Latest Fact-Checks In Pennsylvania

Clear

Bernie Sanders
stated on April 22, 2016 In a statement to Philadelphia magazine

"A tax on soda and juice drinks would disproportionately increase taxes on low-income families in Philadelphia."

True

By Mark Dent • April 25, 2016

Donald Trump
stated on April 21, 2016 a campaign rally speech

"Pennsylvania has lost 35 percent of its manufacturing jobs since 2001" and "Harrisburg has lost 40 percent of its manufacturing jobs since 2001."

Mostly True

By Anna Orso • April 22, 2016

Steve Santarsiero
stated on April 2, 2016 a campaign mailer.

"Steve Santarsiero wrote PA’s Gun Safety Law."

False

By Anna Orso • April 21, 2016

Lauren Hitt
stated on April 14, 2016 To the media

"While Mayor Kenney personally doesn't support DROP, he can't fault highly qualified city employees for appropriately utilizing a benefit that's available to them."

Full Flop

By Mark Dent • April 18, 2016

Joe DeFelice
stated on April 10, 2016 As part of a Philadelphia Inquirer editorial

If the mayor were really serious about supporting Philly's schoolchildren and handling our city's looming fiscal crisis, he could begin by slashing the size of his own administration, which is already 45 percent larger than his predecessor's and 40 percent more costly.

Half-True

By Mark Dent • April 13, 2016

Bill Clinton
stated on April 7, 2016 during a campaign stop in Philadelphia

"Because of (the 1994 crime bill), we had a 25-year low in crime, a 33-year low in the murder rate, and listen to this, because of that and the background check law, a 46-year low in the deaths of people of gun violence."

Mostly False

By Anna Orso, Cassie Owens • April 8, 2016

Hillary Clinton
stated on April 6, 2016 a speech to the AFL-CIO Convention

When mentioning Villanova’s buzzer-beating win in the national championships, Hillary Clinton said: "I love those come-from-behind victories."

Mostly False

By Anna Orso, Dan Levy • April 6, 2016

Jim Kenney
stated on March 27, 2016 Pennsylvania

"Big soda has a lot of money. They make a lot of profit off their product and they market in neighborhoods that suffer from these very things that we’re trying to cure."

True

By Cassie Owens • March 30, 2016

Stephen Zappala
stated on March 22, 2016 in a new ad.

Stephen Zappala is "the only DA in our state to convict an on-duty police officer of criminal homicide."

Half-True

By Anna Orso • March 28, 2016

Joe Pitts
stated on February 25, 2016 in a Medium post.

"More people were killed by terrorists in 2015 than in any other year ever, after an 80 percent increase from 2014."

Mostly True

By Anna Orso • March 22, 2016

Brian Sims
stated on March 12, 2016 In a fundraising email to supporters

"The right-wing extremists are trying to take this seat so they can push their anti-choice and anti-equality agenda through our State House."

Pants on Fire!

By Mark Dent • March 18, 2016

Katie McGinty
stated on March 8, 2016

"Here in Pennsylvania, the annual cost for infant childcare is over $10,000 per child, which is more than most families pay in rent and almost the same cost as in-state college tuition."

Mostly True

By Cassie Owens • March 18, 2016

Jim Kenney
stated on March 10, 2016 a budget address to City Council

"When the City and the Fairmount Park Conservancy invested $5 million in Hunting Park, crime went down 89 percent within a half mile radius of the park over the next three years."

True

By Anna Orso • March 10, 2016

Jim Kenney
stated on March 3, 2016 Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney clarified his stance on stop and frisk to the Al Día editorial board.

On ending stop and frisk

Half Flip

By Cassie Owens • March 8, 2016

Jim Kenney
stated on February 17, 2016 a speech before the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce

"An economic impact study found that for every $1 invested in pre-K in Pennsylvania, a total of $1.79 is generated in total spending within the state."

Half-True

By Mark Dent • March 3, 2016

Tom Wolf
stated on February 9, 2016 his budget proposal address

If the General Assembly does not address the state's structural deficit, "more than 23,000 education professionals will be immediately yanked out of Pennsylvania schools."

Mostly False

By Anna Orso • February 12, 2016

Joe Sestak
stated on January 25, 2016 a talk with the Pennsylvania Press Club

Says Pat Toomey visited Joe Sestak and other veterans in 2002 "and then came home and voted against every veterans appropriations bill."

Mostly False

By Anna Orso • February 8, 2016

John Fetterman
stated on February 1, 2016 in a Reddit AMA

"I am the only candidate that has endorsed Bernie Sanders for President. In PA, I've got Bernie's back."

True

By Cassie Owens • February 4, 2016

Previous