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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

FactChecking Republican Attacks on Fetterman’s Crime Stance

FactChecking Republican Attacks on Fetterman’s Crime Stance

Political ads and social media attacks by opponents of Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman have sought to portray Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor as dangerously soft on crime, but some of the claims stretch the facts.

Video: FactChecking the Final Debate

Video: FactChecking the Final Debate

In this video, we review several false and misleading claims that President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden made at the final presidential debate on Oct. 22. 

Trump’s Misdirection on ‘Criminal Aliens’

Trump’s Misdirection on ‘Criminal Aliens’

President Donald Trump suggests that the percentage of “illegal aliens” in federal prisons supports the need for a border wall. But it’s misleading to look only at the federal prison population, since state prisons and local jails house approximately 90 percent of the total U.S. incarcerated population.

Obama Didn’t Pardon Wendell Callahan

Obama Didn’t Pardon Wendell Callahan

Q: Did former President Barack Obama pardon Wendell Callahan, who was later accused of killing three people after his early release?

A:  No. Congress unanimously passed a bill changing drug sentencing laws and Obama signed it. Callahan petitioned for early release under the new law and it was approved by a federal judge.