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Introducing ... PunditFact!

National

Angie Drobnic Holan

By Angie Drobnic Holan November 4, 2013

Today, we’re pleased to announce the official launch of PunditFact, a partnership of PolitiFact and the Poynter Institute, the journalism school that owns the Tampa Bay Times.

PunditFact has a team of journalists to research claims by pundits and other media figures and rate them using PolitiFact’s Truth-O-Meter. Though its findings will be highlighted here at PolitiFact from time to time, PunditFact has its own online home at www.punditfact.com.

Although PolitiFact has occasionally fact-checked pundits and talk show hosts, PunditFact marks the first time that journalists and a website have been dedicated to fact-checking people in the media.

Go to the PunditFact homepage to read a welcome message from PunditFact editor Aaron Sharockman, including PunditFact’s official answer to the question, "What is a pundit?"

PunditFact also fact-checked the Sunday news shows of Nov. 3, when nearly two-dozen pundits appeared on five shows to analyze the recent woes of President Barack Obama’s health care law.

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PunditFact.com

Janet Napolitano

stated on August 27, 2013 in a speech at the National Press Club:

The 2010 DREAM Act failed despite "strong bipartisan support."

barely-true

barely-true

stated on May 29, 2013 in a chain email:

Says the word "Dhimmitude" is on page 107 of the health care law and means "Muslims are specifically exempted from the government mandate to purchase insurance."

pants-fire

pants-fire

stated on May 3, 2013 in a position on legislation:

On an early date for Florida's presidential primary

full-flop

full-flop

stated on September 27, 2020 in a speech:

Says Amy Coney Barrett “has a written track record, disagreeing adamantly with the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the ACA. In fact, she publicly criticized Chief Justice Roberts’ opinion upholding the law eight years ago.”

mostly-true

mostly-true

Instagram posts

stated on September 22, 2020 in an Instagram post:

Like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, Amy Coney Barrett has said her “end goal is to end the separation of church and state & build a ‘Kingdom of God’ in the United States.”

false

false

stated on March 23, 2019 in a speech:

Says that the Council on American-Islamic Relations was founded in response to 9/11.

false

false

stated on September 4, 2016 in an interview on "Meet the Press":

Says Hillary Clinton "wants to increase Syrian refugees to this country by 550 percent."

true

true

Antonio Sabato Jr.

stated on July 19, 2016 in an interview with ABC News:

Says President Barack Obama is "absolutely" a Muslim.

pants-fire

pants-fire

stated on June 22, 2016 in a speech in New York City:

Says Hillary Clinton "said she was under attack (in Bosnia) but the attack turned out to be young girls handing her flowers."

true

true

stated on January 17, 2016 in an interview on "Meet the Press":

Hostages were released as soon as Ronald Reagan took office because Iran perceived that America was "no longer under the command of someone weak."

pants-fire

pants-fire

stated on September 27, 2015 in an interview on ABC's "This Week":

"We've had examples like in Yuma County, where we've been able to stop 97 percent of the illegal (immigration) flow, and those programs, they abolish."

barely-true

barely-true

stated on October 14, 2014 in a campaign ad:

Says Rick Scott changed his promise from 700,000 jobs created "on top of what normal growth would be" to just 700,000 jobs.

true

true

stated on March 3, 2014 in in an interview on CNN:

On the economic stimulus.

half-flip

half-flip

Americans For Tax Reform

stated on April 14, 2014 in in a press release:

"Obama has proposed 442 tax hikes since taking office."

barely-true

barely-true

National Republican Congressional Committee

stated on February 12, 2014 in a television ad:

"300,000 Floridians will lose their current health plans" because of Obamacare, a plan Alex Sink supports.

half-true

half-true

Janet Napolitano

stated on August 27, 2013 in a speech at the National Press Club:

The 2010 DREAM Act failed despite "strong bipartisan support."

barely-true

barely-true

stated on May 29, 2013 in a chain email:

Says the word "Dhimmitude" is on page 107 of the health care law and means "Muslims are specifically exempted from the government mandate to purchase insurance."

pants-fire

pants-fire

stated on May 3, 2013 in a position on legislation:

On an early date for Florida's presidential primary

full-flop

full-flop

stated on September 27, 2020 in a speech:

Says Amy Coney Barrett “has a written track record, disagreeing adamantly with the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the ACA. In fact, she publicly criticized Chief Justice Roberts’ opinion upholding the law eight years ago.”

mostly-true

mostly-true

Instagram posts

stated on September 22, 2020 in an Instagram post:

Like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, Amy Coney Barrett has said her “end goal is to end the separation of church and state & build a ‘Kingdom of God’ in the United States.”

false

false

stated on March 23, 2019 in a speech:

Says that the Council on American-Islamic Relations was founded in response to 9/11.

false

false

X posts
stated on April 30, 2025 in captions and posts:

A video clip shows Michelle Obama describing herself as “a Black man.”

By Madison Czopek • May 2, 2025
Charles Schumer
stated on April 27, 2025 in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union":

“It's estimated” that President Donald Trump’s tariffs will mean “American families would have to pay about $4,000 more a year.”

By Louis Jacobson • May 2, 2025
Pam Bondi
stated on April 29, 2025 in an X post:

In President Donald Trump’s first 100 days, fentanyl seizures saved “119 million” to “258 million” lives.

By Maria Ramirez Uribe • May 1, 2025
Donald Trump
stated on April 29, 2025 in an interview with ABC News:

Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia “had ‘MS-13’ on his knuckles tattooed. … He had ‘MS’ as clear as you can be. Not 'interpreted.’”

By Louis Jacobson • April 30, 2025
Brian Tyler Cohen
stated on April 12, 2025 in an X post:

Trump “just denied North Carolina’s request for FEMA relief from Hurricane Helene.”

By Paul Specht • April 24, 2025
Donald Trump
stated on April 22, 2025 in remarks at the White House:

“We had a couple of states where gasoline was at $1.98 a gallon.”

By Louis Jacobson • April 24, 2025
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense In America
stated on April 17, 2025 in a Threads post:

“Gun violence is the leading killer of college-aged people in the U.S.”

By Loreben Tuquero • April 22, 2025
Michael Lawler
stated on March 21, 2025 in a television interview:

“If we don’t pass the tax bill by the end of the year, we will have the largest tax increase in American history.”

By Jill Terreri Ramos • April 22, 2025
TikTok posts
stated on April 21, 2025 in TikTok posts:

“The Simpsons” predicted Pope Francis’ 2025 death.

By Claire Cranford • April 22, 2025
X posts
stated on April 13, 2025 in a post on X:

Arizona Democrats “needed a lawsuit to force them to remove 50,000 noncitizens from voter rolls.”

By Madison Czopek • April 18, 2025

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