Junk news in, junk news out.
Snopes→ Man Pleads Guilty After Alligator Threat
A man who police say placed a 3-foot alligator on top of another man in Connecticut as part of an extortion attempt has pleaded guilty to reduced charges.
Snopes→ US Approved Thousands of Child Bride Requests
The data raises questions about whether the immigration system may be enabling forced marriage and about how U.S. laws may be compounding the problem despite efforts to limit child and forced marriage.
Snopes→ Wisconsin Girl Missing Since Parents’ October Deaths Found
A woman stumbled across the 13-year-old girl and pounded on her neighbors' door shouting: "This is Jayme Closs! Call 911!"
PolitiFact→ Does Border Patrol catch 90 percent of immigrants crossing the border illegally?
Democratic lawmakers and critics are accusing President Donald Trump of inventing a border crisis to justify a wall. John Sandweg, former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under President Barack Obama, said on CNN that the wal
Internet Archive→ President Trump Receives Border Security Briefing in Mission, Texas : CSPAN : January 11, 2019 6:40am-7:01am EST
President Trump received a briefing at the U.S.-Mexico border in Mission, Texas. He asked a border patrol agent about his work and the challenges along that section of the border, and then took questions from reporters....This item belongs to: movies/T
Washington Post→ Elizabeth Warren’s claim that minimum wage supported her family in the 1960s
Warren said the minimum wage “would pay a mortgage, keep the utilities on, and put food on the table.” Is that possible?
Snopes→ Oregon Begins Killing Sea Lions After Relocation Fails
With their numbers growing, sea lions are venturing ever farther inland up the Columbia River — and their appetite is having disastrous consequences, scientists have said.
Snopes→ Does This Video Show Immigrants Rioting in Italy?
Whether it does or doesn't show rioting, the video has been viewed more than 1.6 million times.
Truth or Fiction?→ Does This Grandma Want You to Share Her Photo to Mark Her 100th Birthday?
On January 7, 2019, the Facebook page “Animals & Nature” shared a seemingly wholesome plea on the part of the purported poster’s 100-year-old grandma: Alongside the purported centenarian’s image, a caption pleaded: Today’
Hoax-Slayer→ Fake Thomas Cook Facebook Page Promises Free Holidays
According to posts from a Facebook Page that calls itself "Thomas Cook Fans", you can win a family holiday to Tenerife just by sharing and commenting or clicking a "sign up" button. The post Fake Thomas Cook Facebook Page Promises Free Holidays appea
Internet Archive→ President Trump Receives Border Security Briefing in Mission, Texas : CSPAN2 : January 10, 2019 6:31pm-6:48pm EST
President Trump received a briefing at the U.S.-Mexico border in Mission, Texas. He asked a border patrol agent about his work and the challenges along that section of the border, and then took questions from reporters....This item belongs to: movies/T
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Dolly Parton, Country Music and Film Star, NOT Deceased
Did singer Dolly Parton die? No, that's not true: the death hoax was published by a liberal satire weblog that usually takes aim at conservatives and Trump supporters but isn't above posting a few boob jokes now and then. Dolly Parton is doin
PolitiFact→ Donald Trump – Trump says he didn't say Mexico would write US a check for border wall. But he did
The Truth-o-Meter says: False | Trump says he didn't say Mexico would write US a check for border wall. But he did As his border wall fight with Democrats continues, President Donald Trump finds himself in the awkward position of having to explain
Snopes→ A Slur or a Slip-Up? Meteorologist Is Fired, City Is Roiled
Did a TV meteorologist broadcast a racial slur or simply flub a line?
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Banks Collect $30 Billion in Overdraft Fees in 2018?
In January 2019, the following meme appeared on social media about overdraft fees collected by banks: The meme read: Banks collected over $30 billion in overdraft fees last year. Another way of saying that, banks took $30,000,000,000 from people who
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s Budget Wouldn’t Erase Deficits, CBO Said
Under President Donald Trump’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2018, there would have been hundreds of billions of dollars in deficits each year from 2018 to 2027, according to projections from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. That contra
Snopes→ Michael Cohen to Testify Publicly Before Congress Next Month
The House Oversight and Reform Committee announced Thursday that Cohen will testify before that panel Feb. 7, a little more than a month after the Democrats took the House majority.
Snopes→ Were All Speed Limit Cameras on Two Major English Roads Set to 72 MPH in January 2019?
A viral social media message warned users in the U.K. about driving on the M1 and M25.
Snopes→ Republicans Slam Colleague for What They Call Racist Remarks
Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan said: "This is an embrace of racism, and it has no place in Congress or anywhere."
Snopes→ Seattle TV Editor Fired After Trump Video Appears Altered
The Seattle Times reports that FOX affiliate Q13 broadcasted video that showed a more orange-toned Trump with his tongue hanging out languidly from his mouth after making a statement.
Snopes→ Liberals Dare Trump to Back Their Bills Lowering Drug Prices
The Democratic bills stand little chance of becoming law in a divided government. But the effort could put Republicans on the defensive by echoing Trump's pledge to force drugmakers to cut prices.
Snopes→ Payday Without Pay Hits Federal Workers as Shutdown Drags On
While furloughed federal workers have been given back pay in previous shutdowns, it's not guaranteed that will happen this time.
Snopes→ Did Trump Use a Concrete Wall Metaphor During a 2004 Commencement Speech?
Donald Trump in 2004: "‘If there’s a concrete wall in front of you, go through it, go over it, go around it. But get to the other side of that wall."
Snopes→ Is a Newly Introduced Congressional Marijuana Bill Actually Numbered H.R. 420?
"The bill number may be a bit tongue-in-cheek,” U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer told a local newspaper, but “the issue is very serious."
Internet Archive→ President Trump Holds Border Security Roundtable in McAllen, TX : CSPAN3 : January 10, 2019 2:14pm-3:11pm EST
[LIVE] President Trump holds a roundtable discussion with border and immigration officials in McAllen, Texas. Sponsor: White House Travel | Domestic Trip.This item belongs to: movies/TV-CSPAN3.This item has files of the following types: Closed Caption
Snopes→ Did Trump Order FEMA to ‘Send No More Money’ for California Wildfire Aid?
President Trump has threatened to cut off aid to California unless authorities changed their forest management policies. Did he go one step further in early 2019?
Snopes→ Did Rashida Tlaib Tweet About America ‘Raping and Pillaging’ Her People?
Political trolls take advantage of the fact that capital I's and lower case L's can easily be mistaken for one another.
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Coast Guard Employee Did NOT Tell Cops She Was Forced Into Prostitution By Government Shutdown
Did Coast Guard employee Marleen Freeman tell the cops who arrested her for prostitution that she was forced into it to cope with the effects of the recent government shutdown. No, that's not true: the story was made up by a Canadian entertai
Truth or Fiction?→ Is Rashida Tlaib’s ‘Raping and Pillaging… What Goes Around Comes Around’ Tweet Real?
In January 2019, a tweet attributed to Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib began circulating in questionable screenshot-only form on Twitter and Facebook: Dated January 4, 2019, it read: Americans have spent decades raping and pillaging my people. What goes a
Snopes→ 3 Dead After Commercial Crabbing Vessel Capsizes Off Oregon
The Yaquina Bay bar is so treacherous that the dangers of crossing it with a fully loaded crab boat were the premise of a spin-off of the "The Deadliest Catch," a reality TV show about commercial fishermen.
Truth or Fiction?→ Do Democrats Pay The $5 Billion Wall Cost Every 10 Days to ‘Subsidize’ Illegal Immigration?
On January 4, 2019, a Facebook user shared a text-based post to a public group: It stated: Democrats pay what Trump is asking for the wall every 10 days to subsidize illegal aliens. Let that sink in. #SocialistClowns The status update was shared durin
Internet Archive→ President Trump Departs White House for McAllen, Texas : CSPAN : January 10, 2019 11:19am-11:36am EST
As a partial government shutdown over wall funding neared three weeks, President Trump departed from the White House to travel to McAllen, Texas in an effort to highlight what the administration has deemed a humanitarian and national security crisis at
Snopes→ Coke-Funded Group Swayed China’s Obesity Efforts, Papers Say
The International Life Sciences Institute, created in 1978 by a former Coke executive, is funded by companies including McDonald's, PepsiCo and Red Bull. It sponsors scientific research and conferences on food through its 17 international branches.
Snopes→ US Apparel Firm Cuts Off Chinese Factory in Internment Camp
An Associated Press investigation found the Chinese government had also started forcing some detainees to work in manufacturing and food industries.
Snopes→ Did Ronald Reagan Try for Eight Years to Build a Border Wall?
If yes, it would fly in the face of his advocacy of free movement for workers between the U.S. and Mexico.
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Aquaman Actor Jason Momoa NOT Caught Inappropriately Touching Underage Girls Breast On Video
Was actor Jason Momoa caught on video inappropriately touching the breast of an underage girl? No, that's not true: a short snippet of a longer video of the actor watching a dance performance with his children was uploaded to the internet with
Lead Stories→ Fake News: William Shatner NOT Dead, Final Thoughts NOT of Leonard Nimoy and President Trump
Did actor William Shatner die? No, that's not true: a death hoax about the actor who is best known for his role of James T. Kirk in Star Trek was published by a liberal satire weblog in order to trick conservatives and Trump supporters into l
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Chevy Chase NOT Dead at 89, Did NOT Donate Estate to Wall Fund
Did actor and comedian Chevy Chase die and did he leave his estate to a fund to build a border wall? No, that's not true. The story was published by a liberal satire website that tries to educate gullible Trump supporters and Republicans about
Lead Stories→ Fake News: R. Kelly Did NOT Visit Bill Cosby In Prison for Advice
Did singer R. Kelly visit Bill Cosby in prison for advice? No, that's not true: the story was made up by a "fauxtire" site for entertainment purposes. It is not real. The story originated from an article published by Huzlers on January 9, 20