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Looking for curious factual claims at Texas Tribune Festival

Texas

Rick Perry mighit not make it, but dozens of other speakers including Nancy Pelosi are penciled in to speak at the 2015 Texas Tribune Festival (Photo, Deborah Cannon/Austin American-Statesman, 2014).

By W. Gardner Selby October 15, 2015

Thanks to half a dozen student volunteers from the University of Texas and Austin Community College, we'll again be listening far and wide at the Texas Tribune Festival for curious factual claims.

And what are you hearing?

Feel free to tweet us here at any time about checking out a statement that makes you wonder.

We'll keep you posted too.

Sign up for PolitiFact texts

We're interested in what you are hearing that might merit a fact check.

Also, feel free to tweet us here at any time about checking out a statement that makes you wonder.

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

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

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

Donald Trump
stated on June 5, 2025 in a Truth Social post:

If the “Big, Beautiful” tax and spending bill doesn’t pass, “there will be a 68% tax increase.”

By Louis Jacobson • June 10, 2025
Social Media
stated on June 9, 2025 in social media posts:

California Gov. Gavin Newsom shared images taken in 2021 and said they showed National Guard troops sleeping on the floor in June 2025.

By Loreben Tuquero • June 10, 2025
X posts
stated on June 8, 2025 in an X post:

Video shows “Marines have arrived in Los Angeles” June 8 to respond to immigration protests.

By Loreben Tuquero • June 9, 2025
Facebook posts
stated on June 8, 2025 in a Facebook post:

“BREAKING: Rep. Maxine Waters calls for the United States to grant citizenship to every undocumented protester in Los Angeles” 2025 protests.

By Maria Briceño • June 9, 2025
X posts
stated on June 8, 2025 in X posts:

Video shows a police car burning during June 2025 Los Angeles protests.

By Loreben Tuquero • June 9, 2025
X posts
stated on June 2, 2025 in an X post:

Target “opts out of Pride month and replaced its Pride collection with an America First Summer display.”

By Gabrielle Lazor • June 6, 2025
Liz Oyer
stated on April 30, 2025 in a TikTok post:

“President Trump has granted pardons that have wiped out over $1 billion in debts owed by wealthy Americans who have committed fraud and broken the law.”

By Louis Jacobson • June 6, 2025
Russell Vought
stated on June 1, 2025 in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union":

“One out of every $5 or $6 in Medicaid (payments) is improper.”

By Louis Jacobson • June 4, 2025
Kathy Hochul
stated on May 5, 2025 in a television interview:

The state budget contains the largest middle class tax cut in 70 years.

By Jill Terreri Ramos • June 1, 2025
Viral image
stated on May 26, 2025 in an X post:

Image shows Ben & Jerry’s is selling “Free Palestine” and “From the River to Sea” ice cream flavors.

By Maria Briceño • May 30, 2025

✕