The first of the back-to-back Democratic debates in July included spin from the candidates on gun violence, Republican tax cuts, climate change, manufacturing jobs and more.
FactChecking the Second Democratic Debate
Stories by Saranac Hale Spencer
Staff Writer, FactCheck.org
False Caption on Refugee Picture
A photo circulating on social media claims to show “Europeans trying to get to North Africa during World War II,” but it actually shows Albanian refugees arriving in Italy in 1991.
Phony Claim About Trump’s Ellis Island Award
President Donald Trump was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 1986, but it wasn’t given for his “work within the black community,” as a popular meme circulating on social media claims.
Comparing Benefits for Refugees and Senior Citizens
A popular meme falsely claims that each month refugees in the United States receive over three times more money in “federal assistance” than Social Security beneficiaries. That’s a new version of an old claim we debunked over a decade ago.
Fake AOC Quotes Keep on Trucking
Another fake quote attributed to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is circulating online. She didn’t say that “truck drivers are destroying America”; that quote came from a website that describes its content as satire.
Citizenship, the Census and Obama
Memes circulating online claim that former President Barack Obama removed the citizenship question from the 2010 census. He didn’t. The citizenship question in 2010 was handled the same way it had been since 1970.
Bogus Photo Combines Trump, Epstein Images
A photo circulating online has been manipulated to show Jeffrey Epstein with Donald and Ivanka Trump in 1993.
FactChecking Round Two of the Democratic Debate
The second of a two-part debate offered a new crop of spin.
Trump Accuser Targeted With TV Clip
A clip from an old episode of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” is being used to discredit a woman who recently accused President Donald Trump of sexual misconduct. The clip doesn’t prove that she is a “fraud,” as the headline of a story claims.
McConnell’s Biggest Donor Isn’t Russian
A meme on Facebook falsely claims that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s biggest campaign donor is a Russian oligarch.