How did we avoid a debt ceiling crisis? Continue reading Soft Landing »
Publication: Politics
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Michelle Obama’s Mother Did NOT Leave Inheritance To A Son Named ‘Michael’ — It’s From Satire Site
Did the mother of Michelle Obama, former first lady of the United States, leave her inheritance to a son named "Michael Robinson Obama," insinuating that "Michael" is Michelle Obama's real name? No, that's not true: The claim was made on
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Title 10 And Executive Order 13912 Do NOT Mean Trump Is Still Commander In Chief
Is Donald Trump still president because of Title 10 and Executive Order 13912? No, that's not true: A constitutional law expert told Lead Stories that Title 10 and an executive order do not override the U.S. Constitution, which states tha
Logically→ Old ‘Modi no entry’ poster from Andhra Pradesh shared amid prime minister’s Ajmer visit
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: US Military Did NOT Convict Rochelle Walensky Of Treason
Did the U.S. military convict Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky of treason on May 29, 2023? No, that's not true: A Pentagon duty officer told Lead Stories, "There is no truth to this claim." It is also
Truth or Fiction?→ House Speaker Kevin McCarthy: ‘A Child That Has No Job’
On May 30 and 31 2023, screenshots of a tweet quoting House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) on a “child” who “has no job” were shared to Reddit’s r/WhitePeopleTwitter and r/lostgeneration: Get these kids i
The Dispatch→ High Energy
DeSantis 2024 is off to an encouraging start. Continue reading High Energy »
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Ron DeSantis Is NOT Selling A ‘Make America Florida’ Hat — It’s Being Sold By Separate Website
Is presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis selling a "Make America Florida" hat? No, that's not true: This hat is not available on DeSantis' official online store. A separate shop that is not officially associated with DeSant
The Dispatch→ Ron DeSantis Sharpens Attacks on Trump
Plus: Republicans split by predictable fault lines in the House debt ceiling fight. Continue reading Ron DeSantis Sharpens Attacks on Trump »
Logically→ John Kerry did not say farmers must stop growing food
The Dispatch→ Get Ready for More ‘Bud Lighting’
The beermaker is suffering a sales slump, but boycotters don’t even even need to hurt a company’s bottom line to declare victory. Continue reading Get Ready for More ‘Bud Lighting’ »
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Video Does NOT Show Maricopa Officials Breaking Into Election Machines — It Shows Routine Pre-Election Installation
Does a post show "new video evidence" of Maricopa County election officials breaking into sealed election machines? No, that's not true: The "new" video is a recording of a 2022 public live stream of the Maricopa County, Arizona, election
Truth or Fiction?→ State Farm No Longer Insuring California Homes, Insurance Industry in Climate Crisis
On May 30 2023, The Recount tweeted about a purported decision by insurer State Farm, which would evidently no longer be accepting new applications from California homeowners: State Farm is no longer accepting new applications for homeowner insurance
The Dispatch→ A Show About Nothing
What was the point of the debt-ceiling fight? Continue reading A Show About Nothing »
The Dispatch→ Dispatch Live: GOP Primary Updates and a Dispatch From Ukraine
Join us for our weekly livestreamed conversation. Continue reading Dispatch Live: GOP Primary Updates and a Dispatch From Ukraine »
The Dispatch→ Who Are the GOP Swing Voters?
Plus: Why is my car made for men? Continue reading Who Are the GOP Swing Voters? »
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Ron DeSantis Picture Does NOT Show George Soros In The Background
Did Florida governor and 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis post a picture at an event showing George Soros, a billionaire philanthropist who is often the subject of conspiracy theories, in the background? No, that's not true: The o
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Banner for This Juneteenth Event Feature Two White People?
A popular image featuring a banner showing white people while promoting a national holiday with roots in Black American history is legitimate — and showed the source of criticism around a Juneteenth event in Greenville, South Carolina. The photog
The Dispatch→ Our Best Stuff From the Week We Didn’t Fix the Debt Ceiling
Plus, immigration policy and two more GOP candidates for president. Continue reading Our Best Stuff From the Week We Didn’t Fix the Debt Ceiling »
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: People In LA Who Commit Violent Crimes Will NOT Be ‘Set Free On As Of Today’
Will people in Los Angeles who have committed violent crimes be "set free" as of May 24, 2023? No, that's not true: A court injunction was scheduled to go into effect in Los Angeles County on May 24, 2023, that reinstated a no-bail policy
The Dispatch→ Tim Scott Gets a Leg Up From DeSantis’ Stumble
The senator from South Carolina benefited from excellent timing this week. Continue reading Tim Scott Gets a Leg Up From DeSantis’ Stumble »
The Dispatch→ Does Anything Matter?
Two thoughts on the Republican primary. Continue reading Does Anything Matter? »
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Walt Disney World Did NOT Replace US Flags With LGBTQ+ Pride Flags — It’s A Satirical Post
Did Walt Disney World remove "all American flags" and replace them with "the Pride flag" to honor lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) rights? No, that's not true: As of May 25, 2023, the Walt Disney Company had not annou
The Dispatch→ Trailing Trump, DeSantis Comes Out Swinging
Plus: Republican spending groups pick their horses for West Virginia Senate Seat. Continue reading Trailing Trump, DeSantis Comes Out Swinging »
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: George Soros Did NOT Say ‘Those Who Oppose My Agenda Are White Supremacists’
Did George Soros say "Those who oppose my agenda are white supremacists"? No, that's not true: There is no verifiable evidence or credible source that supports the assertion that Soros said this or that the statement attributed to him is
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: ‘Gender Change’ Does NOT Result In Higher Risk Of Suicide
Is there data "pouring in" that "gender change" results in a higher risk of suicide? No, that's not true: The person making the claim offers no evidence that "gender change" increases the risk of suicide. Multiple studies have found the o
The Dispatch→ An Unlikely Rout
Republicans are winning the politics of the debt ceiling fight handily. Continue reading An Unlikely Rout »
The Dispatch→ DeSantis Is In
Plus: Russia’s war hits home. Continue reading DeSantis Is In »
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: ‘Jade Helm’ Military Training Is NOT Taking Place In Summer of 2023
Is a vast military exercise called Jade Helm taking place in the United States in the summer of 2023? No, that's not true: A video about Jade Helm reused a 2015 news report. The story appeared in a video published on TikTok on May 17, 202
The Dispatch→ The Only Candidate With a Nickname
One cheer for DeSantis 2024. Continue reading The Only Candidate With a Nickname »
The Dispatch→ Here Comes Ron DeSantis
Plus: Arizona’s Kari Lake is making moves to distance herself from the state GOP. Continue reading Here Comes Ron DeSantis »
The Dispatch→ Does the GOP Deserve Tim Scott?
Too many Republicans prefer Trump’s self-indulgent chaos over smart policy. Continue reading Does the GOP Deserve Tim Scott? »
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Michigan Did NOT Ban Seed Sales To Limit Home Gardening
Does the state of Michigan ban most stores from selling seeds, and is the purpose of this ban to force people to only buy fruit from big corporations? No, that's not true: Michigan does not ban seed sales. There was a short period during
The Dispatch→ Unplugged
Cable news has never seemed less relevant. Continue reading Unplugged »
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Video Does NOT Show ‘Nato Soldiers in Ukraine’
Does a viral video prove the presence of NATO forces in Ukraine in May 2023? No, that's not true: The footage, predating the Russian invasion of Ukraine, shows Afghanistan. The claim appeared in a video on TikTok on May 10, 2023. The text
The Dispatch→ When Campaigns Infect Congress
How we got to the possibility of Biden invoking the 14th Amendment to solve the debt-ceiling crisis. Continue reading When Campaigns Infect Congress »
The Dispatch→ Sen. Tim Scott Joins the Race
Plus: Vacant offices spell trouble for commercial real estate. Continue reading Sen. Tim Scott Joins the Race »
The Dispatch→ Tim Scott Hopes for a Republican Reversal
The South Carolina senator hopes his presidential run will be the antidote to grievance politics. Continue reading Tim Scott Hopes for a Republican Reversal »
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Study Does NOT ‘Show’ People Fully Vaccinated For COVID-19 Lose 25 Years Of Life Expectancy — There’s No Such Study
Do people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 shorten their average lifespan by a quarter century? No, that's not true: There is no scientific evidence or credible research to support the idea that being fully vaccinated for COVID-1
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: ‘CIA Document’ Does NOT Explain How The ‘World Is Going To End’
Does a declassified "CIA document" prove that the intelligence agency knows "how the world is going to end"? No, that's not true: The "document" is an excerpt from a book, "The Adam and Eve Story: The History of Cataclysms." It was not wr