Warren's DNA test: What it can and can't tell us

Warren's DNA test: What it can and can't tell us

In Washington race, homes for unwed mothers get new debate

In Washington race, homes for unwed mothers get new debate

Democratic Party mailer hits Leah Vukmir on 'Buy America'

Democratic Party mailer hits Leah Vukmir on 'Buy America'

Pre-existing conditions: Do GOP proposals match the ACA?

Pre-existing conditions: Do GOP proposals match the ACA?

Rulings from PolitiFact National

"I have no financial interests in Saudi Arabia." — Donald Trump
Says congressional candidate Dino Rossi once suggested "the state build homes for unwed mothers." ... — Washington State Democratic Party
"The latest round of tariffs now means that the total tax increase on Americans ... — National Taxpayers Union
Says Washington’s Kim Schrier has a plan to eliminate employer-provided health coverage, double income ... — National Republican Congressional Committee
Says that Steve Watkins "bragged to voters that he built his company from scratch, ... — Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Says Minnesota congressional candidate Jim Hagedorn supports a plan that would take away health ... — VoteVets.org
"At (Mike Braun’s) company, the deductible on his health care is $10,000." — Joe Donnelly
Says Kentucky Rep. Andy Barr "would let shady payday lenders take advantage of our ... — With Honor
Says Marsha Blackburn "voted against the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which ... — Taylor Swift
Says New Jersey Rep. Leonard Lance voted repeatedly "to let insurance companies charge more ... — Tom Malinowski
"Every single Democrat in the U.S. Senate has signed up for the open borders, ... — Donald Trump
Says that Minnesota Democratic congressional candidate Dean Phillips doesn’t offer health insurance for his ... — National Republican Congressional Committee
Says "On the Public Service Commission, (Kevin Cramer) raised his pay to over $93,650." — Heidi Heitkamp
Says a bill co-sponsored by Sen. Claire McCaskill "would give a free pass to ... — Josh Hawley
"Some of the Democrats have been talking about ending (coverage for) pre-existing conditions." — Donald Trump

The Latest from PunditFact

Mostly True

Letter of the law?

Mitchell

Andrea Mitchell

A letter to President Donald Trump from 22 senators "is a way of saying to the president, ‘You are now under an affirmative requirement, legal requirement, to investigate' " journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance and suspected murder.

— PunditFact on Tuesday, October 16th, 2018

Half-True

Not yet

West

In Wisconsin, Foxconn has "4,000 jobs, people making $53,000 a year."

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Friday, October 12th, 2018

False

False verdict

Carter

The 5-4 decisions the Supreme Court reaches "are going up."

— PunditFact on Friday, October 12th, 2018

Pants on Fire!

Not #MeToo

Feuerstein

Joshua Feuerstein

Says #MeToo movement sign suggested assaulting First Lady Melania Trump.

— PolitiFact Facebook fact-checks on Thursday, October 11th, 2018

Pants on Fire!

A ridiculous leap

Bloggers

"Kavanaugh accuser’s brother’s firm linked to Fusion GPS."

— PolitiFact Facebook fact-checks on Friday, September 21st, 2018

Pants on Fire!

A flood of falsehoods

Viral image

Says CNN’s Anderson Cooper stood in a ditch during Hurricane Florence to exaggerate water levels.

— PolitiFact Facebook fact-checks on Tuesday, September 18th, 2018

True

Hannity said that, but O'Rourke didn't send text

Bloggers

Says Sean Hannity told listeners of his radio show that "Beto O’Rourke is asking for help in getting undocumented to vote."

— PunditFact on Friday, September 14th, 2018

Mostly True

Yes, though not purely GOP's fault

Scarborough

Joe Scarborough

"President Trump’s Republican Party will create more debt in one year than was generated in the first 200 years of America’s existence."

— PunditFact on Wednesday, September 12th, 2018

Half-True

ISPs under fire

Fight for the Future

Fight for the Future

"We saw the true danger of the FCC's net neutrality repeal when Verizon was caught throttling California fire fighters."

— PunditFact on Friday, September 7th, 2018

False

Study's design pre-ordained that result

Trump

Says "96 percent of (Google News) results on ‘Trump News’ are from National Left-Wing Media."

— PolitiFact National on Wednesday, August 29th, 2018

False

Rush to judgment

Limbaugh

"It appears that the (Jacksonville) shooter was part of the Trump 'Resistance'."

— PunditFact on Tuesday, August 28th, 2018

Pants on Fire!

No treason = no pardon

Bloggers

"John McCain was pardoned for treason"

— PunditFact on Monday, August 27th, 2018

Pants on Fire!

Defies logic

Coulter

"The Dutch (Afrikaners) were" in South Africa "first."

— PunditFact on Monday, August 27th, 2018

False

No black business boom

Bloggers

"Black business ownership jumped 400% in one year."

— PunditFact on Monday, August 27th, 2018

Pants on Fire!

No one appointed yet

Bloggers

"BREAKING: Sheriff Joe Arpaio will take over (John) McCain’s seat in the Senate."

— PunditFact on Monday, August 27th, 2018

Pants on Fire!

Fails our truth test

Bloggers

"US President D. Trump Approves Scholarship for 50,000 African Student to Study in USA 2018"

— PunditFact on Monday, August 27th, 2018

Pants on Fire!

He never said that

Bloggers

"Trump: ‘I am sending troops to South Africa and they will not leave until the killing stop and the land issue resolved.’ "

— PunditFact on Friday, August 24th, 2018

Mostly False

A far out claim

Bloggers

"NASA says an asteroid bigger than a football pitch is heading towards Earth."

— PunditFact on Friday, August 24th, 2018

Half-True

Worked for Hillary in 2015, then switched to Trump

Bloggers

"Omarosa Exposed: Turns out she was actually working for Hillary"

— PunditFact on Thursday, August 23rd, 2018

Pants on Fire!

Drift away from this claim

Bloggers

"JUST IN: Actor ‘Vin Deisel’ dies after a Failed Attempt to Perfect a Stunt on set."

— PunditFact on Thursday, August 23rd, 2018

What is PunditFact?

PunditFact is a project of the Tampa Bay Times and 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.

We define a pundit as someone who offers analysis or opinions on the news, particularly politics and public policy. One can engage in punditry by writing, blogging or appearing on radio or TV. A pundit is not an elected official, not a declared candidate nor anyone in an official capacity with a political party, campaign or government.

PunditFact is funded in part by $625,000 in grants over two years from the Ford Foundation and the Democracy Fund. Seed money for the project was provided by craigconnects.

Check out new After the Fact responses.

Reporters and editors from the Times fact-check statements by pundits and rate them on PolitiFact’s Truth-O-Meter:

TRUE – The statement is accurate and there’s nothing significant missing.

MOSTLY TRUE – The statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information.

HALF TRUE – The statement is partially accurate but leaves out important details or takes things out of context.

MOSTLY FALSE – The statement contains an element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression.

FALSE – The statement is not accurate.

PANTS ON FIRE – The statement is not accurate and makes a ridiculous claim.

For more details, see the Principles of PolitiFact, PunditFact and the Truth-O-Meter.

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