The Gazette Fact Checker

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The Fact Checker team checks statements made by an Iowa political candidate or officeholder or a national candidate or officeholder about Iowa, or in ads that appear in our area. Claims must be independently verifiable. We give statements grades from A to F based on accuracy and context. If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

  1. 11/02/2022

    Grassley Ads Attack Franken for Wanting to Penalize Non-Voters

    Early voting already is well underway, but the jabs are getting sharper between Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley and Democratic challenger Mike Franken as the race inches to Election Day on Nov. 8. A recent ad attacking Franken containing claims about health care, abortion and support for hiring thousands of IRS agents included one claim that stands out as something voters don’t hear about in ads every election cycle. The Fact Checker team checks statements made by an Iowa political candidate or officeholder or a national candidate/officeholder about Iowa, or in advocacy ads that appear in our market. Claims must be independently verifiable. We give statements grades from A to F based on accuracy and context. If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com. This episode of the Fact Checker Podcast is researched and hosted by The Gazette's Elijah Decious and features Erin Jordan and Marissa Payne. The Fact Checker Podcast is produced by Stephen M. Colbert and the music is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod. Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/ License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    15 min

  2. 10/09/2022

    Bohannon vs. Miller-Meeks Debate: IRS Budget and Oil and Gas Industry Contributions

    This episode of the Fact Checker Podcast reviews claims made by Christina Bohannon and Mariannette Miller-Meeks in Iowa PBS' September debate. Bohannon's claim accused Marianette Miller-Meeks' big campaign contributions from oil and gas companies made her soft on regulating the industry, while Miller-Meeks went after the IRS' recent budget increase. The Fact Checker team checks statements made by an Iowa political candidate or officeholder or a national candidate/officeholder about Iowa, or in advocacy ads that appear in our market. Claims must be independently verifiable. We give statements grades from A to F based on accuracy and context. If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com. This episode of the Fact Checker Podcast includes fact checks researched by The Gazette's Erin Jordan and Marissa Payne. The podcast also features Elijah Decious. The Fact Checker Podcast is produced by Stephen M. Colbert and the music heard is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod. Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/ License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    19 min

  3. 08/29/2022

    How many 2021 deactivated voters are still inactive?

    Linn County Auditor Joel Miller has criticized Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate for deactivating voters who didn’t vote in the 2020 general election. The Fact Checker team checks statements made by an Iowa political candidate or officeholder or a national candidate/officeholder about Iowa, or in advocacy ads that appear in our market. Claims must be independently verifiable. We give statements grades from A to F based on accuracy and context. If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com. This episode of the Fact Checker Podcast is hosted by The Gazette's Erin Jordan and features Elijah Decious and Marissa Payne. The Fact Checker Podcast is produced by Stephen M. Colbert and the music heard is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod. Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/ License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    23 min

  4. 08/06/2022

    Did Grassley take $1.4 million from the pharmaceutical industry?

    Democrat senator Mike Franken said in a July 12 news release that “Since coming to Washington over 40 years ago, [Grassley] has taken nearly $1.4 million dollars from the pharmaceutical industry …” Was he correct in making those claims? The Fact Checker team checks statements made by an Iowa political candidate or officeholder or a national candidate/officeholder about Iowa, or in advocacy ads that appear in our market. Claims must be independently verifiable. We give statements grades from A to F based on accuracy and context. If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com. This episode of the Fact Checker Podcast is researched and hosted by The Gazette's Elijah Decious and features Erin Jordan and Marissa Payne. The Fact Checker Podcast is produced by Stephen M. Colbert and the intro and outro music heard is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/ License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    15 min

  5. 07/25/2022

    Did Iowa Democrat vote in ‘lock step’ with party?

    Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann recently claimed “Kevin Kinney acts one way at home, but when he goes to Des Moines he votes in lock step with the liberal progressives of his party,” Kaufmann said. "As a sixth-generation farmer, mother and community leader, Sen. Dawn Driscoll has always had her constituents' backs.“ The Fact Checker is going to check the first part of Kaufmann’s statement about Kinney voting in “lock step with liberal progressives.” The Fact Checker team checks statements made by an Iowa political candidate or officeholder or a national candidate/officeholder about Iowa, or in advocacy ads that appear in our market. Claims must be independently verifiable. We give statements grades from A to F based on accuracy and context. If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com. This episode of the Fact Checker Podcast is hosted by The Gazette's Erin Jordan and features Elijah Decious, Marissa Payne, and the final appearance of Michaela Ramm. The Fact Checker Podcast is produced by Stephen M. Colbert and the intro and outro music is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/ License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    18 min

  6. 07/11/2022

    Does Ashley Hinson support criminalizing abortions with no exceptions?

    Liz Mathis, a Democrat challenging GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson for her seat in the U.S. House, recently posted a tweet about Hinson’s support for a “personhood” bill introduced last year, claiming “This Iowa Supreme Court ruling is another step toward Ashley Hinson’s goal of criminalizing abortions even in cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is at risk." Our analysis found Hinson has never publicly stated she would support legislation that includes criminal penalties for abortions. But the broad scope of the personhood law does have implications for criminalization of abortion, so we gave the claim a B. The Fact Checker team checks statements made by an Iowa political candidate or officeholder or a national candidate/officeholder about Iowa, or in advocacy ads that appear in our market. Claims must be independently verifiable. We give statements grades from A to F based on accuracy and context. If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com. This episode of the Fact Checker Podcast is hosted by The Gazette's Michaela Ramm and features Elijah Decious, Erin Jordan, and Marissa Payne. The Fact Checker Podcast is produced by Stephen M. Colbert and the music used is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod. Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/ License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    19 min

  7. 06/27/2022

    Joni Ernst says U.S. spending $3M a day to guard border wall materials. Is that true?

    Six U.S. Senate Republicans, including Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley of Iowa, now have proposed the BUILD IT Act, which would turn over unused border wall materials to southern states who want to continue building the wall. As justification for the bill, Ernst tweeted May 24: “American taxpayers are paying $3 million per day for contractors to guard unused Southern border wall materials.” The Fact Checker team checks statements made by an Iowa political candidate/officeholder or a national candidate/officeholder about Iowa, or in ads that appear in our market. Claims must be independently verifiable. We give statements grades from A to F based on accuracy and context. This episode of the Fact Checker Podcast was hosted by The Gazette's Erin Jordan and features Elijah Decious, Marissa Payne, and Michaela Ramm. The Fact Checker Podcast is produced by Stephen M. Colbert and music is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod. Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/ License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    17 min

  8. 06/20/2022

    Did Kim Reynolds Want to Jail Teachers and Librarians?

    On June 7, the Iowa Democratic Party posted an infographic meant to compare Democrat candidate for Iowa governor Deidre DeJear with Kim Reynolds, making a few bold claims. In this episode of the Fact Checker Podcast we evaluate a couple of the claims the Democratic Party made against Reynolds. Claim 1: Reynolds “wanted to jail teachers and librarians.” We give this claim an F. Claim 2: Reynolds “banned trans kids from playing sports.” We give this claim an A. The Fact Checker team checks statements made by an Iowa political candidate or officeholder or a national candidate/officeholder about Iowa, or in advocacy ads that appear in our market. Claims must be independently verifiable. We give statements grades from A to F based on accuracy and context. If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com. This episode of the Fact Checker Podcast is hosted by The Gazette's Elijah Decious and features Erin Jordan and Marissa Payne. The Fact Checker Podcast is produced by Stephen M. Colbert and music is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/ License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    17 min
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5
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The Fact Checker team checks statements made by an Iowa political candidate or officeholder or a national candidate or officeholder about Iowa, or in ads that appear in our area. Claims must be independently verifiable. We give statements grades from A to F based on accuracy and context. If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

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