The Army missed its recruiting goal this year, falling short by about 6,500 soldiers, despite pouring an extra $200 million into bonuses and approving some additional waivers for bad conduct or health issues.
FactCheck.org→ Trump Wrong About Obama Documents
In response to a sweeping document request from a congressional committee looking into potential criminal activity, President Donald Trump wrongly claimed that in the face of similar congressional inquiries, his predecessor, President Obama, “did
Snopes→ Conservative Ethics Group Files Campaign Spending Complaint Against Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and Her Chief of Staff
Lawyers for Ocasio-Cortez say she and other Democrat activists "fully complied with the law and the highest ethical standards."
Snopes→ Does This Image Show ‘Negro Skin Shoes’?
Plenty of evidence exists of various personal items made from human skin in the 19th century.
PolitiFact→ America First – Did Beto O'Rourke and Kirsten Gillibrand say they'd tear down border wall if elected president?
The Truth-o-Meter says: Half-True | Did Beto O'Rourke and Kirsten Gillibrand say they'd tear down border wall if elected president? While President Donald Trump wants to build a border wall, Democrats Beto O’Rourke and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
FactCheck.org→ Spinning GDP
The White House is claiming the economy grew 3.1 percent last year, while the statisticians at the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis put growth at 2.9 percent. What gives? Answer: The White House is spinning the numbers, focu
FactCheck.org→ FactChecking Clinton’s Voter Suppression Claims
In remarks in Alabama, Hillary Clinton took aim at state laws that she said disenfranchise minority voters. But she went too far in a couple of instances when discussing the impact of Wisconsin and Georgia laws in the 2016 election, when she ran for pr
Snopes→ US Regulators Outline Oversight on Meat Grown in Lab Dishes
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said meat from cultured animal cells will have to undergo agency inspection, as with other meat and poultry products.
Truth or Fiction?→ Do New Chicago City ID Cards Allow Undocumented Immigrants to Vote?
On January 19 2019, a Facebook user shared a text-based status update (archived here), claiming that Chicago’s “City ID Cards” enables undocumented immigrants to legally vote in state and federal elections: Chicago now has City ID Ca
Snopes→ Police: Taylor Swift Stalker Arrested Again
Roger Alvarado of Homestead, Florida was arrested after he allegedly climbed a ladder to a second-floor patio and smashed a glass door to get inside.
Snopes→ After DC Rally, Kentucky Could Make ‘Doxing’ Minors a Crime
“There are no brakes on Twitter,” said Todd McMurtry, an attorney for 16-year-old Nick Sandmann, whose interaction with Native American protester Nathan Phillips went viral in January.
Snopes→ Michael Cohen Sought Trump Pardon, Attorney Says
This raises questions about whether Cohen, who is slated to begin a three-year prison sentence in May, lied to Congress last week.
Truth or Fiction?→ If You Have Astigmatism, This Is What Lights Look Like
On February 28 2019, a Facebook user shared the image below (archived here) and commented: “So if u have astigmatism, then this is what lights look like to you. I always thought this was what they looked like for everybody”: The post was
PolitiFact→ James Lankford – Did tax collections rise after GOP law? The case is weak
The Truth-o-Meter says: Mostly False | Did tax collections rise after GOP law? The case is weak Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., recently took to cable TV to tout the December 2017 tax law, a law he said was fiscally responsible. On March 6, Lankford
Snopes→ Fired Florida Officer Guilty of Slaying Black Motorist
Nouman Raja, 41, now faces a mandatory sentence of at least 25 years, up to life in prison for the death of Corey Jones, 31.
Snopes→ R Kelly Says Ex-Wife Destroyed His Name, Others Stole Money
The 52-year old singer was jailed after he said he couldn't afford to pay $161,000 in back child support.
Snopes→ Out of the Shadows: Loyal Money Man Swept into Trump Probes
Allen Weisselberg started working for the Trump family in Brooklyn in 1973 under Fred Trump, Donald's father, and was there for all the son's big successes and flops.
Lead Stories→ On The Difference Between Fake News and Satire — Why Lead Stories Needed A Satire Policy
Things used to be very simple and clear-cut here at Lead Stories. We used our Trendolizer engine to look for things that were trending online that were not true (but which seemed to be believed by many people anyway). Then we would write an ar
Washington Post→ Pompeo’s complaint about the ‘Boston-DC corridor’ is based on flawed data
Where a person attends a university is not really a good indication of whether they grew up in the heartland.
Snopes→ Report: Government Kept Tabs on Journalists, ‘Instigators’
The U.S. government ran an operation to screen journalists, activists and others while investigating last year's migrant caravan from Mexico, a San Diego TV station reported, citing leaked documents.
Snopes→ Teacher Wins $10K for Reading Fine Print in Insurance Policy
A Florida travel insurance company has awarded a Georgia high school teacher $10,000 for reading the fine print in a policy she recently purchased.
Snopes→ Sinkhole Opens at Kentucky Zoo; No Animals or People Hurt
The nearby Louisville Mega Cavern also said Wednesday it is temporarily closed because of a 3.4 earthquake reported Tuesday in neighboring Tennessee.
Snopes→ Did Oprah Winfrey Promote the ‘Shout Your Abortion’ Campaign?
Conservative and pro-life observers criticized the media mogul in 2018 and 2019, but what did Oprah actually say?
Snopes→ ‘Jeopardy!’ Host Alex Trebek Says He Has Pancreatic Cancer
He's among 50,000 other American who receive such a diagnosis each year, Trebek said. Normally, the "prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I'm going to fight this, and I'm going to keep working."
Snopes→ Lawmakers: High Costs Slowing Action on Contaminant in Water
Water sampling shows the contaminant — also called the "forever chemicals" because they will take thousands of years to break down — has seeped into many public water systems in the U.S. and globally, including around military bases and industries.
Snopes→ Is This a Photograph of Rocker Alice Cooper and Actress Jean Stapleton?
The godfather of shock rock and "All in the Family's" Edith Bunker definitely make an odd couple.
Snopes→ Zuckerberg Promises a Privacy-Friendly Facebook, Sort Of
In effect, the Facebook co-founder and CEO promised to transform a service known for devouring the personal information shared by its users.
Truth or Fiction?→ Was Mr. Rogers Bisexual?
On March 5 2019, an unexpected rumor that Fred Rogers (the creator and star of the beloved American children’s television show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood) was bisexual began spreading on LGBTQ news sites and social media in general. Seve
Snopes→ Sen. McSally, Ex-Air Force Pilot, Says Officer Raped Her
The Arizona Republican, a 26-year military veteran, made the disclosure at a Senate hearing on the military's efforts to prevent sexual assaults and improve the response when they occur.
FactCheck.org→ Baseless Oklahoma City Bombing Conspiracy Theory
Quick Take A viral meme has revived an old, baseless conspiracy theory claiming that Hillary Clinton is linked to the Oklahoma City bombing. Full Story An old conspiracy theory from the 1990s has gotten a 21st Century update — it’s now spr
PolitiFact→ Bernie Sanders – Bernie Sanders attacks Donald Trump over proposed cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, disability fund
The Truth-o-Meter says: Half-True | Bernie Sanders attacks Donald Trump over proposed cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, disability fund Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders used Washington’s three biggest safety net programs to draw a sharp line b
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Say ‘White Women’ Need to Have Fewer Children and ‘More Abortions’?
In early March 2019, a Facebook user shared the following indifferently-spelled meme (archived here), featuring Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and a quote in which she purportedly insisted that “white women” ought to have ̶
Snopes→ Why Did the FBI Raid the Office of Trump’s Lawyer But Not Bill Clinton’s?
A meme presents a false equivalency between presidential payoffs to women made in completely different cases 20 years apart.
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘There is Room in America and Brotherhood for All’ Statue of Liberty Dedication Speech
On March 3 2019, Texas politician Sid Miller shared “An important reminder!”, a meme (archived here) purportedly providing the last line in a Statue of Liberty dedication speech from October 1886: Atop a bronze Statue of Liberty, the meme
Snopes→ School Lessons Increasingly a Target for Climate Skeptics
Science education organizations and climate scientists have blasted such proposals for sowing confusion and doubt on a topic of global urgency.
Snopes→ US Plans to Lift Protections for Gray Wolves
They received endangered species protections in 1975, when there were about 1,000 left, only in northern Minnesota. Now more than 5,000 of the animals live in the contiguous U.S.
FactCheck.org→ Meme Fabricates Ocasio-Cortez Firing
Quick Take Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wasn’t “fired” from a hot-dog franchise for “incompetence,” despite what a popular meme says. Full Story A viral Facebook image serves up a fact-free claim that Rep. Alexandria O
Snopes→ Little Caesars Warns Fake Coupon Could Download Virus
Little Caesars Pizza issued a social media statement warning customers of a fraudulent coupon that may download a virus onto their devices.
Snopes→ R. Kelly Cries, Calls Accusers Liars in Sex Abuse Case
R. Kelly, out on bail following his arrest in Chicago, said he has done "lots of things wrong" when it comes to women, but said he has apologized. He denies doing anything against their will.
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Luke Perry Die After a Pneumonia Vaccine?
Actor Luke Perry died following a stroke on March 4 2019. That same day, a screenshot (archived here) suggesting Perry had received a pneumonia vaccine just before his stroke appeared and quickly began circulating: The post, captioned “In cas