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Smoking out Rick Perry, David Dewhurst and Joe Straus

Republican leaders Joe Straus, Rick Perry and David Dewhurst (May 2011 photo by Rodolfo Gonzalez, Austin American-Statesman). Republican leaders Joe Straus, Rick Perry and David Dewhurst (May 2011 photo by Rodolfo Gonzalez, Austin American-Statesman).

Republican leaders Joe Straus, Rick Perry and David Dewhurst (May 2011 photo by Rodolfo Gonzalez, Austin American-Statesman).

By W. Gardner Selby January 7, 2013

The state’s Republican leaders--Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus--have each met the Texas Truth-O-Meter.

Perry, who ran for president in 2010, has been checked more than 100 times, his sidekicks/compadres less often.

A few times--a dozen times in Perry’s case--the results have been smoky (peek at some examples to the right or click to PolitiFact National’s dissection of Perry’s claim that Barack Obama is a socialist or its look at a Perry claim about the federal government not engaging in border security.)

As Texas lawmakers settle in for the 2013 legislative session, peruse Perry’s full PolitiFact report card here; his claims have come out True or Mostly True more than 30 times. See Dewhurst’s report card here and Straus’s admittedly brief report card here.

And remember: Email or call us, at 512-445-3644, if you hear something that might merit closer review.

We'll be seeing some of you at the Capitol.

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Smoking out Rick Perry, David Dewhurst and Joe Straus