How does PolitiFact Georgia’s TruthOMeter work?
Our goal is to help you find the truth in American politics. Reporters from The Atlanta
JournalConstitution factcheck statements by local, state and national political leaders, including lobbyists and interest groups. We then rate them on the AJC TruthOMeter. To factcheck 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 TruthOMeter ruling.
The fact check then moves on to a panel of veteran editors who debate the statement
and the reporter’s recommended TruthOMeter ruling. The panel votes on a final
ruling; majority prevails.
Comedian Stephen Colbert, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and the U.S. labor secretary talking smack about Donald Trump.
They all took a recent ride on the AJC TruthOMeter, courtesy of PolitiFact and PolitiFact
Georgia.
Want to see how they fared? Abbreviated versions of our fact checks are below.
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(www.facebook.com/politifact.georgia). You can also follow us on Twitter
(http://twitter.com/politifactga).
Full versions can be found at www.politifact.com/georgia/.
Donald Trump on Tuesday, June 28th, 2016 in a speech in Monessen, Penn.:
“As Bernie Sanders said, Hillary Clinton ‘voted for virtually every trade agreement that has cost the workers of this country millions, millions of jobs.’ “
Trump accurately recast Sanders’ words, but that doesn’t make the attack any more correct.
Out of the 10 trade deals Clinton could have voted on, she voted in favor of six and against two. On two other deals (with Peru and Jordan), she didn’t vote but did vouch for them.
As for subsequent job losses, independent research has shown the impact of NAFTA, for example, to not be significant one way or the other for jobs.
Trump’s claim is partially accurate and needs additional information.
We rate his statement Half True.
Hillary Clinton on Wednesday, June 22nd, 2016 in a speech in Raleigh, NC:
“Thanks to (North Carolina’s) governor and the legislature, the average teacher salary can barely support a family.”
The average teacher salary of just less than $48,000 is higher than what most households around the state make per year. Yet it’s also right around what’s considered the bare minimum “living wage” for a couple with two kids.
Clinton, however, muddles the political blame. Average teacher pay did hit its lowest point when Republicans controlled both the governor’s office and General Assembly. Yet the only actual salary cuts happened under Democratic control.
And more recently, Republicans have raised teacher pay almost back to pre-recession levels.
We rate this claim Mostly False.
Stephen Colbert on Thursday, June 23rd, 2016 in a comedy sketch:
Says “Paul Ryan shut off the C-SPAN cameras when the Democrats started their sit-in.”
Ryan didn’t order the cameras shut off in response to the protest.
They were turned off because House Republicans declared the House session in recess. That’s a standard policy of Congress, even if it was Republicans making the decision.
Colbert’s bit was funny, but on its factual basis we rate the statement Mostly False.
U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez on Saturday, June 18th, 2016 in an interview:
“Go look at a Trump product. They’re all made in China.”
There’s an element of truth to his statement in that Trump clearly relies on China to produce many products — ties, shirts, cuff links, sport coats, jackets, lamps, eyeglasses and mirrors. That buttresses the labor secretary’s broader point that Trump relies on foreign labor to produce much of his product line.
But Perez goes too far in saying all of Trump’s products are made in China. They come from a lot of other places as well.
We rate his hyperbolic claim Mostly False.
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