PolitiFact: The Roundup
How does PolitiFact Georgia’s Truth-O-Meter work?
Our goal is to help you find the truth in American politics. Reporters from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution fact-check statements by local, state and national political leaders, including lobbyists and interest groups. We then rate them on the AJC Truth-O-Meter.
To fact-check the claim, reporters first contact the speaker to verify the statement. Next, the research begins. Reporters consult a variety of sources, including industry and academic experts. This research can take hours or a few days or even longer, depending on the claim. Reporters then compile the research into story form and include a recommended Truth-O-Meter ruling.
The fact check then moves on to a panel of editors who debate the statement and the reporter’s recommended Truth-O-Meter ruling. The panel votes on a final ruling; majority prevails.
PolitiFact and PolitiFact Georgia looked at terrorist recidivism rates, Iran and the minimum wage last week.
Republican U.S. Sens. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia and Marco Rubio of Florida took a ride on the AJC Truth-O-Meter, as did a viral Facebook post.
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Abbreviated versions of our fact checks are below.
Full versions can be found at: www.politifact.com/georgia/.
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U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss: “The recidivism rate is nearly 29 percent and has been climbing steadily since detainees began being released from Guantanamo.”
U.S. senators fighting to close Guantanamo Bay won a small victory late last month despite opposition from Chambliss, one of their colleagues from Georgia.
Democrats joined forces with a handful of Republicans to successfully defend their bid to ease restrictions on transferring detainees out of the controversial military prison. The changes have yet to clear Congress.
Chambliss warned during a Senate floor debate that the proposed changes could free terrorists to strike again.
“These are not abstract theories; they are facts. The recidivism rate is nearly 29 percent and has been climbing steadily since detainees began being released from Guantanamo,” the Georgia Republican said.
Chambliss combined “suspected” and “confirmed” terrorists to get his recidivism rate.
His assessment that the rate of recidivists is “climbing steadily” also has some weaknesses. The number of suspected or confirmed recidivists has grown by a half-dozen or so since President Barack Obama took office. But his percentage is lower than that of the Bush administration.
We rate his statement Half True.
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Facebook Post: “Since 1988, Congress has raised its own salary 15 times ‘to reflect rising costs.’ But raised the minimum wage only three times.”
The idea of increasing the federal minimum wage from $7.25 per hour is becoming a hot-button issue.
Supporters say that wage is so low it forces the working poor to seek out food stamps to survive, adding to the burden of taxpayers and subsidizing the profits of low-paying companies such as Wal-Mart and McDonald’s. Critics say that raising the minimum wage kills jobs, makes it harder for companies to hire new workers, and adds to the costs of goods and services for everyone.
Raise the Minimum Wage, a Facebook group that wants Congress to boost the minimum wage to $11, is criticizing Congress, claiming it’s quick to give itself pay increases but slow to raise the minimum wage.
It posted a picture of the Internet’s well-known “Grumpy Cat” accompanied by this message: “Since 1988, Congress has raised its own salary 15 times ‘to reflect rising costs.’ But raised the minimum wage only three times.” It has been shared more than 8,800 times.
Although Congress has scored 15 pay increases thanks to the automatic formula it adopted in 1989, it has also approved seven increases in the minimum wage during that period, not three.
We rate the statement Mostly False.
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U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio: “Just days ago, Iran’s Supreme Leader (Ali) Khamenei, who will oversee implementation of this agreement, was calling Israel a ‘rabid dog’ and accusing the United States of war crimes.”
Forget the Senate’s “nuclear option.” Congress’ latest point of tension is the nuclear deal with Iran.
Rubio, a Republican from Florida, is among those opposed to the six-month deal.
In his news release, Rubio highlighted a notoriously rocky relationship between the two countries. He went on to criticize the country’s leadership.
“Just days ago, Iran’s Supreme Leader (Ali) Khamenei, who will oversee implementation of this agreement, was calling Israel a ‘rabid dog’ and accusing the United States of war crimes,” he said.
Based on expert translations, we confirmed that Khamenei referred to either Israel or the Israeli government as the animals of the Middle East. In the same speech, he criticized the United States, saying it continues “to commit crimes” in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay.
We rate Rubio’s statement True.
About the Author
Eric Stirgus joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2001. He is the newsroom's education editor. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Eric is active in the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Education Writers Association and enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists.
