PolitiFact | PunditFact

The Poynter Institute

PunditFact is a project of the Poynter Institute, dedicated to checking the accuracy of claims by pundits, columnists, bloggers, political analysts, the hosts and guests of talk shows, and other members of the media.

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Mostly True

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Mostly False

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Pants on Fire

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All Fact-checks for PunditFact

stated on February 24, 2020 in an episode of his radio show

“The coronavirus is the common cold, folks.”

true

false

stated on February 5, 2020 in a tweet

Says a video proves Pelosi “was planning” to rip up President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address “from the start.”

true

false

stated on February 4, 2020 in a tweet

"Nancy Pelosi may have just committed a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2071, Section 2071 (a) when she ripped up President Trump’s State of the Union address. This violation is punishable by up to three years in prison.”

true

pants-fire

stated on February 4, 2020 in comments on CNN

“Traditionally, the Speaker says: ‘Members of Congress, I have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you the President of the United States.’ (Tonight) Speaker Pelosi said, ‘Members of Congress, the President of the United States.’ "

true

true

stated on February 2, 2020 in a tweet

Says "EIGHT Iowa counties have more adults registered to vote than voting-aged adults living there.”

true

false

stated on December 15, 2019 in an interview with the Atlantic

Says the Potomac River "has gotten dirtier and dirtier and dirtier and dirtier. I go down there and that litter is left almost exclusively by immigrants."

true

pants-fire

stated on December 7, 2019 in an interview

Says the impeachment of President Donald Trump would be the first in U.S. history "without a specific criminal statute or crime that the president who is impeached would have allegedly committed."

true

half-true

stated on October 31, 2019 in a CNN panel discussion

Says Democrats "have issued more subpoenas than they’ve passed bills."

true

false

stated on October 25, 2019 in a statement on his radio show

Says House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump "doesn’t feature the opposition party, it doesn’t feature cross-examination."

true

false

Andrew Napolitano

stated on October 24, 2019 in an interview

The impeachment inquiry hearings "going on behind closed doors over which Congressman Schiff is presiding—they are consistent with the rules" of the U.S. House of Representatives.

true

true

stated on October 20, 2019 in an MSNBC appearance

"President Trump has sent 14,000 American troops to the (Middle East) region since May. So he can't tell his political rallies that he's getting troops out of endless wars when he's sending 14 times the amount back into the region."

true

true

stated on October 11, 2019 in a Facebook post

Says Fox News anchor Shepard Smith stepped down after Attorney General William Barr "had a closed door meeting with Rupert Murdoch."

true

false

stated on October 3, 2019 in on Fox News's "Hannity"

Says the whistleblower hired "left-wing lawyers, left-wing firms, Soros involved in funding one of them."

true

barely-true

stated on September 29, 2019 in a tweet

"Barack Obama asked Ukraine to investigate his political rival's campaign manager, 3 Democrat senators asked Ukraine to investigate Trump, and the DNC solicited Ukraine's help to dig up dirt on Trump."

true

barely-true

stated on October 1, 2019 in a tweet

"If the impeachment reaches the house and passes to the senate and isn’t passed the first term is nullified and Trump can run two more terms."

true

pants-fire

stated on September 16, 2019 in a viral meme

Says Elizabeth Warren "was paid $400,000 to teach one class."

true

half-true

stated on September 10, 2019 in a TV segment

Says John Bolton "fundamentally was a man of the left."

true

pants-fire

Stanley Greenberg

stated on September 9, 2019 in his book, "RIP GOP"

"What was the reality for most Americans during the Obama presidency? Most lost wealth and their incomes fell, particularly for those at the bottom of the ladder."

true

mostly-true

Samuel Sinyangwe

stated on August 30, 2019 in a tweet

"America has more governors who’ve worn blackface than black governors."

true

true

Whoopi Goldberg

stated on September 3, 2019 in an episode of ABC's "The View"

"The last time people (created a Hollywood blacklist), people ended up killing themselves … They were accused, and they lost their right to work."

true

true

All the president’s pundits: Meet Trump’s TV-ready impeachment defense team

All the president’s pundits: Meet Trump’s TV-ready impeachment defense team

By Bill McCarthy • January 21, 2020

Looking back: Tulsi Gabbard’s Fox News presence in the Obama years

Looking back: Tulsi Gabbard’s Fox News presence in the Obama years

By Bill McCarthy • November 22, 2019

Who is John Solomon? Here’s what we know about the journalist whose stories shaped the Ukraine saga

Who is John Solomon? Here’s what we know about the journalist whose stories shaped the Ukraine saga

By Bill McCarthy • November 19, 2019

What William Taylor, George Kent said when asked if Donald Trump’s phone call was impeachable

What William Taylor, George Kent said when asked if Donald Trump’s phone call was impeachable

By Bill McCarthy • November 14, 2019

Fox News airs misleading graphics about Schiff, Taylor

Fox News airs misleading graphics about Schiff, Taylor

By Bill McCarthy • November 13, 2019

No proof Biden or Kerry channeled U.S. aid for Ukraine to Burisma

No proof Biden or Kerry channeled U.S. aid for Ukraine to Burisma

By Bill McCarthy • November 11, 2019

Does marijuana lead to violence? Experts say there’s no clear link

Does marijuana lead to violence? Experts say there’s no clear link

By Bill McCarthy • September 4, 2019

Tucker Carlson says white supremacy is a hoax. Here are 5 reasons why that’s wrong

Tucker Carlson says white supremacy is a hoax. Here are 5 reasons why that’s wrong

By John Kruzel • August 7, 2019

Checking out Neil deGrasse Tyson’s comparison of mass shootings to other causes of death

Checking out Neil deGrasse Tyson’s comparison of mass shootings to other causes of death

By Bill McCarthy • August 7, 2019

Could Trump (or any president) be indicted after leaving office? Mueller, legal experts say yes

Could Trump (or any president) be indicted after leaving office? Mueller, legal experts say yes

By Bill McCarthy • July 26, 2019

The facts on advertiser boycotts against cable news networks

The facts on advertiser boycotts against cable news networks

By Bill McCarthy • July 22, 2019

Fox News guest says if Trump's hotel revenues are ‘emoluments,’ so was Obama's Nobel. Not exactly

Fox News guest says if Trump's hotel revenues are ‘emoluments,’ so was Obama's Nobel. Not exactly

By Bill McCarthy • July 11, 2019

Fact-checking Larry Elder’s reparations chatter on 'Fox & Friends'

Fact-checking Larry Elder’s reparations chatter on 'Fox & Friends'

By Bill McCarthy • June 26, 2019

How pundits defended Trump's ABC interview, and why it's misleading

How pundits defended Trump's ABC interview, and why it's misleading

By Bill McCarthy • June 13, 2019

In context: Sean Hannity’s conflicting remarks on jailing political opponents

In context: Sean Hannity’s conflicting remarks on jailing political opponents

By Bill McCarthy • June 11, 2019

Same day, different story: NYT, WSJ use different frames for far-right extremism

Same day, different story: NYT, WSJ use different frames for far-right extremism

By John Kruzel • April 11, 2019

Did Michael Cohen’s testimony back up BuzzFeed’s beleaguered scoop?

Did Michael Cohen’s testimony back up BuzzFeed’s beleaguered scoop?

By John Kruzel • February 28, 2019

Jared Kushner appears to have misled Congress about his security clearance

Jared Kushner appears to have misled Congress about his security clearance

By John Kruzel • February 26, 2019

What Rod Rosenstein's role means to the Mueller probe

What Rod Rosenstein's role means to the Mueller probe

By John Kruzel • September 24, 2018

Fact-checking Fox News analyst’s pro-Trump book ‘The Russia Hoax’

Fact-checking Fox News analyst’s pro-Trump book ‘The Russia Hoax’

By John Kruzel • August 2, 2018