The Gazette Fact Checker

Grassley Ads Attack Franken for Wanting to Penalize Non-Voters

The Gazette — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 06:00:00 -0600

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/

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

The Gazette — Sun, 09 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0600

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/

How many 2021 deactivated voters are still inactive?

The Gazette — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 06:00:00 -0600

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/

Did Grassley take $1.4 million from the pharmaceutical industry?

The Gazette — Sat, 06 Aug 2022 06:00:00 -0600

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/

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

The Gazette — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 06:00:00 -0600

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/

Does Ashley Hinson support criminalizing abortions with no exceptions?

The Gazette — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 06:00:00 -0600

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/

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

The Gazette — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 06:00:00 -0600

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/

Did Kim Reynolds Want to Jail Teachers and Librarians?

The Gazette — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 06:00:00 -0600

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/

Are Sen. Joni Ernst's claims about rising gas prices accurate?

The Gazette — Sun, 12 Jun 2022 06:00:00 -0600

The rising cost of gas is straining Americans’ budgets and fueling heightened criticism of President Joe Biden. Iowa’s Republican Sen. Joni Ernst is among the critics of Biden’s energy policy.

Ernst tweeted May 26 that “within the past two weeks, gas prices have jumped 33%. Some experts are saying the prices will reach $6/gallon by mid-summer. The Biden admin must unleash U.S. energy independence.”

The Fact Checker evaluated these two claims on this week's podcast.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This episode of The Gazette's Fact Checker Podcast is hosted by Erin Jordan and features Marissa Payne and Michaela Ramm. The Fact Checker Podcast is produced by Stephen Colbert and music is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod. (License)

Does Finkenauer support abortion up until birth?

The Gazette — Sat, 21 May 2022 06:00:00 -0600

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley’s campaign decried Abby Finkenauer for her support of proposed legislation to codify Roe v Wade into law to preserve abortion access nationwide even if the Supreme Court overturns it as a recent leak suggests.

"Democrats will stop at nothing to ensure their extremist views are enacted into law. Look no further than the bill in front of the U.S. Senate today — The Abortion on Demand Until Birth Act — which allows pregnancies to be terminated from conception to birth. Abby Finkenauer shared her support for this radical bill,“ Grassley’s team wrote in a campaign email.

The Gazette's Fact Checker team gives this claim a D. While it's true Finkenauer supports the legislation, Grassley's description of the bill is an oversimplification and misleading of the bill's intent.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

What is Axne’s Record on Affordable Health Care?

The Gazette — Sat, 07 May 2022 06:00:00 -0600

On April 13, Protect Our Care launched a new ad praising Democratic U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne of Iowa’s 3rd Congressional district for her work to reduce health care costs for families.

The Fact Checker team checks statements made by an Iowa political candidate or officeholder or a national candidate/officeholder about Iowa, or in political or public policy 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, 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/

Iowa Voucher Bill Doesn’t Add Transparency Rules for Private Schools

The Gazette — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 06:00:00 -0600

Iowa lawmakers are stirring up debate again before adjourning the 2022 legislative session over Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds’ proposal to spend taxpayer funds on private school tuition assistance. State Sen. Liz Mathis criticized the bill in a tweet: “Iowans believe public dollars should fund public schools, but Rs in the state Senate passed a bill that: Diverts $76M away from public schools where 93% of Iowans are educated, Undermines underfunded rural schools, Requires 0 transparency from private schools that get funds”

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.

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 Marissa Payne and features Elijah Decious, Erin Jordan, and Michaela Ramm. The 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/

Ashley Hinson’s and Randy Feenstra’s Votes on Insulin Copay

The Gazette — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 06:00:00 -0600

Iowa Democratic Party Chair Ross Wilburn on April 1 decried U.S. Reps. Ashley Hinson and Randy Feenstra, both Republicans, for voting against legislation that would cap insulin copays.

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 Michaela Ramm. The 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/

Are MidAmerican coal plants ‘not needed’ in Iowa?

The Gazette — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 06:00:00 -0600

In an April Fools’ Day-themed commercial that began airing in Iowa at the start of this month, an Iowa environmental group called on Des Moines-based MidAmerican Energy Company to close down its coal plants in Iowa within the next decade, making a number of claims about their coal-produced energy.

The Fact Checker team checks statements made by an Iowa political candidate or 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.

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 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/

Abby Finkenauer Says Chuck Grassley Tried to Dump Obamacare 12 Times

The Gazette — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 06:00:00 -0600

Abby Finkenauer, a Democrat hoping to claim Republican Chuck Grassley’s seat in the U.S. Senate, tweeted March 23 about Grassley’s attempts to get rid of the Affordable Care Act.

The Fact Checker team checks statements made by an Iowa political candidate or 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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker Podcast is hosted by The Gazette's Erin Jordan and features Elijah Decious and Marissa Payne.

The 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/

Is There Scientific Evidence Masks on Planes Reduces COVID Spread?

The Gazette — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 06:00:00 -0600

Iowa U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks has claimed in recent weeks there is no scientific evidence supporting continued use of coronavirus mitigation strategies in certain public settings.

The Fact Checker team checks statements made by an Iowa political candidate or 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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Does Gov. Kim Reynolds deny climate change?

The Gazette — Sun, 20 Mar 2022 06:00:00 -0600

On March 1, Gov. Kim Reynolds gave her address to the nation on behalf of the Republican Party in response to Democratic President Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address.

But before her speech, Democratic state Sen. Joe Bolkcom of Iowa City was giving a speech Feb. 28 on the floor of the Iowa Capitol on “the top 15 things Gov. Kim Reynolds will not tell Americans," making multiple accusations, including the claim Kim Reynolds is "a climate change denier."

This episode of the Fact Checker Podcast is researched and hosted by Elijah Decious and features, Marissa Payne and Michaela Ramm. The 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/

Has Cedar Rapids reduced crashes by using traffic cameras?

The Gazette — Sat, 12 Mar 2022 06:00:00 -0600

Cedar Rapids once again is fighting against Iowa lawmakers’ attempts to regulate or ban automated traffic enforcement camera systems — devices that local law enforcement officials say promote safety, while critics say they are cash-generating constitutional violations.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This episode of The Gazette's Fact Checker Podcast is hosted by Marissa Payne and features Elijah Decious, Erin Jordan, and Michaela Ramm. The Fact Checker Podcast is produced by Stephen M. Colbert and music heard on the podcast is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod.

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Gov. Kim Reynolds scores mixed grades in response to the State of the Union

The Gazette — Sat, 05 Mar 2022 06:00:00 -0600

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds was chosen by the Republican Party to deliver the GOP’s response Tuesday night to President Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address.

The Fact Checker checks only verifiable claims — so if the governor expressed an opinion or a made a vague statement that can’t be measured, we didn’t check it. Reynolds’ campaign staff provided sourcing to the Fact Checker on her claims.

This episode of the Fact Checker Podcast is hosted by Erin Jordan and features Elijah Decious and Michaela Ramm. 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/

Federal grant program won’t pay for crack pipes

The Gazette — Sat, 26 Feb 2022 06:00:00 -0600

More than 70,000 Americans overdosed on drugs in 2019, with 70 percent of those deaths caused by opioids, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

An increase in drug overdose deaths in recent years has caused the federal government to look at harm reduction, a strategy that seeks to keep drug users safe so they have a better chance of eventually kicking their addictions.

In a Feb. 15 news release, Sen. Joni Ernst ridicules a federal Harm Reduction Grant Program, which would provide nearly $30 million in grants funded by the American Rescue Plan to increase access to harm reduction services and support.

“When Iowans hear about the outlandish ways in which Washington wastes their hard earned tax dollars, I’m often asked if the folks making these spending decisions are on crack. Well, it turns out some are!”

Ernst goes on to say:

“As part of a new Biden administration initiative, ‘people who use drugs’ will help decide how to spend nearly $30 million of your tax dollars on smoking kits and drug equipment and supplies for other drug users.

“While the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) initially confirmed crack pipes would be included, the administration is now attempting to backtrack, saying the pipes won’t be part of the deal.

“Regardless of the latest line the administration is pushing, the program announcement is not so crystal clear on if crack pipes will be included.”

This episode of the Fact Checker Podcast is researched and hosted by The Gazette's Erin Jordan. Additional members of the Fact Checker team are 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/

Are Hospitalizations in Iowa Primarily Because of COVID-19 Decreasing?

The Gazette — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 06:00:00 -0600

Iowa is emerging from a record-breaking COVID-19 surge that nearly pushed the state’s hospitals to the breaking point.

But according to Gov. Kim Reynolds, the novel coronavirus was not the sole reason for those high patient counts. The Republican governor told reporters at the Iowa State Capitol Feb. 9 that data is showing patients infected during this latest surge were more likely to be admitted to hospitals for reasons aside from COVID-19.

“At the height of our hospitalizations in November 2020, for 75 percent of hospitalizations, the primary reason was COVID-19,” Reynolds said. “Today, the number of hospitalizations primarily because of COVID-19 are under 50 percent.”

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.

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 Michaela Ramm and features Elijah Decious, 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/

Does Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds "literally" want to defund police?

The Gazette — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0600

This week, The Gazette Fact Checker team dives into the meaning of "literally" and a tweet from the Iowa Senate Democrats: “@KimReynoldsIA is proposing a budget cut to the already underfunded Iowa State Patrol. Kim Reynolds and Iowa Republicans are literally the only ones proposing to defund the police.”

Read this fact check and others at thegazette.com/fact-checker.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This episode of the podcast is researched and hosted by Erin Jordan and features Marissa Payne and Michaela Ramm. The Fact Checker Podcast is produced by Katie Brumbeloe, 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/

Do states with low income tax see more growth than states with high taxes?

The Gazette — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 06:00:00 -0600

Iowa Sen. Mike Klimesh, R-Spillville, wrote in a Jan. 14 legislative newsletter about legislative proposals to ensure Iowans “keep more of their hard-earned money.” Democrats have criticized these plans as disproportionately benefiting higher wage earners.

Gov. Kim Reynolds has proposed a 4 percent flat tax rate, which would be less than half the current top Iowa income tax rate if approved. The House and Senate have both unveiled different packages that staff estimate would provide $1.7 billion and nearly $2 billion in tax relief, respectively. Those both carry higher price tags than Reynolds’ $1.6 billion proposal.

The governor’s proposal also calls for a gradual reduction in the corporate tax rate each year revenue surpasses $700 million, until the top rate is 5.5 percent. The Senate proposed a five-year gradual reduction of the top rate from 9.8 percent to 7.8 percent, while the House plan does not make any changes.

“Data has long shown the states with low or no income tax grow more quickly than states with high, punitive tax rates,” Klimesh wrote.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This episode of the podcast is researched and hosted by Marissa Payne and features Elijah Decious, Erin Jordan, 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/

Have police killings reached their highest level since 9/11?

The Gazette — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 06:00:00 -0600

As social justice movements and multiple high-profile trials have brought increased scrutiny to law enforcement officers, some lawmakers and citizens alike have voiced more support for law enforcement and empathy with the challenges of the positions.

Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa was among those calling on Americans to “back the blue” on Jan. 14, when he tweeted about the number of police killed on the job in 2021.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This episode of the Fact Checker podcast was researched and hosted by Elijah Decious, and features Erin Jordan, Michaela Ramm 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/

Iowa U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne Boasts 2021 Legislative Victories

The Gazette — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 06:00:00 -0600

With the start of a new year comes reflections of the past year, and many lawmakers highlighted their accomplishments in 2021.

Iowa’s U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne was among them, touting her accomplishments for 2021 in an end-of-year report published Dec. 21. The Democrat representing Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District listed her legislative accomplishments, including bills signed into law and grants awarded to Iowans. We’ll look into four of the claims Axne makes in the report.

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.

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 Michaela Ramm and features Elijah Decious, Erin Jordan, and Marissa Payne. and produced by Stephen M. Colbert. Music is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod.

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Fact checking Gov. Reynolds' Condition of the State address

The Gazette — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 06:00:00 -0600

Gov. Kim Reynolds’s 2022 Condition of the State address Tuesday night was 48 minutes and covered topics ranging from education and the environment to technology and taxes.

Some statements drew cheers, while others might have angered listeners. The Fact Checker checks only verifiable claims — so if the governor expressed an opinion or a made a vague statement that can’t be proved, we didn’t check it. The Gazette Fact Checker checked 10 claims for accuracy.

Read the full fact check: Fact checking 10 claims in Reynolds’ Condition of the State

Support for this podcast is provided by New Pioneer Food Co-op. Celebrating 50 years as Eastern Iowa’s source for locally and responsibly sourced groceries with stores in Iowa City, Coralville and Cedar Rapids; and online through Co-op Cart at newpi.coop.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker podcast is produced by Katie Brumbeloe, 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/

Hinson Leaves Out Details About Payment to Migrants

The Gazette — Sun, 09 Jan 2022 06:00:00 -0600

The end of the year brought several Iowa politicians touting their accomplishments in 2021. U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson tweeted Dec. 28: “This year I helped lead the charge against the Administration’s proposal to pay some illegal immigrants $450,000 after they broke our laws.”

The 1st District Republican representative’s tweet linked to a Nov. 3 opinion piece she wrote in the Washington Times. In it, Hinson said she was “disturbed, but frankly unsurprised” to learn the Biden administration “has a plan in the works to pay individuals who tried to enter our country illegally $450,000 — each.” The payouts could cost nearly $1 billion, Hinson said.

Hinson does not mention in her opinion piece what the payouts would be for, and the only hyperlinks in the online story go to the Times’ collection of other stories about the Biden administration.

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.

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 Erin Jordan and features Michaela Ramm 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/

Sen. Chuck Grassley blocked a gun control measure. But could it have saved lives in a school shooting?

The Gazette — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0600

A deadly school shooting near Detroit once again has sparked debate over tightening gun control measures at the federal level, as lawmakers split largely along party lines over how to keep the weapons out of the hands of the wrong people and improve safety while protecting Second Amendment rights.

After a Nov. 30 shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan, when 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley is accused of opening fire and killing four people and injuring seven, the Iowa Democrats — the verified Twitter account of the Iowa Democratic Party — took to the platform to point fingers at Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, who is seeking re-election in 2022, for not taking sufficient steps to stop gun violence.

To read the full Fact Checker and past checks, visit thegazette.com/fact-checker

The theme music is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

On Iowa Politics Podcast: Banning books, Grassley's naughty list, Rob Sand blinks, and Roby Smith runs

The Gazette — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 04:15:00 -0600

Bonus episode for our Gazette Fact Checker podcast listeners. Hear this week's On Iowa Politics podcast.

On this week’s edition of the On Iowa Politics Podcast, reporters discuss Iowa Senate Republicans’ effort to ban some LGBTQ books in schools, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley’s GOP primary issues, Iowa Auditor Rob Sand running for reelection instead of governor and Davenport Sen. Roby Smith running for state treasurer.

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to re-create the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day's deadlines have been met.

This week’s show is hosted by The Gazette’s James Lynch and features Amie Rivers of the Waterloo Cedar-Falls Courier, Tom Barton of the Quad-City Times, Lee newspapers Statehouse Bureau chief Erin Murphy, and Gazette opinion editor Todd Dorman.

The show was produced by Katie Brumbeloe, and the music heard on the podcast is courtesy of Iowa bands Copperhead and Milk & Eggs.

Ernst talks turkey and inflation in animated video

The Gazette — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 06:00:00 -0600

Each year at the holidays, agricultural organizations report on how much a turkey dinner and all the fixings will cost. This year, that price tag ballooned as supply-chain breakdowns and other factors have caused inflation.

Republicans have been eager to blame rising prices on Democratic President Joe Biden, and an animated video tweeted Nov. 23 by U.S. Joni Ernst of Iowa does just that.

“Let’s tally up the cost of your Thanksgiving trip,” Ernst narrates as we see a cartoon Biden using a bike pump to inflate the words “Thanksgiving trip” until the words explode.

Claims are peppered through the video like bits of celery in your favorite stuffing:

“Gas is at a seven-year high,” Ernst says, as the screen says “$63.08 to fill the tank.”

“Heating bills this winter are jumping up by 54 percent,” Ernst says.

“The price for turkeys this year has nearly doubled,” she says as we see a label saying “$55.20 for a 16-pound turkey.“

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

Members of the Fact Checker team are Erin Jordan, Michaela Ramm and Marissa Payne. This Fact Checker was researched and written by Erin Jordan.

Would Grassley’s bill block Amazon products?

The Gazette — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0600

The mammoth online retailer Amazon has become a household staple for many Americans, particularly as the pandemic lockdown encouraged many to shop for supplies from home.

So is it true new legislation would prevent Amazon from selling products from its private label brand?

In a series of online targeted ads, Chamber of Progress, a liberal advocacy coalition representing technology companies, claimed a bill sponsored by Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa “would block Amazon from offering its low-cost Basics brand products.”

"His bill would ban Amazon from offering free shipping on select products through Amazon Prime,“ the group stated in another ad, which appeared on The Gazette’s website.

The Chamber of Progress is backed by Amazon, along with other major technology companies.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This episode of the podcast is researched and hosted by The Gazette's Michaela Ramm 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/

Tax ad attacking Axne gets scary

The Gazette — Sun, 07 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0600

Just before Halloween, the National Republican Congressional Committee released an ad saying “What’s scarier than Halloween? Democrats spending billions to hire an army of IRS agents to spy on your bank account.”

The 20-second ad, which the Iowa GOP tweeted Oct. 27, goes on to say “Cindy Axne, Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden’s plan would give the federal government new authority to monitor your spending.”

It finishes by asking Iowans to “tell Cindy Axne to stop spying on your bank account,” referring to the West Des Moines Democrat leading Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District.

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 is researched and hosted by The Gazette's Erin Jordan and features Michaela Ramm 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/

Is no one safe from Democrats’ ‘reckless tax hikes?’

The Gazette — Mon, 25 Oct 2021 06:00:00 -0600

Republicans are united in their opposition to a federal budget reconciliation bill that U.S. Senate Democrats hope to pass by next month as part of President Joe Biden’s economic agenda.

The Build Back Better Act was proposed as $3.5 trillion legislative package that included $1.3 trillion in tax breaks and about $2.3 trillion in revenue increases to finance free universal preschool, free community college, lower prescription drug costs and other priorities over the next 10 years.

But it has been subject to a flurry of negotiations in recent days over its scope and cost, with Biden acknowledging that entire sections like free community college tuition would be removed and congressional Democrats considering a tax on billionaires instead of higher income and corporate tax rates.

So it’s not clear yet what will be in or out of the final bill. On Sept. 27, while commenting on the original Build Back Better Act, GOP U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa tweeted the following (which has been edited for clarity):

“Democrats pledge not to raise ‘1 penny’ of taxes on people earning under $400,000. Don’t believe it. Non-partisan Joint Tax committee analysis shows no income group is safe from Democrats’ reckless tax hikes. Over 12 percent of taxpayers with incomes $50,000-$100,000 would see (a) tax hike and 35 percent of taxpayers with incomes of $100,000-$200,000.”

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.

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 Erin Jordan and Marissa Payne.

Billionaires and Build Back Better

The Gazette — Sun, 17 Oct 2021 06:00:00 -0600

Democratic leaders in the U.S. Senate want to pass two large pieces of legislation by the end of October.

One is a $1 trillion infrastructure bill, which has support of both Democrats and Republicans. The second is the Build Back Better Act, a package that would cost an estimated $3.5 trillion over 10 years and includes free universal preschool, lower prescription drugs costs and electric vehicle tax credits.

Tax March, a Washington, D.C.-based left-wing advocacy group, announced last month a $2 million ad campaign to pressure members of Congress to support Build Back Better. One of those ads, targeting U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a Republican representing Iowa’s 2nd District, is running in Iowa.

A 15-second ad that began airing Sept. 29 starts off saying: “During the pandemic, billionaires got $1 trillion richer.” A screen graphic says the net worth of U.S. billionaires went from about $2.8 trillion on March 18, 2020, to more than $4.6 trillion by Aug. 17.

“If they paid their fair share of taxes, that would mean expanding Medicare and lowering prescription drug prices,” the ad states.

Tax March asks Iowans to call Miller-Meeks and ask her to support Build Back Better.

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.

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 Michaela Ramm 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/

How much of Cedar Rapids’ growth comes from existing businesses?

The Gazette — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0600

In a competitive four-way race to be Cedar Rapids’ next mayor, candidates have pitched their visions for strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Iowa’s second-largest city.

At a Sept. 22 mayoral candidate forum hosted by the Cedar Rapids nonprofit NewBoCo, Women Lead Change Chief Executive Officer Tiffany O’Donnell said she wanted to explore ways to recruit new businesses to the city.

O’Donnell highlighted companies such as Collins Aerospace, Van Meter Inc. and United Fire Group as companies that started here and “continue to be successful and make us who we are today.”

“We know that 80 percent of our growth in Cedar Rapids comes from existing businesses,” O’Donnell said.

On the campaign trail, she has at times criticized the city’s business growth climate — saying it “has come to a halt” in recent years.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This episode of the Fact Checker podcast was researched and hosted by The Gazette's Marissa Payne and features The Gazette's Erin Jordan 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/

Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann: Democrat Liz Mathis voted against ‘largest tax cut in state history’

The Gazette — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0600

When Iowa Sen. Liz Mathis, a Democrat, announced July 27 she would challenge U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District in 2022, Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann had a quick response on Twitter: “Liberal Liz has never met a tax increase she didn’t like. She even voted against the largest tax cut in Iowa history.”

This was almost identical to the statement Hinson’s campaign manager Sophie Crowell released saying “liberal Liz has never met a tax hike she doesn’t like — she even voted against Iowa families and the largest tax cut in Iowa’s history,” the Des Moines Register reported.

The Fact Checker isn’t going to check the first part of Kaufmann’s statement because we can’t verify what an elected official likes or doesn’t like. But the second part of the statement, about Mathis voting “against the largest tax cut in Iowa history,” is fair game.

Read the full fact check at thegazette.com/fact-checker.

Would negotiating drug prices lead to fewer choices?

The Gazette — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 06:00:00 -0600

Lowering the cost of prescription drugs for Americans is a priority for some in Washington, D.C., including the way Medicare negotiates prices.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA, a trade group representing U.S. drug companies, is pushing back on those proposals in a television advertisement broadcast nationally and in the Cedar Rapids market this month.

The ad features a woman named Sue who says she relies on Medicare for her diabetes medication. In the 30-second clip, she states “some in Congress” want to make it harder for Medicare patients to obtain the medicines they need.

“They want to repeal a protection in Medicare that protects access to my medicines,” Sue says in the ad, which was first posted online Aug. 5. “They call it negotiation, but it really means the government decides what medicines I can get. That would make it harder for people on Medicare to get the medicines we need.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This episode of the Fact Checker Podcast was researched, written, and hosted by Michaela Ramm of The Gazette and co-hosted by Erin Jordan, John Steppe, 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/

Are Black Linn residents disproportionately infected with COVID-19?

The Gazette — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 06:00:00 -0600

State and local governments across the nation are contemplating how to spend their shares of funding allocated through the federal American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 aid bill intended to support the public health response and lay a foundation for an equitable economic recovery.

Linn County officials focused on equity during an Aug. 11 public forum at the downtown Cedar Rapids Public Library while receiving input on how to divvy up the county’s $44 million allocation. In communicating why equity is central to how this funding is allocated, Linn County Sustainability Program Manager Tamara Marcus spoke about how the pandemic has exacerbated racial and ethnic disparities, shown in the impact on individuals’ finances and health.

Marcus also is challenging Cedar Rapids City Council member Dale Todd for the District 3 seat in the Nov. 2 local election.

“We see that 30 percent of people within Linn County who have had COVID-19 are Black,” Marcus said, whereas “Black people only made up 6 percent of Linn County’s population.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker Podcast episode was researched hosted by Marissa Payne of The Gazette and features The Gazette's Erin Jordan and Michaela Ramm. The Fact Checker Podcast is produced by Stephen 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/

Is U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley a multimillionaire?

The Gazette — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 06:00:00 -0600

Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa has not announced whether he will seek reelection in 2022.

But Democrats have been campaigning against the seven-term senator anyway, with midterm elections about 15 months away.

Former 1st District U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer has painted Grassley as someone “out of touch” with Iowans since declaring her candidacy for the job July 22.

In a July 31 tweet that included a link to donate to her campaign, Finkenauer called Grassley a “multimillionaire who has owned a house in Washington since I was 5 years old.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This episode of the Facter Checker podcast was researched, written, and hosted by John Steppe of The Gazette and features The Gazette's 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/

Fact Checker: Are unvaccinated migrants ‘part of the problem’?

The Gazette — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 06:00:00 -0600

Could the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic be a border issue?

According to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, immigration at the southern border “is part of the problem” as the United States and Iowa experiences a resurgence in virus cases. During an event this past week in Des Moines, she said she was concerned that migrants crossing the border were unvaccinated and traveling throughout the country.

“As they’re trying to impact additional restrictions on Americans, we’ve got people coming across the border that haven’t been vaccinated, and so that’s also something we need to continue to look at,” Reynolds told reporters, according to the Capital Dispatch.

Pat Garrett, spokesman for the Governor’s Office, later told The Fact Checker that Reynolds was speaking about the impact this could have on the spread of the coronavirus nationwide, not just in Iowa.

Criteria

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This episode of the Fact Checker Podcast was researched, written, and hosted by Michaela Ramm of The Gazette and cohosted by Erin Jordan, John Steppe, and Marissa Payne. The Fact Checker Podcast is produced by Stephen 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/

Do children transmit COVID-19?

The Gazette — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 06:00:00 -0600

With most Iowa schools scheduled to start the next academic year in less than a month, many families are trying to figure out the risk of their children contracting COVID-19. After all, the vaccines are not yet approved for kids under 12 and there is an uptick in Iowa of cases believed to be connected to the more contagious Delta variant.

U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks said July 14 on “The Evening Edit,” a show on Fox Business, that “we have known for over a year that children don’t transmit the virus.” She went on to say kids should be able to attend summer camps, play sports and go back to school without masks.

Miller-Meeks, a Republican representing Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, made a similar statement July 12 on Twitter: “Elementary age students rarely die or are seriously ill and don’t transmit virus to adults or other children.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by Erin Jordan of The Gazette. The podcast episode is hosted by Erin Jordan and co-hosted by Michaela Ramm, John Steppe, 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/

Did Iowa protect its meatpackers in pandemic?

The Gazette — Sun, 27 Jun 2021 06:00:00 -0600

Fox News’s Sean Hannity talked with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds May 26 as part of a town hall meeting in Nashville with six Republican governors, including Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu.

Hannity praised Iowa’s response to COVID-19 outbreaks in the state’s meatpacking plants and asked Reynolds to talk about it.

“Well, first of all, my farmers and producers produce over 10 percent of the nation's food supplies,” Reynolds started.

That’s the first statement we’re going to check.

She continued by saying: “Not only did we provide the PPE, but we were able to test. Those that were positive were quarantined” and “we were able to keep our processing plants up and going and I mean, and not back up hog production for our producers.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by Erin Jordan of The Gazette. The episode is hosted by Erin Jordan and features The Gazette's Michaela Ramm, John Steppe, and Marissa Payne. The 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/

Gas prices are high. But is Biden to blame like Grassley claims?

The Gazette — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 06:00:00 -0600

Some congressional Republicans are using rising gas prices to rail against President Joe Biden’s energy agenda.

Among those critics is Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who wrote in a tweet June 3 from his @GrassleyWorks campaign account, “When Iowans pull up to fill up, they’re facing 7-year high #gas prices under the Biden administration’s failing energy prices.” The post was shared from a Casey’s General Store with a photo of Grassley standing outside of a car looking at a gas pump.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This episode of the Fact Checker podcast was researched and written by Marissa Payne of The Gazette and co-hosted by The Gazette's Erin Jordan, John Steppe, 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/

Are Sand’s tweets about spending $0 in response to prison attacks accurate?

The Gazette — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 06:00:00 -0600

Funding for the Iowa Department of Corrections has come under increased scrutiny since the March 23 murders of two Anamosa State Penitentiary employees.

State Auditor Rob Sand, a Democrat who told the Carroll Times Herald on May 27 he is considering a run for governor in 2022, is among the critics of Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds over prison funding.

“Dozens of correctional officers sent to hospital over the last 5 years due to assault on the job: $0,” Sand tweeted May 28. He then said, “A few threats & some protestors on the Governor’s lawn: $400,000,” with a link to a KCRG-TV story about the state paying $400,000 for a fence around the Terrace Hill mansion where the governor resides.

Sand later tweeted May 28 the $0 figure “is focused on years of violence leading up to now that saw no action.”

“No one would read this tweet and think I was saying DOC doesn’t exist or is costless,” Sand said in a third tweet on May 28. “I’m saying the violence saw no meaningful response.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This episode of the Fact Checker podcast was researched and written by John Steppe of The Gazette and is co-hosted by The Gazette's Erin Jordan, Michaela Ramm, and Marissa Payne. The Fact Check 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/

Hinson says Biden, Harris haven’t been to the U.S. border. Is she right?

The Gazette — Mon, 24 May 2021 06:00:00 -0600

U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, a Marion Republican representing Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, has had several recent tweets about security at the U.S. border with Mexico.

A May 10 fundraising video on Twitter includes a half-dozen sound-bites from Hinson, all about border security. In one, Hinson says “Why haven’t you been to the border, President Biden? Why hasn’t Vice President Harris been to the border?”

Although Hinson represents a state not on the U.S. border, she said in the video montage she cares because of drugs coming from Mexico to Iowa.

“They’re (drug cartels) sending their dangerous drugs, fentanyl, up into states like mine, to Iowa,” she said.

The Fact Checker is checking whether President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have visited the U.S. border region since Biden came into office Jan. 20. We’ll also dig into whether there’s been an increase in drugs coming into the United States from Mexico in recent months.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by Erin Jordan of The Gazette. This episode is hosted by Erin Jordan and features The Gazette's Michaela Ramm, John Steppe, 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/

Trone Garriott aces Iowa migration, ethnic diversity claims

The Gazette — Tue, 18 May 2021 06:00:00 -0600

Statehouse Democrats have made a business case for recruiting and retaining a diverse population to fill Iowa’s labor shortage in a push against GOP legislation regulating diversity training at schools and government entities.

Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-Windsor Heights, during April 28 debate in the Senate over House File 802, emphasized diversity as being key to Iowa’s success and its ability to keep talented workers.

The bill would ban from mandatory training in the schools or governments the mention of certain topics, such as teaching that the United States or Iowa is fundamentally or systemically racist or sexist and that individuals are inherently oppressive based on their race or sex. It also states that such training should not make anyone "feel discomfort, guilt, anguish or any other form of psychological distress" because of race or sex.

It awaits Gov. Kim Reynolds’ signature to become law.

Trone Garriott, a first-term state senator in the minority party, said, “In Iowa, net overall migration in 2020 was negative. We lost 2,348 folks who left this state. We rank 45th among states in ethnic diversity.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by Marissa Payne of The Gazette. This episode is hosted by Marissa Payne and features The Gazette's Erin Jordan, John Steppe, and Michaela Ramm.

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/

Reynolds Guesstimates Green New Deal’s Impact

The Gazette — Mon, 10 May 2021 06:00:00 -0600

The Green New Deal was proposed by Democrats as a way to tackle climate change by achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions, but their opponents across the aisle have not been wholly supportive of the congressional resolution.

Many Republicans — and now the governor of Iowa — have labeled the proposal as damaging to the U.S. economy.

In an April 23 tweet, Gov. Kim Reynolds stated “the Green New Deal would destroy Iowa’s economy and our way of life.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by Michaela Ramm of The Gazette. The podcast is hosted by Michaela and co-hosted by The Gazette's Erin Jordan, John Steppen, and Marissa Payne.

The podcast is produced by Stephen 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/

Is Reynolds correct that Biden has more executive orders than any other president?

The Gazette — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 06:00:00 -0600

As Democratic President Joe Biden signs many executive orders in his first few months in office, many Republicans have rebuked him for issuing the presidential orders instead of relying on Congressional actions. That includes Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, who was critical of Biden’s April 7 order on gun control measures.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by John Steppe of The Gazette. The episode is hosted by John Steppe and features The Gazette's Erin Jordan, Micheala Rammn, and Marissa Payne. Music is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod.

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

AFSCME decries state prison staff vacancies

The Gazette — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 06:00:00 -0600

After the March 23 murders of a correctional officer and a nurse at the Anamosa State Penitentiary, AFSCME Council 61, the union that represents many prison workers, has criticized the state for understaffing at its prisons.

Criteria

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.

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 Fact Checker was researched and written by Erin Jordan of The Gazette and features Michaela Ramm, John Steppe, and Marissa Payne

Iowa Sen. Jim Carlin's COVID-19 vaccine claims lack key context

The Gazette — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 05:00:00 -0600

More than 1 million COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Iowa, but as the rollout continues some may be hesitant to take the shot.

State senators have advanced a bill that would bar Iowa businesses from requiring their employees to get vaccinated against the disease. The Iowa Senate Human Resources Committee approved the legislation and it was introduced to the full Senate on March 4 as Senate File 555.

It was during that committee meeting that one Republican, Sen. Jim Carlin of Sioux City, raised concerns about the risk of these shots.

The Fact Checker is checking three claims made by Carlin during that discussion. Carlin, who has announced he’ll run for the U.S. Senate seat now held by fellow Republican Chuck Grassley, did not respond to the Fact Checker’s request for his sourcing.

Sen. Joe Bolkcom talks about marijuana possession

The Gazette — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 06:00:00 -0600

Fifteen states have legalized recreational marijuana and 27 states have decriminalized small amounts of the drug, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The Iowa Senate Judiciary Committee has approved Senate File 533, which would reduce the criminal charges from a serious misdemeanor to a simple misdemeanor for first-offense possession of 5 grams or less of marijuana. A simple misdemeanor is punishable by up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $625. A serious misdemeanor conviction carries up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $1,875.

In arguing in favor of what he called the “very, very modest change” the bill would allow, Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, said in a March 3 Judiciary Committee meeting marijuana convictions — even low-level ones — can hurt Iowans’ prospects for jobs, housing and financial aid. He made several claims:

• “In 2020, more than 4,500 people had marijuana convictions in Iowa.”

• “ ... Fifty-three percent of Iowans across political parties support marijuana reform ...”

• “If you’re a Black or brown person in Iowa, you’re nearly eight times more likely to be arrested for it (marijuana possession).”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker is hosted by Erin Jordan of The Gazette and features Marissa Payne, Michaela Ramm, and John Steppe. The podcast is produced by Stephen 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/

Is the next COVID-19 relief proposal a 'blue state bailout'?

The Gazette — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 06:00:00 -0600

Iowa’s 3rd District U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne, the state’s lone Democrat in Congress, has come under scrutiny for her support of the White House’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief proposal, the American Rescue Plan.

A digital ad paid for by the American Action Network, a conservative issue advocacy group, recently urged constituents in targeted Democrat-held congressional districts, including Axne’s, to tell their representatives to oppose the package before it came to a vote in the House Feb. 27.

The Fact Checker looked into three claims the ad makes about the latest federal stimulus proposal, which the Senate began debating Friday in earnest.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker is hosted by Marissa Payne of The Gazette and features Erin Jordan, Michaela Ramm, and John Steppe. This episode is produced by Stephen 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/

Did Miller-Meeks vote against COVID-19 relief while supporting tax breaks for private jets and yachts?

The Gazette — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 06:00:00 -0600

As the debate around President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus bill continues in Congress, a new advertisement airing in Iowa takes Iowa Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks to task over her position on COVID-19 relief.

Produced by Tax March Iowa and supported by several other liberal groups in the state, the ad makes a series of claims to conclude billionaires “hit the jackpot” while Iowans in need of relief get “jack squat” with Republican Miller-Meeks, who represents Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.

The other groups supporting the ad include Progress Iowa, Iowa Citizen Action Network, Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans, Iowa Main Street Alliance, Indivisible Iowa and Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO.

The Gazette reached out to Tax March for additional sourcing for the claims but did not receive a response.

Tax March is a part of the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a Washington, D.C.-based liberal advocacy group that received $56.7 million in contributions during the 2020 election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics’ website.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker hosted by John Steppe of The Gazette and features Erin Jordan, Marissa Payne, and Michaela Ramm. The podcast is produced by Stephen 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/

Has the Iowa GOP invested more in K-12 education?

The Gazette — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 06:00:00 -0600

After being criticized by Statehouse Democrats over education proposals, Iowa Republican leaders touted their commitment to funding K-12 education in a guest column earlier this month in The Gazette.

The column was written by Gov. Kim Reynolds, Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley and Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver.

The governor and Republican Statehouse leaders have faced criticism in recent weeks over “school choice” bills that would drive fewer taxpayer dollars to public schools. (The Fact Checker team looked into this earlier.)

There are a number of claims Reynolds, Grassley and Whitver made about their K-12 budgets, and about Democrats’ education spending more than a decade ago.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker podcast is hosted by Michaela Ramm of The Gazette and includes Erin Jordan, Marissa Payne, and John Steppe.

The Podcast is produced by Stephen 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/

Is Joni Ernst right on ethanol?

The Gazette — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 06:00:00 -0600

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, questioned former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack at a Feb. 2 hearing on his nomination to be U.S. agriculture secretary.

The committee confirmed Vilsack, setting him up for approval by the full Senate. Vilsack also served as ag secretary during President Barack Obama’s administration.

Ernst wanted to know whether Vilsack will “stand firm” on the Renewable Fuel Standard, which mandates U.S. transportation fuels contain a minimum value of biofuel, which could be corn-based ethanol or cellulosic ethanol.

There is concern among Republicans, including Ernst, that Democratic President Joe Biden’s plan to convert the federal vehicle fleet to electricity will leave ethanol in the dust.

“As you know — you know this intimately — Iowa is a top producer of our biofuels, both ethanol and biodiesel,” Ernst said. “A new report released just last week found greenhouse gas emissions from corn ethanol are 46 percent lower than gasoline.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched, written, and hosted by Erin Jordan of The Gazette and co-hosted by John Steppe, Michaela Ramm, and Marissa Paine. The podcast is produced by Stephen 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/

Did Iowa Department of Education have input on Reynolds’ education proposals?

The Gazette — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 06:00:00 -0600

About a month into the new legislative session, two proposed education measures have caused controversy at the Iowa Statehouse as Democrats criticize their colleagues across the aisle for the “freight train” push toward Gov. Kim Reynolds’ signature.

Among the critics is Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-Windsor Heights, a Senate Education Committee member who decried the bills in a Jan. 24 news release.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched, written, and hosted by Michaela Ramm of The Gazette and co-hosted by John Steppe, Eric Jordan, and Marissa Paine. The podcast is produced by Stephen Colbert. Music is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Are classrooms in pandemic as safe as Gov. Reynolds claims?

The Gazette — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 06:00:00 -0600

The debate between in-person instruction and virtual instruction in Iowa schools during the pandemic has been contentious as Gov. Kim Reynolds pushes for legislation requiring schools to offer a 100-percent in-person learning option for families.

Reynolds reiterated her stance in a Jan. 7 virtual news conference with the Iowa Capitol Press Association.

“We have so many examples across the state of school districts that have been in (session) the entire time, and they have done it in a safe and responsible manner,” Reynolds said.

“And they have excellent data where they can demonstrate that the spread is not happening in the classroom. ... By and large, the majority is happening outside the classroom.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched, written, and hosted by John Steppe of The Gazette and co-hosted by Erin Jordan, Marissa Payne, and Michaela Ramm. The podcast is produced by Stephen Colbert. Music is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod.

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Were Gov. Reynolds’ claims in Condition of the State true?

The Gazette — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 06:00:00 -0600

In her Condition of the State speech Tuesday, Gov. Kim Reynolds hit on Iowa’s accomplishments and challenges in 2020 and highlighted her goals for 2021.

The Fact Checker team examined Reynolds’ claims about COVID-19 vaccinations, derecho damage, the economy, broadband and side effects of police reform in other states.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker podcast was researched, written and hosted by Erin Jordan, Marissa Payne, Michaela Ramm and John Steppe of The Gazette. This episode is produced by Stephen Colbert. Music is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod.

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

How does Iowa’s COVID-19 testing stack up?

The Gazette — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 06:00:00 -0600

Iowa’s response to the spread of COVID-19 is once again in the spotlight as infections surge across the United States.

Gov. Kim Reynolds in a Nov. 10 news conference said of the state’s testing availability: “So Iowans, I think we’ve tested 1 in 3 — our numbers when we look at every type of test that we’re utilizing, we are way at the top compared to other states.”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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by Marissa Payne of The Gazette.

This episode of the Fact Checker Podcast is hosted by Marissa Payne and features The Gazette's Erin Murphy, John Stepee, and Michaela Ramm. The 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/

Attack on Ernst goes a bit further than the facts

The Gazette — Sun, 01 Nov 2020 06:00:00 -0600

The nation is watching the tight race between Democrat Theresa Greenfield and incumbent Republican Joni Ernst for one of Iowa’s U.S. Senate seats.

A six-second ad paid for by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee claims, “Joni Ernst gave trillions in tax breaks to corporate special interests. She’s not on our side.”

The text with the ad on Facebook, which shared it Sept. 16 as sponsored content, goes on to claim that Ernst “wants to pay for it by cutting our Medicare.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker episode was hosted by The Gazette's Marissa Payne and co-hosted by Erin Jordan, Michaela Ramm, and John Steppe.

Miller-Meeks links excess deaths to hospital shutdowns

The Gazette — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 06:00:00 -0600

Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District has a close race between Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Democrat Rita Hart, who faced each other in an Oct. 8 debate hosted by KCRG-TV9 and The Gazette.

In this check, we’ll hit on two debate claims from Miller-Meeks, an ophthalmologist and state senator.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by Erin Jordan and edited by Craig Gemoules. This episode is hosted by Erin Jordan and features Michaela Ramm, John Steppe,

Are PAC attacks on Rita Hart’s voting record accurate?

The Gazette — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 06:00:00 -0600

As the Nov. 3 Election Day draws closer, voters across the state are receiving the last appeals for candidates in their mailboxes, including those in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.

A mailer recently sent by the Congressional Leadership Fund targeted Rita Hart, the Democratic candidate and former state senator vying against Mariannette Miller-Meeks, currently a Republican state senator, for an open seat in the U.S. House.

The Congressional Leadership Fund, a conservative Super PAC, made three specific claims against Hart.

The first points to Hart’s voting record in the Iowa Legislature: “In the State Senate, she raised the gas tax, voted against simplifying the income tax system, and supported allowing a tax increase on cattle.”

The ad also claims, “Hart is supported by national Democrats who voted to allow the US Export-Import Bank to provide loans supporting the Chinese government.”

Finally, the ad’s third claim: “In the State Senate, Hart voted to allow exemptions for certain health plans to drop coverage for preexisting conditions. One health insurance company that benefited from this vote had previously contributed to her campaign.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by Michaela Ramm and edited by Craig Gemoules. This episode of the Fact Checker Podcast is hosted by Michaela Ramm and features Erin Murphy, John Steppe, and Marissa Payne.

Music is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod.

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Does Iowa rank 47th in coronavirus testing?

The Gazette — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 06:00:00 -0600

Viewers of the Oct. 3 U.S. Senate debate between incumbent Republican Joni Ernst and Democratic challenger Theresa Greenfield heard plenty about the novel coronavirus.

WHO-13 News political director Dave Price asked Greenfield if the $26 million spent on Test Iowa would’ve been better spent on the rapid tests each candidate took before the debate.

While criticizing the state’s efforts, Greenfield said, “Iowa ranks 47th in the nation in testing.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by John Steppe of The Gazette and edited by Craig Gemoules. The podcast episode is hosted by John Steppe and co-hosted by The Gazette's Erin Jordan, Michaela Ramm, and Marissa Payne.

Ashley Hinson targets immigration law after Cedar Rapids police ride-along

The Gazette — Mon, 05 Oct 2020 06:00:00 -0600

Republican state Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is running this fall for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District against Democratic incumbent Abby Finkenauer, shared in a Sept. 23 Facebook post her experience doing a ride-along with a Cedar Rapids police sergeant:

“During the ride, we encountered everything from a vehicle running a stop sign, a mental health and wellness check, and a man who became violent and later was deemed as an illegal immigrant,” Hinson wrote. “It was eye opening for me to see this first hand, that right here, in our own backyards, an illegal immigrant was jeopardizing the safety of our officers and our community.”

Hinson then took aim at her opponent’s voting record on legislation pertaining to local governments’ enforcement of federal immigration law.

“In the legislature, I voted against sanctuary cities because I want to protect our communities. Congresswoman Finkenauer voted for sanctuary cities in the Iowa house,” Hinson wrote. “That is unacceptable to me and a clear difference in this race. I will never be too politically correct to do the right thing to keep our kids and our communities safe.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by Marissa Payne and edited by Craig Gemoules. This episode of the Fact Checker Podcast is hosted by Marissa Payne and features the Gazette's Erin Murphy, Michaela Ramm, and John Steppe, and is produced by Stephen Colbert. Music is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod.

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

PAC ad attacks Mariannette Miller-Meeks over Obamacare

The Gazette — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 06:00:00 -0600

Voters in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District are starting to see a lot more political ads in the open-seat race between Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Democrat Rita Hart.

One of those ads is by Women Vote!, a Super PAC of Emily’s List, a network formed in 1985 with the goal of electing more pro-abortion rights Democratic women to office. The 30-second ad starts by mentioning COVID-19 and showing images of damage from the Aug. 10 derecho.

“During a pandemic, in the wake of a disaster, losing your health insurance would be devastating,” the voice says.

The ad claims “Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who took thousands from big insurance, supported a plan that could cost 187,000 Iowans their coverage or let insurers deny it because of preexisting conditions, like diabetes.”

Criteria

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by Erin Jordan of The Gazette. The podcast is hosted by Erin Jordan; co-hosted by The Gazette's John Steppe, Marissa Payne, and Michaela Ramm; the fact check is edited by Craig Gemoules; and produced by Stephen Colbert.

Trump’s “911 call” ad is powerful, but is it true?

The Gazette — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 06:00:00 -0600

President Donald Trump’s “911 call” ad dropped July 12 on TV stations across the country, including in Iowa. It starts with a phone dial tone, followed by what purports to be a recorded message from a 911 dispatcher unable to answer the phone.

“Due to defunding of the police department, no one is available to take your call,” the woman says.

Visuals in the ad show fire, people beating windows with baseball bats and others entering a building through broken glass. These violent images are mixed with photos of Black Lives Matter protests where people are holding up signs saying “defund the police.”

The Fact Checker reviewed the verifiable claims in the ad, including “Joe Biden’s supporters are fighting to defund the police,” “Violent crime has exploded” and “our estimated wait time is currently five days.” That last one is said by the purported police dispatcher.

Conclusion

Trump’s “911 call” ad is effective in creating a feeling of fear and loss of control. It touches on current events — even showing real news video — but does not accurately describe the causes and the extent of the violence. While two of the claims we checked have kernels of truth, the ad overall is misleading. We give it a D.

Criteria

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written and hosted by Erin Jordan of The Gazette and

Fact Checker: Hinson's Green New Deal tweet speaks to base, not facts

The Gazette — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 06:00:00 -0600

Republican state Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is running this fall for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District against Democratic incumbent Abby Finkenauer, had this to tweet June 23:=

“@Abby4Iowa wants Iowans to front a $123 billion bill to pay for the Green New Deal. Does she know that the Green New Deal puts farmers OUT of business?”

Conclusion: We give Hinson a D for this claim. While a move to zero emission vehicles could, in the long run, be bad for ethanol, there isn’t evidence it would put farmers “out of business.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by Erin Jordan of The Gazette. This episode of the podcast was also hosted by Erin Jordan and was co-hosted by Michaela Ramm and Molly Duffy.

Music is Lobby Time by Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Theresa Greenfield says she doesn’t take corporate PAC money. But it’s not that simple

The Gazette — Sun, 12 Jul 2020 06:00:00 -0600

Iowa’s airways are being taken up by political ads as the election for Iowa’s U.S. Senate seat between incumbent Joni Ernst and Democratic challenger Theresa Greenfield draws closer.

Both sides have gone on the offensive in new ads released over the past several weeks, including a recent television spot by Greenfield’s campaign called “Best of Iowa” that accused lawmakers of voting to provide economic aid to corporate donors over small business owners.

Refusing donations from political action committees has become a major part of Greenfield’s campaign. In addition to criticizing Ernst, Greenfield says in the ad that “I don’t take corporate PAC money.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by Michaela Ramm of The Gazette.

This episode of the Fact Checker podcast was hosted by Michaela Ramm and co-hosted by Molly Duffy and Erin Jordan. The Fact Checker podcast is produced by Stephen Colbert.

Music is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Ad attacks Ernst challenger Theresa Greenfield's business record

The Gazette — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0600

This November’s race between incumbent Republican Sen. Joni Ernst and Democrat Theresa Greenfield is expected to be one of the most costly in U.S. Senate history.

National senatorial campaign committees already have reserved more than $35 million in television airtime in Iowa, according to Rollcall.com.

One of the early ads, which started airing less than two weeks after Greenfield won a five-way Democratic primary, is a 30-second commercial by the National Republican Senatorial Committee attacking Greenfield’s record as a businesswoman.

The NRSC claims in the ad:

“Greenfield’s failed homebuilding business ran up millions in debt.”

“Theresa Greenfield’s company was repeatedly sued by homeowners and banks for fraud, shoddy work and not making payments on time.”

“Rottlund Homes shut its doors” and “destroyed Iowa jobs.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by Erin Jordan and co-hosted by Molly Duffy and Sarah Watson.

Fact Checker: Attack ad accuses Ernst of making Iowans ‘squeal’

The Gazette — Mon, 13 Apr 2020 03:00:00 -0600

An Iowa Democratic Party attack ad called “Making Iowans Squeal” launched last month, accusing U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, a Republican up for reelection this year, of being loyal to special interest backers and not to her constituents. The attack ad is a nod to her viral “Make Washington Squeal” TV ad during her 2014 run for office.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by B.A. Morelli and Michaela Ramm of The Gazette. The episode is hosted by Michaela Ramm, and cohosted by B.A. Morelli and Molly Duffy. The episode was produced by Stephen Schmidt 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/

Fact Checker: Eddie Mauro claims workers worse off under Joni Ernst. Are they?

The Gazette — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 06:00:00 -0600

One of the five Iowa Democrats vying for the chance to run against U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, a Republican first elected in 2014, says on his website that he “will protect American workers.”

But other claims about Ernst and President Donald Trump from the candidate, Eddie Mauro, a small-business owner from Des Moines, were what got the attention of the Fact Checker:

“During Joni Ernst’s time in the United States Senate protections for Iowa workers on the job have been gutted, OSHA enforcement budgets slashed, and workplace deaths have increased.”

Mauro continues: “In 2017, the first year of the Trump administration for which full data is available, Latino workplace deaths increased from 879 deaths in 2016 to 927 deaths in 2017, with foreign-born immigrant Latino workers constituting 63 percent of those deaths.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by Erin Jordan of The Gazette. The episode is hosted by Erin Jordan; co-hosted by Molly Duffy, Michaela Ramm, and B.A. Morelli, and produced by Stephen Colbert. Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Fact Checker: Sen. Ernst is right on funding for CDC and NIH

The Gazette — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 06:00:00 -0600

At a Feb. 28 event in Coralville, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, expressed her faith in the nation’s public health agencies to meet the coronavirus crisis.

“If you go back and actually look at CDC and NIH funding, we as Congress actually increased NIH funding over the past number of years,” Ernst said to Gazette reporter James Q. Lynch.

A Gazette reader asked us to Fact Check this statement — likely because Joe Biden and Mike Bloomberg claimed the opposite during a Democratic presidential debate.

Much has changed since Ernst defended the funding levels of these public health agencies.

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by Molly Duffy of The Gazette. The episode is hosted by Molly Duffy and co-hosted by Erin Jordan, Michaela Ramm, and B.A. Morelli and produced by Stephen Colbert. Music is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod

Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Ad takes on 'Republican' plan to lower drug prices

The Gazette — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 06:00:00 -0600

A health care advocacy organization launched a new ad in Iowa earlier this month, making the case that allowing federal officials to negotiate prescription prices directly with drug companies would reduce cost for Americans on Medicare.

The ad states “the current Republican-sponsored health care proposal does not allow Medicare to negotiate.”

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by Michaela Ramm. The episode is hosted by Michaela Ramm and co-hosted by Molly Duffy and Erin Jordan and produced by Stephen Colbert.

The music in this episode is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod

Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Have work requirements for food stamps shown 'success?'

The Gazette — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 06:00:00 -0600

Like many Iowa lawmakers, Sen. Dan Zumbach, R-Ryan, sends out email newsletters during the Legislative session talking about the bills he supports. In Zumbach’s Feb. 14 “From the Ground Up” newsletter, he talked about Senate File 2366.

“Another bill implements work requirements for able-bodied recipients of taxpayer-funded health care. It also updates state law to conform to the change in work requirements for food assistance required by the US Department of Agriculture,” he wrote. “Work requirements for food assistance have a track record of success.”

That last sentence got the Fact Checker team’s attention. It’s a little subjective — after all, how do you measure success? But we thought it was worth exploring whether there is data showing the effects of increasing work requirements.

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 Fact Checker was researched and written by Erin Jordan. The episode is hosted by Erin Jordan and co-hosted by Molly Duffy, Michaela Ramm, and B.A. Morelli.

Music in this episode is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod

Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

President Donald Trump touts economic gains on his watch

The Gazette — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 06:00:00 -0600

Before the Iowa caucuses earlier this month, President Donald Trump placed a full-page advertisement in the Des Moines Register attacking Democratic rivals saying they will “Kill Iowa Jobs.”

In the ad, Trump made eight claims about his record “fighting for the economy” as president.

Fact Checker focused on five of those claims. The other three are either subjective or based on data not yet available, so they did not meet our criteria of being verifiable. We reached out to the Trump campaign for sourcing but did not receive a response.

Claim: “Over 7 million new jobs created.”

The Fact Checker team checks statements made by an Iowa political candidate and/or officeholder or a national candidate and/or 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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by reporters B.A. Morelli and Erin Jordan of The Gazette. The episode is hosted by B.A. Morelli; co-hosted by Molly Duffy, Michaela Ramm, and Erin Jordan; and the episode is produced by Stephen Colbert.

The music in this episode is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod

Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Does Iowa Have More High Schoolers in College Classes Than Other States?

The Gazette — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 06:00:00 -0600

In her Condition of the State address last month, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Iowa has “the highest high-school graduation rate in the country and more high-schoolers taking college courses than any other state."

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.

If you spot a claim you think needs checking, email us at factchecker@thegazette.com.

This Fact Checker was researched and written by Molly Duffy of The Gazette. The episode was also hosted by Molly, who was joined by Erin Jordan, Michaela Ramm, and B.A. Morelli; and was produced by Stephen Colbert.

Intro/Outro Music is Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod

Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3986-lobby-time/

License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/