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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Post Misleadingly Equates 2016 Democratic Effort to Trump’s 2020 ‘Alternate Electors’

Post Misleadingly Equates 2016 Democratic Effort to Trump’s 2020 ‘Alternate Electors’

After the 2016 presidential election, some progressive Democrats tried to convince electors for Donald Trump to switch their Electoral College votes to Hillary Clinton. But a conservative commentator misleadingly claimed in a social media post that the Democrats were “calling for alternate electors” — as Trump did after losing the 2020 election.

Democratic Congressman Exaggerates Number of Gun ‘Massacres’

Democratic Congressman Exaggerates Number of Gun ‘Massacres’

In discussing a bipartisan Senate proposal to address gun violence, Rep. Jamie Raskin exaggerated when he said there have been “more massacres than days in 2022.” Using the source supplied by the congressman’s office, guns were used in 14 “mass murders” so far this year.

Trump Ignored Aides, Repeated False Fraud Claims

Trump Ignored Aides, Repeated False Fraud Claims

At the second hearing of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, former President Donald Trump’s top aides testified that they told him his claims of election fraud were baseless. What Trump characterized as “fraud” was just part of the “normal process,” as former Attorney General William Barr said in one instance.

Illinois School District’s Shift to Equitable Grading Is Misrepresented Online

Illinois School District’s Shift to Equitable Grading Is Misrepresented Online

A school district in Illinois is considering implementing “equitable grading,” which would focus more on evaluating student learning than class participation or homework. A conservative website misrepresented the idea as a “race-based grading system” in a story that went viral. The equitable grading system would apply to all students.

Ad Misleads on Percentage Increase in Fentanyl Seizures Under Biden

Ad Misleads on Percentage Increase in Fentanyl Seizures Under Biden

The overall increase in fentanyl seized at the southwest border under President Joe Biden is nowhere near as high as a Republican ad misleadingly claims. U.S. border officials seized 13,021 pounds of the drug in Biden’s first full 15 months in office, which is 70% more than the 7,677 pounds seized in Donald Trump’s last full 15 months as president.

Tactical Unit, Not Off-Duty Officer, Killed Uvalde Gunman

Tactical Unit, Not Off-Duty Officer, Killed Uvalde Gunman

Jacob Albarado, who has been described in media reports as an off-duty Customs and Border Protection officer, helped students escape the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on May 24. But online rumors falsely claim he was the CBP officer who killed the shooter. Albarado has said in interviews, “I didn’t shoot the guy.”

Social Media Posts Make Baseless Claims About Gender Identity of Uvalde Shooter

Social Media Posts Make Baseless Claims About Gender Identity of Uvalde Shooter

Police are still investigating the shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, but as of May 26 they had shared no evidence about the shooter’s gender identity. Despite that lack of evidence, Rep. Paul Gosar and others claimed the gunman was transgender. Social media posts making the baseless claim have shared photos of a person unrelated to the attack.

Border Patrol Required to Provide Formula to Detained Infants

Border Patrol Required to Provide Formula to Detained Infants

Q: Has the Biden administration sent “pallets” of infant formula to the border amid a nationwide shortage?
A: Yes. Customs and Border Protection, the agency that first encounters and then processes immigrants, is legally required to provide formula to infants in its care and has been doing so during the recent shortage.