PolitiFact.com
Statements about Transparency
Jim Taricani

Jim Taricani

Half-True

EDC is out of its own loop

"No one knows who bought the [38 Studios] bonds. And there was some language put in the bond offer that they must remain anonymous."

William Perry

William Perry

Half-True

Depends on your definition of "we"

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed held not one conversation with the public about the new Falcons stadium project

Tim Knopp

Tim Knopp

Mostly True

After he cashed out his account in 2010

Knopp says he upheld a campaign promise not to join the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS).

David Cicilline

David Cicilline

Mostly False

Access delayed, access denied.

"The auditor [for the city of Providence] was not locked out" of access to the city's finances.

Sheldon Whitehouse

Sheldon Whitehouse

Mostly True

The candidates have helped

"An April study found that about 70 percent of ads in this election cycle have been negative [due to SuperPACs], up from only 9 percent through the same period in 2008."

Kasim Reed

Kasim Reed

Half-True

Accurate but meaningless

The recent process of awarding $3 billion worth of airport vending contracts was the "most open and transparent procurement process in the city’s history."

Kathleen Falk

Kathleen Falk

Mostly False

Quiet? Very. Secret? Not if announced by news release

Says Gov. Scott Walker signed abortion, sex education and discrimination bills "in secret."

Andrew Napolitano

Andrew Napolitano

Pants on Fire!

Public debate, public votes, routine signing

A bill that could restrict free speech when the president is nearby was signed by President Barack Obama "in secret."

New Hampshire Republican Party

New Hampshire Republican Party

Mostly False

Skipped them in 2008-09, but held many since

Says former U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter refused to host town hall meetings during her time in Congress.

Kathleen Falk

Kathleen Falk

Half-True

Mixed bag on what he releases and when

Says Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker doesn't make his calendar public -- "he's on our dime and we don't know where he is."

Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney

Half-True

Except when they don't

"In campaigns in the past with Sen. McCain and President George W. Bush and others, they have tended to release tax records in April."

Democratic National Committee

Democratic National Committee

Mostly True

Most candidates do

"Traditionally, presidential candidates release their tax returns . . . Mitt Romney still won’t."

Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney

True

Deleting e-mails is standard practice for Mass. governors

Says he followed state law and the precedent of other Massachusetts governors when he erased electronic communications as he left office.

Josh Mandel

Josh Mandel

True

Disclosure aims to dodge trip wires

Ilana Shafran Mandel’s stake in Forest City Enterprises "constitutes significantly less than 1 percent" of the company’s shares and any implication of a conflict of interest "is legally incorrect."

Ash Williams

Ash Williams

False

Legislature discussed for a total of 36 minutes

"The (State Board of Administration) transparency issue got a great airing the last legislative session."

Samuel DeMaio

Samuel DeMaio

False

He could if he wanted to

Says he can’t release his internal affairs record because there are Attorney General guidelines in place protecting it.

Newsmax

Newsmax

Mostly True

Slightly overheated but basically correct

"The refusal of many federal employees to fly coach costs taxpayers $146 million annually."

Michael McCaul

Michael McCaul

True

Earmark-less

"I stopped requesting earmarks in 2008."

John Boehner

John Boehner

True

The focus is on transparency

Says the House Rules Committee is the only panel, other than the Intelligence and Ethics committees, not able to telecast proceedings in its main hearing room.

Ted Strickland

Ted Strickland

Pants on Fire!

Selective editing puts all the lines together

"Congressman Kasich wants to use our tax dollars to give secret bonuses to his corporate friends."

Advertisement
How to contact us:

We want to hear your suggestions and comments. For tips or comments on our campaign promise database, please e-mail the Obameter. If you are commenting on a specific promise, please include the promise number. For comments about our Truth-O-Meter or Flip-O-Meter items, please e-mail the Truth-O-Meter. We’re especially interested in seeing any chain e-mails you receive that you would like us to check out. If you send us a comment, we'll assume you don't mind us publishing it unless you tell us otherwise.

Browse the The Truth-O-MeterTM:
Browse The Obameter:
Subscribe:

Keep up to date with Politifact National: