Tim MurphyEditor
Tim Murphy, PolitiFact Rhode Island editor, has worked as a reporter and editor at newspapers in Connecticut and Rhode Island for 36 years. A graduate of the University of Connecticut, he started at The Journal as a reporter in 1983 and has held several positions, including Sunday editor, city editor and, most recently, assistant managing editor for public policy.
The latest Truth-O-Meter items from Tim Murphy
"If you are black or brown, you are nine times more likely to be stopped and frisked" in New York City.
Historically, the Social Security tax has been assessed on about 90% of U.S. income. Now it captures 83% because there's been such a growth of income among the highest earners.
Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev is buried "not far" from President Kennedy’s grave.
"Two years ago Providence alone spent $50,000 a year notifying the school department" about residents in the state's sex offender registry.
In Cranston, it costs $5,000 to $6,000 to send out community notifications on just one Level 3 sex offender.
North Korea has a "substantial standing army, one of the largest, certainly the largest per capita, in the world."
Proposed gun control legislation "will outlaw practically every firearm, make you pay $100 per firearm, put you into a police database" and make it "nearly impossible" to get a permit to carry a concealed weapon.
"If you are a federally licensed gun dealer and your license is revoked because you've engaged in misconduct ... your entire inventory under prevailing law is deemed your personal collection. You then can sell it free from any background checks."
"Narragansett Bay waters are getting warmer -- 4 degrees Fahrenheit warmer in the winter since the 1960s."
Right now, if Rhode Island police come across a young person with a gun, "they really don't legally have the right to take it away from them."
Recent stories from Tim Murphy
Gun claims examined by PolitiFactRI often misfireThe push for tougher gun control legislation continues in the General Assembly Tuesday, April 9, as state officials hold a news conference at the State House to promote a package of bills covering such issues as background checks, firearms safety, weapons sales and modifying penalties for existing gun laws.
PolitiFact Rhode Island's Top 10 for 2012Over the last 12 months, PolitiFact Rhode Island issued 117 Truth-O-Meter rulings, on claims ranging from Obamacare to school prayer to foreign aid. All had some Rhode Island connection, but many of the most-read items -- based on traffic on our PolitiFact Rhode Island website -- focused on issues far beyond the state’s borders. Thanks to the reach of the Internet, many have remained popular long after publication, in part because PolitiFact, with affiliates in 11 states, has become a go-to reference for people seeking to separate fact from fiction. So as a farewell to the year, we thought we’d share with you the PolitiFact Rhode Island Top Ten Most Widely Read rulings for 2012:
Before you vote, check the Truth-O-MeterOver the last several months, candidates have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to build themselves up and knock their opponents down. There have been attacks and counterattacks, scary TV ads, robo-calls and oversized campaign fliers clogging our mailboxes -- in other words, the fuel that sent our Truth-O-Meter into overdrive. Just in the weeks since the September primary, we issued two dozen rulings on claims made by candidates for federal and statewide offices. Not surprisingly, many were way off base. And -- perhaps surprisingly -- many were true. With the election just two days away, we decided to take a look back at some of our campaign rulings to help voters make up their minds. Here’s a sampling from key races:
Before you vote Tuesday, check the rulings The lively and occasionally bizarre primary fight between U.S. Rep. David N. Cicilline and business man Anthony Gemma in the 1st Congressional District has generated enough claims and counter-claims to keep our Truth-O-Meter spinning for weeks. But because the primary vote is Tuesday, we have taken a short break on fact-checking until the dust clears and the winners are picked. Meanwhile, as voters make up their minds, we thought we’d reprise some recent rulings in the 1st District race. Here’s a sample:
Checking the Truth-O-Meter readings for Cicilline, GemmaThe first major debate of Rhode Island's 2012 election season takes place Tuesday night at Rhode Island College as Democrats David Cicilline, the incumbent from the 1st Congressional District, and Anthony Gemma, the businessman making his second try for the seat, go head to head in an event co-sponsored by WPRI-TV and The Providence Journal. The PolitiFact Rhode Island team decided to use the occasion to revisit how the two candidates have scored on the Truth-O-Meter.
Do dog catchers have to release their tax returns?Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said Mitt Romney "couldn’t be confirmed as a dog catcher" because he has refused to release multiple years of tax returns. Our colleagues at PolitiFact.com checked the requirements for dog catchers and others in government.
Do dog catchers have to release their tax returns?Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said Mitt Romney "couldn’t be confirmed as a dog catcher" because he has refused to release multiple years of tax returns. We check the requirements for dog catchers and others in government.
It's True! We're two years old!Believe it or not, it's been two years since we published our first PolitiFact Rhode Island Truth-O-Meter ruling. On June 25, 2010, we joined a partnership with PolitiFact.com that has grown to include eleven states. Since then, we’ve published 230 Truth-O-Meter rulings, checking claims from politicians, talk-show hosts, bloggers, e-mailers, labor leaders and even a billboard. Our goal remains the same: to help readers separate fact from fiction in the public discourse. For the record, here’s our scorecard so far: True: 44. Mostly True: 30. Half True: 37. Mostly False: 32. False: 55. Pants on Fire: 32. Remember, If you see or hear a claim you’d like us to check, please send it to politifact@providencejournal.com.
The 38 Studios controversy: Of software sales and film creditsCurt Schilling's 38 Studios and his deal with the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation are in the news amid questions about whether the fledgling software company is in financial trouble. One option the company is reportedly seeking is taking advantage of the state's tax credit system for movie, television and video game productions. PolitiFact Rhode Island has examined claims made about the EDC deal and film tax credits in the past. In light of the debate, we thought it might be useful to remind readers what we found.
Super Bowl legends explored and exposedWe've all heard the myths about Super Bowl Sunday. Half-time flushes disable sewage plants. It's the worst day of the year for domestic violence. It's the best day of the year for pizza and beer sales. Because Super Bowl mania has swept New England, we decided to take a closer look at some of the claims. Turns out, most are out of bounds.
We want to hear your suggestions and comments. Email the Rhode Island Truth-O-Meter with feedback and with claims you'd like to see checked. If you send us a comment, we'll assume you don't mind us publishing it unless you tell us otherwise.
