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Factually flawed Christmas claims

Texas

An evangelical activist decried the lack of the word Christmas on this year's holiday cups at Starbucks. (Starbucks)

By W. Gardner Selby December 24, 2015

Amy Sherman

By Amy Sherman December 24, 2015

Did President Obama rename Christmas trees "holiday trees?"

Did Starbucks peel Christmas off its cups?

Closer to Texas, did the State Board of Education consider eliminating references to Christmas in textbooks?

Here’s the not-so-fast skinny on these flawed claims, thanks to Amy Sherman of the Miami Herald and PolitiFact Florida.

Merry Christmas!

(And what do you hear that we should fact-check out there? We’d also love to have you LIKE our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.)

Read a sampling of flawed Christmas claims in this story by Amy Sherman of the Miami Herald and PolitiFact Florida.

stated on October 25, 2018 in a TV ad:

Says Ken Paxton "shut down the world’s largest human trafficking marketplace."

barely-true

barely-true

stated on October 22, 2018 in a rally for Republican candidates in Houston:

Says Beto O’Rourke "voted to shield MS-13 gang members from deportation."

barely-true

barely-true

stated on October 16, 2018 in a debate televised from San Antonio:

Says "only one other senator from either party over the last 25 years" has "a worse record on bipartisanship" than Ted Cruz.

true

true

Alexander Strenger

stated on October 1, 2018 in response cited in an interactive voter guide:

Says 60 percent of Austin’s "waterways are found to be contaminated with fecal matter and deemed unsafe to swim."

half-true

half-true

stated on September 29, 2018 in an Austin rally:

Says that in Texas, "you can be too gay to adopt" a foster child "who needs a loving home."

half-true

half-true

stated on September 21, 2018 in a debate at Southern Methodist University:

Says Beto O’Rourke described police as "modern-day Jim Crow."

barely-true

barely-true

stated on September 21, 2018 in a debate at Southern Methodist University:

Says he "did not try to leave the scene of the accident" that led to his arrest for driving while intoxicated.

barely-true

barely-true

stated on September 12, 2018 in a TV ad:

Says Beto O’Rourke voted "against body armor for Texas sheriffs patrolling the border."

false

false

stated on August 26, 2018 in an interview on Fox & Friends:

Says Texas has "had over 600,000 crimes committed by illegals since 2011. Over 1,200 homicides."

pants-fire

pants-fire

stated on August 30, 2018 in a TV ad:

Says Texas "high school graduation rates are at all-time highs."

true

true

stated on September 4, 2018 in a video:

Says Beto O’Rourke said he’s grateful that people are burning or desecrating the American flag.

false

false

stated on August 28, 2018 in an online video ad:

Says Beto O’Rourke "voted against" Hurricane Harvey "tax relief."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on August 21, 2018 in an interview on Spectrum Cable's "Capital Tonight":

Says U.S. Rep. John Carter "hasn’t held a town hall in five years."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on July 26, 2018 in an ad in the Houston Defender:

Says "black Americans have 10 times less wealth than white Americans."

mostly-true

mostly-true

Silvestre Reyes

stated on May 22, 2012 in a TV ad:

Says Beto O’Rourke "has a criminal record that includes DWI and burglary arrests."

true

true

Benny Johnson
stated on January 16, 2026 in an X post:

Video showing a vacant lot at a Venice, California, address where 26 voters were registered exposes voter fraud.

By Maria Briceño • January 21, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on January 5, 2026 in a graphic on Truth Social and Instagram:

The former U.S. childhood vaccine schedule called for babies to get “72 injections.”

By Grace Abels • January 15, 2026
Mark Warner
stated on January 11, 2026 in una entrevista:

“No están recibiendo el entrenamiento tradicional de cinco meses… .El entrenamiento para los agentes de ICE ahora es de 47 días”.

By Madison Czopek • January 15, 2026
Social Media
stated on January 11, 2026 in social media posts:

A letter sent to postal service employees about working during emergencies such as civil unrest is a sign that President Donald Trump will impose martial law.

By Amy Sherman • January 15, 2026
Mehmet Oz
stated on January 6, 2026 in an interview on Fox News:

“By federal law, if you sign someone up for Medicaid, you also give them the right to vote. … This is political patronage at the expense of Medicaid.”

By Amy Sherman • January 14, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on January 13, 2026 in a speech in Detroit:

"If we stop this fraud, this massive fraud, we're going to have a balanced budget."

By Louis Jacobson • January 13, 2026
Social Media
stated on January 11, 2026 in social media posts:

A document shows Minnesota shooting victim Renee Good had a record of child abuse.

By Loreben Tuquero • January 12, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on January 11, 2026 in remarks to reporters:

Credit card companies would be “in violation of the law” if they don’t cap interest rates at 10% by Jan. 20.

By Louis Jacobson • January 12, 2026
Mark Warner
stated on January 11, 2026 in an interview:

“They are not getting the traditional five months training. … The training for the ICE agents now is 47 days.”

By Madison Czopek • January 12, 2026
Social Media
stated on January 7, 2026 in social media posts:

Images of an unmasked man show the immigration officer who shot a woman in Minneapolis.

By Loreben Tuquero • January 8, 2026