PolitiFact Senior Writer
Louis Jacobson is a senior writer for PolitiFact and the Tampa Bay Times. He has served as deputy editor of Roll Call and as founding editor of its legislative wire service, CongressNow. Earlier, he spent more than a decade covering politics, policy and lobbying for National Journal magazine. Since 2002, he has handicapped political races, including state legislatures, governors, congressional seats, state attorneys general and the electoral college, currently for Governing. In 2004, Jacobson originated the “Out There” column on politics in the states, which ran in Roll Call and later in Stateline.org and which won five annual awards from Capitolbeat, the association of state capitol reporters and editors.
The latest Truth-O-Meter items from Louis Jacobson
Says that since he took office, "there have been no large-scale attacks on the United States."
A law that mandates fingerprinting for gun purchasers is "a requirement that's reduced gun crimes in the five states where it's the law."
"The IRS doesn't have to prove something against you ... you've got the burden of proof."
The IRS is going to be "in charge" of "a huge national database" on health care that will include Americans’ "personal, intimate, most close-to-the-vest-secrets."
The IRS is "going to be in charge of our health care."
"The IRS will have the ability potentially" to deny or delay health care.
"The Affordable Care Act is bringing the cost of health care in our country down."
"Over the last several months, there was a review board headed by two distinguished Americans, Mike Mullen and Tom Pickering, who investigated every element of" the Benghazi incident.
When Susan Rice spoke about Benghazi on Sunday news shows, she said "that al-Qaida might be involved, or other al-Qaida affiliates might be involved, or non-al-Qaida Libyan extremists, which I think demonstrates that there was no effort to play that down."
"In 2010, everybody said you can't dare let guns go into the national parks, and of course the rapes, murders, robberies and assaults are down about 85 percent since we did that."
Recent stories from Louis Jacobson
As the IRS sits in the hot seat, we check tax factsWe looked at two claims -- one by a Republican lawmaker, one by a Democratic lawmaker -- that go to the heart of whether the IRS is too fearsome, or not doing enough
As the IRS sits in the hot seat, we check tax factsWe looked at two claims -- one by a Republican lawmaker, one by a Democratic lawmaker -- that go to the heart of whether the IRS is too fearsome, or not doing enough.
Fact-checking Michele Bachmann on the IRS and the health care lawBachmann's statements get a Mostly False, a False and a Pants on Fire!
Fact-checking claims about the attacks in BenghaziThe deaths of four Americans at a diplomatic outpost in Libya have fueled a war of words between Republicans in Congress and President Barack Obama. We compare the rhetoric with the facts.
Fact-checking claims about the attacks in BenghaziThe deaths of four Americans at a diplomatic outpost in Libya have fueled a war of words between Republicans in Congress and President Barack Obama. We compare the rhetoric with the facts.
Fact-checking more claims about the sequesterBroad-based cuts to the federal budget are starting to have an impact on states and cities. We look at our latest round of fact-checks on the cuts known as sequestration.
Fact-checking more claims about the sequesterBroad-based cuts to the federal budget are starting to have an impact on states and cities. We look at our latest round of fact-checks on the cuts known as sequestration.
Did crime plummet after U.S. let guns into national parks?We debunk the claim that rapes, murders, robberies and assaults dropped 85 percent after guns were allowed in the national parks.
The Senate takes up immigrationSenators begin marking up proposed immigration legislation. We cut through what's true and what's not in the debate.
The Senate takes up immigrationSenators begin marking up proposed immigration legislation. We cut through what's true and what's not in the debate.
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