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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Stimulus Checks Won’t Reduce Future Tax Refunds

Stimulus Checks Won’t Reduce Future Tax Refunds

Social media posts falsely claim that federal payments from the COVID-19 stimulus package could reduce taxpayers’ future refunds. The Internal Revenue Service says the payment “will not reduce your refund or increase the amount you owe when you file your 2020 tax return next year.”

100 Days of Whoppers

100 Days of Whoppers

Donald Trump, the candidate we dubbed the ‘King of Whoppers’ in 2015, has held true to form as president.

Trump Distorts Stimulus

Trump Distorts Stimulus

While calling for new infrastructure investments, President Trump distorted the facts about President Obama’s 2009 stimulus bill. Trump described it as an “infrastructure bill” but “[n]obody ever saw anything being built” and most of the money was used on “social programs.”

Misleading Michigan GOP Primary Voters

Misleading Michigan GOP Primary Voters

The Republican candidates in Michigan’s 4th Congressional District entered the final weeks of the primary trading misleading claims in TV ads that rely on deceptive tactics to distort the facts.

Jack Kingston’s Summer Re-Run

Jack Kingston’s Summer Re-Run

Rep. Jack Kingston repackages several deceptive claims about his opponent’s business record in a new TV ad that has all the charm of a summer re-run.

Montana’s Chinese Connection

Montana’s Chinese Connection

Montana Senate candidates Steve Daines and John Walsh accuse each other in TV ads of helping to ship American jobs to China, but both sides fail to support their exaggerated claims.

Loco for Local in Maine

Loco for Local in Maine

It may be true that all politics is local, but in Maine the contenders in a Republican congressional primary are positively wallowing in locality — while making dubious claims about each other’s address.

Childish Georgia Ads

Childish Georgia Ads

TV ads in Georgia’s GOP Senate primary have taken a childish turn. Ads depicting his opponents as crying babies have helped businessman David Perdue take a lead in polls. Now Rep. Jack Kingston’s ad likens Perdue to an infant with a stinking diaper.

Mailer Misleads Ohioans on Job Losses

Mailer Misleads Ohioans on Job Losses

In a mailer to Ohioans, a conservative group distorts Ohio’s job figures under President Obama and misquotes his administration about the potential for mismanaged stimulus money.
Ironically, the mailing from Americans for Tax Reform, a nonprofit group led by Grover Norquist, proclaims that it’s “important for Ohio to get the whole picture.”
We couldn’t agree more.

The mailer displays a 2012 newspaper headline, “Ohio second-worst for job losses.” But the article was about job losses over the last 10 years —

Ryan’s VP Spin

Ryan’s VP Spin

TAMPA, Fla. — Paul Ryan’s acceptance speech at the Republican convention contained several false claims and misleading statements. Delegates cheered as the vice presidential nominee:

Accused President Obama’s health care law of funneling money away from Medicare “at the expense of the elderly.” In fact, Medicare’s chief actuary says the law “substantially improves” the system’s finances, and Ryan himself has embraced the same savings.
Accused Obama of doing “exactly nothing” about recommendations of a bipartisan deficit commission — which Ryan himself helped scuttle.