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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Erroneous Claim of ‘End of Youth Hunting’ in Virginia

Erroneous Claim of ‘End of Youth Hunting’ in Virginia

Posts on Facebook wrongly claim that Virginia has “announced the end of youth hunting.” The state’s Department of Game & Inland Fisheries confirmed that there have been “no such changes” in state laws, and scheduled youth hunting days remain on the calendar.

Posts Distort O’Rourke’s Criminal Record

Posts Distort O’Rourke’s Criminal Record

Viral posts falsely claim Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke can’t own a gun due to a felony. O’Rourke has not been convicted of a felony.

O’Rourke Not Alone in Support of Mandatory Buyback

O’Rourke Not Alone in Support of Mandatory Buyback

Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke has faced backlash from Republicans, and some Democrats, for his debate-night advocacy of a mandatory buyback program for so-called assault weapons. But Sen. Chuck Schumer went too far when he said, “I don’t know of any other Democrat who agrees with Beto O’Rourke.”

Marx, Engels Quote Falsely Attributed to Reagan

Marx, Engels Quote Falsely Attributed to Reagan

A meme circulating on Facebook wrongly attributes a statement about guns to former President Ronald Reagan. The quote is actually from Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, co-authors of The Communist Manifesto.

The Response to the Congressional Baseball Shooting

The Response to the Congressional Baseball Shooting

A viral Facebook post claims that “not one Democrat called for gun control” after a 2017 shooting involving Republicans in Congress. While demands for legislative action were quieter, there were some.

Trump’s Mixed Record on Gun Control

Trump’s Mixed Record on Gun Control

When asked what he was going to do about the “gun problem,” President Donald Trump responded that “we have done much more than most administrations.” Trump has taken some action to strengthen federal gun control, but his administration also has eased gun restrictions.

What Republicans Did on Mental Health, Guns

What Republicans Did on Mental Health, Guns

A social media post misleadingly claims that Republicans “voted to allow people with pre-existing mental illness to buy firearms.” The measure blocked the Social Security Administration from reporting to the U.S. background check system some disability beneficiaries who are unable to manage their finances. Federal law still prohibits people with certain conditions from buying guns.

Politics of Gun Violence

Politics of Gun Violence

In the aftermath of two deadly mass shootings in Texas and Ohio, U.S. political leaders made a series of statements on gun violence that were unsubstantiated, lacked context or were seemingly contradictory. Here we look at some of those statements and present the facts.

A False Claim About H.R. 8 and a ‘Firearms Registry’

A False Claim About H.R. 8 and a ‘Firearms Registry’

A viral meme falsely accuses five House Republicans of voting with Democrats to create a “firearms registry.” The bill in question specifically prohibits “the establishment, directly or indirectly, of a national firearms registry.”