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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Kavanaugh Files: Second Amendment

Kavanaugh Files: Second Amendment

Democrats have described Brett Kavanaugh as “a true Second Amendment radical” who is “far outside the mainstream of legal thought” — more conservative than the late Justice Antonin Scalia. The criticism stems from Kavanaugh’s dissent in a 2011 appeals court ruling that upheld the District of Columbia’s law banning semi-automatic rifles. We take a look at the facts.

Trump Distorts Facts on Collins, Hunter Indictments

Trump Distorts Facts on Collins, Hunter Indictments

President Donald Trump distorted the facts in a Labor Day tweet complaining about the Justice Department’s indictments last month of two of his earliest congressional allies, Reps. Chris Collins and Duncan Hunter Jr.

Old Spin on Health Care Fraud Bust Returns

Old Spin on Health Care Fraud Bust Returns

Q: Were “412 Michigan Muslims arrested in fed’s ‘largest bust in U.S. history’”?

A: No. Only about 30 of those arrests were made in Michigan, and there is no evidence all of the individuals arrested were Muslim.

Anti-Trump Comment Falsely Linked to Florida Shooter

Anti-Trump Comment Falsely Linked to Florida Shooter

Q: Did Reddit postings show the shooter in Jacksonville, Florida, was part of the “anti-Trump resistance”? 

A: No. The Reddit account in question did not belong to the shooter, David Katz, despite what viral stories said.

Joe Arpaio Not Named to Replace John McCain

Joe Arpaio Not Named to Replace John McCain

Q: Was Joe Arpaio, the former Maricopa County, Arizona, sheriff, appointed to finish John McCain’s term in the Senate?

A: No. That claim is made up — the Arizona governor has not yet named a replacement.

After McCain’s Death, a False Claim Resurfaces

After McCain’s Death, a False Claim Resurfaces

Q: Did John McCain “hide the fact that he ‘accidentally’ killed 134 American sailors”?

A: No. He wasn’t responsible for the fatal 1967 accident aboard the USS Forrestal.

The Facts on Medicare Part B Policy Change

The Facts on Medicare Part B Policy Change

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has described a new policy as “unleashing our Medicare Advantage plans to negotiate discounting on $12 billion of drugs.” Some patient advocacy groups have described the policy as one that “could erect barriers to care for cancer” and put “insurers in control of treatment decisions.” We’ll explain what the new policy entails.

Does Ocasio-Cortez Have ‘Ties’ to Soros?

Does Ocasio-Cortez Have ‘Ties’ to Soros?

Q: Is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tied to George Soros?

A:  Not directly. Her campaign gained momentum from an interview she gave on an internet show that is supported, in part, by a nonprofit that received a grant from an organization that received funding from a Soros foundation.  

Sen. Manchin Often Votes with Trump

Sen. Manchin Often Votes with Trump

A Republican TV ad claims Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia is “fighting the Trump agenda,” even though he has voted with the president nearly 61 percent of the time.

Cohen Plea Deal Exposes Repeated False Claims

Cohen Plea Deal Exposes Repeated False Claims

For many months, President Donald Trump, his White House staff and his personal attorneys, Michael Cohen and Rudy Giuliani, repeatedly made false, misleading and contradictory statements about illegal payments that were made during the 2016 campaign to silence two women who claimed to have extramarital affairs with Trump.