President-elect Donald Trump, his pick for health secretary and fake news all took =a spin on the Truth-O-Meter recently, courtesy of PolitiFact and PolitiFact Georgia.
Want to see how they fared? Abbreviated versions of our fact checks are below.Full versions can be found at www.politifact.com/georgia.
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Winning Democrats on Thursday, December 1st, 2016 in an article:
“Trump’s Health Secretary Pick Wants a Medicare Phaseout by Summer 2017.”
An article on the Winning Democrats website said Georgia Rep. Tom Price, Trump’s pick for Secretary of Health and Human Services, wants to phase out Medicare by summer.
Price wants an overhaul of Medicare.
Saying he wants to “phase out” the program is too strong and gives readers the impression Medicare won’t exist under Price. Medicare will exist, and Price’s preferred plan for its future is laid out in detail in the 2017 Fiscal Year Budget Resolution.
The article offers little to no evidence to support the idea that Price wants to end Medicare.
We rated this claim False.
Donald Trump on Tuesday, December 6th, 2016 in a tweet:
“Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!”
Boeing, a major American corporation, is actually building two planes, not one. As for the price tag, Trump has more of a point. The project’s current cost is $3.73 billion, which is within shouting distance of Trump’s “more than $4 billion.” That’s a projection over 12 years, and the figure could rise over time.
However, Trump glosses over some important context. The corporation doesn’t simply slap a high price tag on its planes. National-security requirements, not Boeing, have been the main driver of high costs. The costs include high-tech features and top-of-the-line security necessary for the president.
The statement is partially accurate but leaves out important details.
We rated it Half True.
Roger Williams on Wednesday, November 16th, 2016 in an interview with McClatchy’s Washington bureau:
“NAFTA allows a lot of trucks from Mexico, for example, to leave there and … drive straight through without even being inspected.”
Texas GOP Congressman and car dealer Roger Williams gave no specific backup when he said trucks roll through Mexico to the U.S., but PolitiFact’s research showed not all trucks are searched, giving an element of truth to this statement.
However, all vehicles crossing the border must undergo a visual screening. Trucks are subject to electronic scans and random safety and security inspections, and if they’re headed to the nation’s interior they are required to fulfill various requirements including a safety inspection within the previous 90 days.
We rated his claim Mostly False.
Bloggers on Friday, October 9th, 2015 in social media posts, blogs:
Latina who enthusiastically supported Donald Trump on stage in Las Vegas in October 2015 has been deported.
News spread on social media that Myriam Witcher, a Latina Trump supporter who made headlines for enthusiastically showing her admiration for the now-President-elect during a 2015 rally, had been deported.
In a phone interview, Witcher said she’s a U.S. citizen who has not been deported. She still supports Trump.
In 2015, a Colombian website wrote a satirical piece a day after the rally. The piece said Witcher had been ordered deported and would be returning to Colombia.
Journalists have interviewed Witcher on U.S. soil in the past few months, and Witcher did not appear in an online search tool for immigration detainees.
We rated reports of Witcher’s deportation as Pants on Fire!
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 a 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 veteran editors who debate the statement and the reporter’s recommended Truth-O-Meter ruling. The panel votes on a final ruling; majority prevails.
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