Q: Did Rep. Trey Gowdy end the Russia investigation?
A: No. That claim was made in a headline that wasn’t supported by its story.
Trey Gowdy Didn’t End Russia Probe
Locations: National
Smith Spins NASA Funding
Rep. Lamar Smith said that, after national security agencies, “NASA received the most favorable budget request from the Trump administration.” True, but President Trump’s 2018 proposal would still cut NASA’s budget by about 3 percent compared with the agency’s enacted budget for 2017.
Hoyer Revisits Mike Pence’s Emails
Rep. Steny Hoyer wrongly claimed that Vice President Mike Pence “used a private server when he was governor of Indiana.” Pence did use a personal AOL account for some government business, but he did not have a “private server.”
Trump’s Power to Pardon
President Donald Trump tweeted that “all agree the U.S. President has the complete power to pardon.” It’s true that the president has the constitutional power to issue pardons, but there are some limits to that power.
No Arrests for Impeachment Attempt
Q: Were two U.S. senators charged with trying to impeach President Donald Trump under false pretenses?
A: No. That story originated on a prolific satire website.
Selling Insurance Across State Lines
President Donald Trump said that by allowing insurers to sell plans across state lines, “your premiums will be down 60 and 70 percent.” We couldn’t find any study supporting such a decrease, and experts we consulted disputed the idea that overall average premiums would decline significantly.
Trump’s Misplaced Baltimore Bias
Trump misleadingly suggested Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein may be biased against him because Rosenstein “is from Baltimore” and “there are very few Republicans in Baltimore.”
Trump’s Misleading Defense of Son
President Donald Trump emphasized that an attorney who met with his eldest son in 2016 was a “Russian lawyer” and “not a [Russian] government lawyer.” That may be true, but Donald Trump Jr. had agreed to sit down with a “Russian government attorney,” according to his emails.
Donald Trump Jr.’s Evolving Statements
We now know that Donald Trump Jr., during the presidential campaign, met with a Russian lawyer offering information that was “part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr. Trump.” And we now know that the president’s eldest son was less-than-forthcoming in his previous statements on the issue.
A Fake Paul Ryan Quote
Q: Did House Speaker Paul Ryan say “22 million Americans choose to be poor, so it’s their own problem if they can’t afford to be healthy”?
A: No. That fake quote comes from a satirical news story.