FlackCheck.org, our sister website for political literacy, looks at two recent political campaign ads that mislead viewers using common patterns of deception.
FlackCheck.org Video: Midterm Deceptions
Issues: immigration
False Choice: Veterans vs. Immigrants
An ad from Rep. Bill Cassidy attacks his Democratic opponent, Sen. Mary Landrieu, for not “fully funding veterans benefits,” even though he voted for the House version of a bipartisan budget bill that included those very same cuts.
Playing Politics With Immigration
Competing ads from the leading candidates in the Louisiana Senate race play politics with the immigration issue and leave misleading impressions about the candidates’ positions.
More Border Security Spin in Arkansas
An ad from Sen. Mark Pryor inaccurately claims that Rep. Tom Cotton “voted to cut funding for the border protection.”
Rick Perry Misuses ‘Criminal Alien’ Data
In discussing his decision to send the National Guard to the Mexico border, Texas Gov. Rick Perry repeatedly has misused data on “criminal aliens” arrested in Texas.
Cherry-picking Pryor on Border Security
An ad from Republican Rep. Tom Cotton cherry-picks a quote and several votes to distort Sen. Mark Pryor’s position on border security.
Surge of ‘Unaccompanied Children’
Q: Did the Obama administration advertise in January to transport 65,000 foreign children apprehended at the border? Did it expect a surge of illegal immigration?
A: Yes. There’s been a sharp increase in unaccompanied children from Central America since FY 2012, and the U.S. projected a bigger increase this year.
Kingston’s False ‘Amnesty’ Connection
In the Georgia Republican Senate runoff, Rep. Jack Kingston is falsely claiming that his opponent, David Perdue, “sat on a board promoting amnesty for illegal immigrants.”
Legal Immigration Down, Not Up
Rick Santorum said that the United States is “accepting more legal immigrants than we ever have.” Actually, the number of people being granted lawful permanent resident status has decreased consecutively for two fiscal years.
Misassigning Blame for Immigration Crisis
A TV ad falsely claims Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander is “responsible” for a surge of “illegal aliens” who are “overrunning our border” because he voted for “amnesty.”