2011 Tax Increases
Q: Will "the largest tax hikes in the history of America" take effect next year? Will ordinary taxpayers see taxes "skyrocket"? A: That's not likely. A scary e-mail lists "Tax hikes in 2011" that probably won't take effect, or won't apply to families making under $250,000 a year. One "tax hike" ...

Corporate and Union Ads
In episode 27 of our podcast, we look at misleading ads from a conservative and a liberal group: Crossroads GPS, a group with ties to Karl Rove, and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees labor union. Plus, we tell listeners about a greatly exaggerated claim from the ...

Democratic Bailout Baloney
At least five freshman Democratic House members are running ads claiming they voted against the bank "bailout," when in fact none was in Congress when the bill setting up the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, was enacted. Mary Jo Kilroy says she "voted against the bank ...

Democrats Misfire on Social Security — Again
In Wisconsin and Kentucky House races, the Democrats are attempting to mislead voters into believing the Republican candidates support the privatization of Social Security -- despite evidence to the contrary. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is up with an ad attacking Republican Sean Duffy in Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District, but the ...

AFSCME’s Big, Brazen Attack
Summary The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees is spending more than $1.5 million on ads that attack Republican congressional candidates in Michigan and Nevada. The big ad buy from the labor union also comes with some grandiose -- and misleading -- claims: ...

FactCheck Mailbag, Week of Aug. 24-Aug. 30
This week, readers sent us comments about Social Security, health insurance premiums, deportation and party pedestals. In the FactCheck Mailbag, we feature some of the e-mail we receive. Readers can send comments to editor@factcheck.org. Letters may be edited for length. Social Security Naivete I find your article on Social Security to be hopelessly ...

Sunday Replay
On this week's Sunday talk shows, we caught the education secretary making a greatly inflated claim about high-school dropouts. Plus, Florida lawmakers made exaggerated statements on tax cuts and support of environmental bills. Too Cool for School On ABC's "This Week," Secretary of Education Arne Duncan greatly exaggerated the number of students ...

Misdirection from Crossroads GPS
Summary A group with ties to Karl Rove sends viewers astray in a $2 million ad campaign attacking Democratic Senate candidates in Pennsylvania, California and Kentucky. The ads make badly misleading claims about the health care legislation that those Democrats supported. An ad attacking Rep. Joe Sestak in ...

Reid, Angle Trade Familiar Charges
In Nevada's Senate race, Republican Sharron Angle and Democrat Harry Reid began airing new commercials Aug. 26. Angle's attack ad pictures Reid in a "love triangle" with President Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and repeats some familiar but misleading claims. Like Angle's, Reid's ad covers familiar ground. All of ...

Mosque Controversy, Stimulus Spin and Blagojevich
In episode 26, we answer readers' questions on claims about the planned Islamic cultural center and mosque near ground zero. Plus, we document spin from both the vice president and the House GOP leader on stimulus spending, and we fact-check former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's appearance on Fox News.  [podcast]http://factcheck.org/Images/image/radio/FactCheckRadio_episode26.mp3[/podcast] For more ...