Stories by Eugene Kiely
Director, FactCheck.org
Sequester Spin
The Sunday talk shows included exaggerated claims from both sides about the debate over automatic spending cuts scheduled to take effect March 1:
Education Secretary Arne Duncan said “as many as 40,000 teachers could lose their jobs.” But that assumes the entire $2.8 billion in looming DOE cuts would come from teacher salaries. Duncan himself testified there would be cuts elsewhere — including cutting “more than 70,000 students from grant and work study programs”
Feb. 22: Sequester, Estate Tax, Preschool
Feb. 15: Public Debt, Manufacturing Jobs, Health Care
SEIU Distorts Halvorson’s Record in Illinois Race
A radio ad from the Service Employees International Union grossly distorts the voting record of former Rep. Debbie Halvorson in the final days of the Democratic primary to fill the House seat left vacant by Jesse Jackson Jr.’s resignation. The union claims:
Halvorson “voted against extending unemployment benefits for millions of Americans.” That’s false. Congress extended or expanded the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program seven times while Halvorson was in the House, and she voted to approve each bill.
Feb. 1: Cop Killings, Background Checks, Hagel’s Ethics
NRA and Assault Weapons Sales
On WCBS radio, FactCheck.org Director Eugene Kiely discusses Sen. Chris Murphy’s claim that NRA executives “pay their salaries” by taking “a cut” of assault weapons sales. Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, cites the NRA’s so-called round-up program as evidence that the gun-rights group “does not represent gun owners anymore.”
The fact is that some gun customers voluntarily contribute to one of two NRA organizations during gun sales and much of that money helps fund community programs, such as gun safety,
NRA Misfires on Federal Gun Registry
The head of the National Rifle Association misfires when he claims the president’s proposal to require background checks for all gun sales will result in a “massive federal registry” of firearms. Current law bars federal agencies from retaining records on those who pass background checks, and nothing in the president’s plan would change that.
Wayne LaPierre, chief executive officer of the NRA, criticized President Obama’s proposal for universal background checks in a Jan. 22 speech in Reno,
Jan. 25: Obama’s Gun Violence Plan, Executive Orders
FactChecking GOP Response to Obama Gun Plan
Republican response to President Barack Obama’s plan to reduce gun violence has been peppered with misleading claims.
Rep. Steve Stockman of Texas claimed, “Gun bans and anti-gun laws have always led to one thing — more gun violence.” But the majority of academic research on the effect of the federal assault weapons ban, as well as restrictive gun laws in several major cities, has found no such causal link.
Rep. John Fleming of Louisiana condemned what he said was Obama’s plan to “push”