published on Tuesday, February 1st, 2011 at 05:16 p.m.

Top 5 falsehoods about the Bush tax cuts

With the tax debate heating up, we review some of the talking points that are just flat wrong.

By Angie Drobnic Holan :: Published on Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010 at 10:26 a.m.

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Chain e-mails keep the Truth-O-Meter in flames

By :: Published on Thursday, October 21st, 2010 at 11:04 a.m.

Debunking chain e-mail

Our in-box is full of chain e-mail! We check out claims on immigration, Muslim voters, gun laws, and taxing your health care benefits.

By Angie Drobnic Holan, Louis Jacobson :: Published on Thursday, June 10th, 2010 at 05:17 p.m.

Another chain e-mail, another Pants on Fire

A chain e-mail claims the cap-and-trade bill would require people to retrofit their homes for energy efficiency. We find -- surprise! -- the chain e-mail is wrong.

By Catharine Richert :: Published on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 05:38 p.m.

A chain e-mail full of praise

An American Studies professor listed 90 accomplishments of the Obama administration and sent it to some Democratic friends, but the list went viral. We take a look to see if it's accurate.

By Robert Farley :: Published on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 07:22 p.m.

'Obama phones'? No, they've been around for years

The latest Internet rumor is that President Obama is giving out free phones to people on welfare.

By Catharine Richert :: Published on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 06:58 p.m.

Chiropractor ditches patient over chain e-mail

When facts are in dispute, sparks fly.

By Angie Drobnic Holan :: Published on Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 at 06:57 p.m.

E-mail 'analysis' of health bill needs a check-up

Readers sent us a chain e-mail that comments on the House health reform bill page by page. Most of its factual assertions are wrong.

By Angie Drobnic Holan :: Published on Thursday, July 30th, 2009 at 05:08 p.m.

Break out the marshmallows!

It's double Pants on Fire! day at PolitiFact.com: We check a chain e-mail on illegal immigrants and comments from TV and radio personality Glenn Beck.

By Angie Drobnic Holan :: Published on Wednesday, July 29th, 2009 at 07:45 p.m.

Obama's birth certificate: Final chapter. This time we mean it!

We address continued Internet speculation on the document.

By Robert Farley :: Published on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 at 07:12 p.m.

Chain e-mail sings familiar tune with new chorus

A new chain e-mail makes the familiar (false) claim that Obama is a Muslim, with a new (false) twist that he's flying "Hamas refugees" to the United States — and a senator takes it seriously.

By Robert Farley :: Published on Friday, May 8th, 2009 at 05:08 p.m.

E-mail distorts Daschle comment on seniors

By simply moving a quotation mark, a chain e-mail distorts a comment from the former senator.

By Robert Farley :: Published on Friday, April 3rd, 2009 at 03:22 p.m.