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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Q&A on the Investigation into Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith

Q&A on the Investigation into Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith

The Office of Special Counsel confirmed on Aug. 2 that it has opened an investigation into former Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith and whether his attempted prosecutions of Donald Trump were politically motivated and ran afoul of the law. Here, we’ll answer some of the questions about what the investigation into Smith is about.

LA Police Chief Did Not Ask for Federal Help

LA Police Chief Did Not Ask for Federal Help

In defending his decision to deploy the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, President Donald Trump has distorted comments made by Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. 

Breaking Down the Immigration Figures

Breaking Down the Immigration Figures

Encounters on the southern border of those trying to enter the U.S. without authorization have gone up significantly under President Joe Biden. Government statistics show that in the initial processing of millions of encounters, 2.5 million people have been released into the U.S. and 2.8 million have been removed or expelled.

Biden Initiative Funds Drug Overdose Prevention, Not ‘Crack Pipes’

Biden Initiative Funds Drug Overdose Prevention, Not ‘Crack Pipes’

The Department of Health and Human Services launched a $30 million grant program in December to help “address the nation’s substance use and overdose epidemic” by reducing the dangers related to drug use. The program doesn’t provide funding for crack pipes, contrary to partisan claims fueled by a flawed assumption.

Cotton Distorts Border Apprehension Impact

Cotton Distorts Border Apprehension Impact

Sen. Tom Cotton falsely equated the nearly 2 million apprehensions of immigrants attempting to illegally cross the southern border during Joe Biden’s presidency to “adding the entire population of Nebraska to this country.” He’s wrong for several reasons, including that most of those apprehended were immediately turned around.

Generals Contradict Biden on Afghanistan Advice

Generals Contradict Biden on Afghanistan Advice

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Mark Milley and Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, contradicted President Joe Biden’s claim last month that top military advisers didn’t recommend keeping a residual force in Afghanistan. 

Republican Spin on Democrats’ Voting Bill

Republican Spin on Democrats’ Voting Bill

In the days leading up to the Senate vote on the House-passed elections bill, Republicans offered several misleading talking points about the Democratic bill, and made other statements that required more context.

Video: Durbin’s ‘History’ of Distortions

Video: Durbin’s ‘History’ of Distortions

In this week’s fact-checking video, CNN’s Jake Tapper examines efforts by Republican Sens. Tom Cotton and David Perdue to discredit Democratic Sen. Richard Durbin’s account of President Trump using profanity to disparage African countries at an immigration meeting in the Oval Office.

Durbin’s ‘History’ of Misrepresentations

Durbin’s ‘History’ of Misrepresentations

Two Republican senators suggest Democratic Sen. Richard Durbin’s account of President Trump using profanity to disparage African countries should not be believed because Durbin has a “history” of misrepresenting what was said at White House meetings. But they are not telling the whole story.