Becky BowersPolitiFact Staff Writer
Becky Bowers has worked since 2002 for the Tampa Bay Times, formerly the St. Petersburg Times, as a copy editor, wire editor, copy chief, business graphics reporter, online business editor, deputy business editor and deputy government & politics editor.
The latest Truth-O-Meter items from Becky Bowers
Says under Mitt Romney, "Medicare could end as we know it, leaving Julia with nothing but a voucher to buy insurance, which means $6,350 extra per year for a similar plan."
After they bought GST Steel, "Mitt Romney and his partners loaded it with debt, closed the Kansas City plant and walked away with a healthy profit, leaving hundreds of employees out of work with their pensions in jeopardy."
Says Mitt Romney "has refused to say whether he would have vetoed or signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act."
Says the stimulus bill sent tax credits overseas, such as "tens of millions of dollars to build traffic lights in China."
Says the stimulus bill sent tax credits overseas, such as "half a billion to an electric car company that created hundreds of jobs in Finland."
Says the stimulus bill sent tax credits overseas, such as "$1.2 billion to a solar company that's building a plant in Mexico."
Says Mitt Romney's comments indicated he would not have pursued Osama bin Laden.
"We’ve got four Supreme Court justices who … signed their name to a declaration that Americans have no fundamental right to self-defense."
Gas prices have doubled because "Obama opposed exploring for energy in Alaska. He gave millions of tax dollars to Solyndra, which then went bankrupt. And he blocked the Keystone pipeline. So we will all pay more at the pump."
Recent stories from Becky Bowers
Americans for Prosperity's traffic light claimIs stimulus money paying for traffic lights on Chinese streets? That's a claim made by Americans for Prosperity in a TV ad running in Ohio and seven other states. The ad blames President Barack Obama for sending stimulus money overseas while Americans are out of work. The claim about traffic lights is the third one we've checked out.
TV ad claims stimulus ships tax dollars overseasA TV ad on the air in Florida says President Obama's economic stimulus sent tax credits to Mexico, Finland and China. But the facts tell a different story.
Line by line: How an ad uses sleight-of-hand to distort facts on stimulusAn ad from Americans for Prosperity is a case study in how to weave falsehoods, exaggerations and the occasional fact. We take a closer look.
Americans for Prosperity cites stimulus for FinlandIs your tax money paying for jobs in Finland? That's one of the claims in an ad Americans for Prosperity is airing in eight states, including Ohio. The ad takes aim at President Barack Obama, claiming that stimulus money was sent overseas while Americans are out of work. The claim about Finland is the second one we've checked out.
Checking the claims from Americans for ProsperityAmericans for Prosperity takes aim at President Barack Obama in a ad running in Ohio and seven other states, claiming that stimulus money was sent overseas while Americans are out of work. "Tell President Obama, American tax dollars should help American taxpayers," the narrator says. Instead, $2.3 billion in tax credits funded jobs in Mexico, Finland and China, the ad claims. We checked it out the so-called funding for jobs in Mexico and found the claim somewhat incendiary.
A flurry of Half TruesAs the general election campaign heats up, we're seeing a lot of cherry-picking and partially accurate claims.
In Context: Ted Nugent saying if Obama wins, 'I will either be dead or in jail'Conservative rocker Ted Nugent grabbed the attention of the Secret Service when he discussed President Barack Obama at this weekend's NRA convention. Here's what "Uncle Ted" told the "stone-cold, hell-raisin' bad mofos."
In Context: Hilary Rosen saying Ann Romney 'never worked a day in her life'Our latest installment in our In Context series putting controversial statements in their full context: what Democratic strategist and CNN political contributor Hilary Rosen said about Ann Romney's work experience.
Fake 'Arizona border raid' a lie that won't dieA version of a chain email debunked two years ago makes fresh rounds — with a fresh date. "Why was there no news coverage of this raid on the Arizona border? ... Seizure was just five days ago. Right on the Arizona border!" Just five days ago? On the Arizona border? Nope.
Want to invoke our Lie of the Year? Get it rightPolitiFact’s 2011 Lie of the Year got some attention on the House floor Wednesday as lawmakers debated Rep. Paul Ryan's budget proposal. But several of them played fast and loose with our award-winner. Here's what we said — and didn't say — about changes to Medicare.
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