This week, we find guests on the Sunday public affairs shows making false statements about disclosure of political funds, whether a Senate candidate pushed to have terrorists tried in his home state or favored letting states ban private health insurance, and whether middle-income families would pay more if the Bush tax cuts were extended for everybody.
Rove’s Lame Claim
Republican strategist Karl Rove misled viewers of CBS’ "Face the Nation" with a false claim that labor unions aren’t disclosing where they get the millions they are spending in the 2010 elections.
Outside Group Attacks Sestak on Terror Trials
The Republican Jewish Coalition says it is spending $1 million in the Pennsylvania Senate race on an ad attacking Democrat Joe Sestak for wanting to hold trials of alleged 9/11 terrorists "in our backyard" in Pennsylvania. But Sestak is not advocating holding terror trials in Pennsylvania. He said he would accept them if they were to happen, because he supports civilian, rather than military, trials for terrorists.
The ad, which began airing on Oct. 20, involves the controversial decision by the Department of Justice to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed,
Tall Tax Tales
Republican Sharron Angle says in a TV ad that Nevada Sen. Harry Reid “voted to raise taxes” 300 times. A “staggering 300 times.” He didn’t. We reviewed the 304 votes provided by the Angle campaign and found its final tally was padded …
Angle Misleads on ‘Ethics Loopholes,’ ‘Shady’ Land Deal
Sharron Angle attacks Harry Reid in two new ads for being wealthy and for making $1 million on a real-estate deal, which is true enough. But one of the ads falsely claims that the Senate Majority Leader "pushed ethics loopholes," and the other makes the unsubstantiated claim that the land deal was "shady."
Angle, the Republican who’s trying to win Democrat Reid’s seat, is running both ads in Nevada as the candidates enter the final stretch of one of the closest Senate races in the nation.
FairTax, Washington Senate Race and Aqua Buddha
In episode 34 of our podcast, we talk about a popular — and misleading — line of attack from Democrats about the FairTax. Plus, we look at ads in the Washington Senate race and the controversial "Aqua Buddha" ad in the Kentucky contest.
For more on the stories discussed in this episode, see:
Sales Tax Spin Oct. 20
Toss-ups: Wayward Ads in Washington State Oct. 15
Conway ‘Lying’ About ‘Aqua Buddha’? Oct. 18
Who’s Bearing ‘False Witness’ in Arkansas?
In Arkansas’ 2nd Congressional District, Democrat Joyce Elliott accuses her opponent, Tim Griffin, of violating the commandment not to bear false witness — but she goes on to make questionable claims herself:
Elliott says Griffin “conspired to keep students and soldiers from voting” in the 2004 election, an unproven allegation that has resulted in no charges.
Her ad says Griffin “opposes regulating Wall Street.” It’s true he opposes the Democratic financial reform bill, but not all financial regulations.
Sales Tax Spin
Democrats are running misleading ads in several House and Senate races accusing Republicans of supporting a “23 percent national sales tax.” The ads fail to mention that the proposed tax — while controversial — is designed to replace all federal income …
FactCheck Mailbag, Week of Oct. 12-Oct. 18
This week, readers sent us comments about the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the deficit, "False" stamps and FactCheck funding.
In the FactCheck Mailbag, we feature some of the e-mail we receive. Readers can send comments to editor@factcheck.org. Letters may be edited for length.
Toss-ups: Pennsylvania Cash Attack
Two independent groups are spending heavily in the Pennsylvania Senate race, and we find both are airing TV ads that go a bit too far: VoteVets.org, a left-leaning veterans group, is up with an ad that claims Republican Pat Toomey supports letting Wall Street …
Commission on Hope, Growth and Opportunity
A Republican/pro-growth-leaning group headed by a Republican media consultant.