Latest Fact-Checks In Disability

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Elizabeth Roberts
Elizabeth Roberts
stated on March 2, 2015 a presentation to the Reinventing Medicaid Working Group
"More than 30 cents of every state tax dollar goes to Medicaid."
True
By C. Eugene Emery Jr. • April 19, 2015
The Associated Press
The Associated Press
stated on March 9, 2015 article
Under legislation that has cleared the Georgia House, some children who are "legal refugees" could obtain state scholarships to attend private schools.    
True
By Nancy Badertscher • March 13, 2015
Rand Paul
Rand Paul
stated on January 14, 2015 a speech in New Hampshire
"Over half the people on disability are either anxious or their back hurts."
False
By Steve Contorno • January 16, 2015
Jorge Elorza
Jorge Elorza
stated on September 30, 2014 a Providence Journal-WPRI debate
"We have a retiree that is collecting a $17,000 paycheck a month . . . tax free."
True
By C. Eugene Emery Jr. • October 5, 2014
Bloggers
Bloggers
stated on August 28, 2014 blog posts
"Over 73% of all donations raised (from the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge) are going to fundraising, overhead, executive salaries, and external donations."
Pants on Fire!
By Louis Jacobson • September 2, 2014
Kenneth Block
Kenneth Block
stated on April 14, 2014 a campaign website
In Rhode Island, "Nearly 9 percent of covered employees go out on short term disability every year, with an average outage from work of almost 12 weeks each."
Half-True
By John Hill • April 15, 2014
National Federation of the Blind
National Federation of the Blind
stated on October 31, 2013 a news release
Goodwill Industries International pays workers with disabilities wages as low as pennies per  hour.
Half-True
By Janel Davis • December 18, 2013
Paul LePage
Paul LePage
stated on October 14, 2013 a speech in Falmouth, Maine
"About 47 percent of able-bodied people in the state of Maine don’t work."
Pants on Fire!
By Louis Jacobson • October 23, 2013
Patricia Morgan
Patricia Morgan
stated on July 2, 2013 a speech on the House floor.
In Rhode Island, 9 percent of workers use the state's temporary disability insurance program each year while in New Jersey, the rate is only 3 percent.
Mostly False
By C. Eugene Emery Jr. • July 14, 2013
Mark Pocan
Mark Pocan
stated on April 16, 2013 an interview
"Not one dime gets added to the deficit because of Social Security."
Mostly False
April 26, 2013
Rick Scott
Rick Scott
stated on March 5, 2013 a State of the State speech
"For the first time in eight years, our budget also increases funding for persons with disabilities by $36 million to help more disabled people receive community-based services."
Mostly True
By Amy Sherman • March 7, 2013
Rob Zerban
Rob Zerban
stated on August 9, 2012 an interview
U.S. House opponent Paul Ryan supports "cutting funding for veterans by 24 percent."
False
September 23, 2012
Scott Walker
Scott Walker
stated on April 10, 2012 an interview
The Wisconsin law repealed by Republicans, which allowed discriminated workers to sue in state court, "was kind of a gravy train" for lawyers.
Mostly False
April 28, 2012
Chris Christie
Chris Christie
stated on February 21, 2012 his budget speech
"New Jersey has the second highest rate of institutionalization" of people with developmental disabilities "in America. Only Texas puts more of its citizens -- confines more of its citizens -- to institutions than New Jersey. "
Mostly True
By Erin O'Neill • February 26, 2012
Stephen Lisauskas
Stephen Lisauskas
stated on July 19, 2011 a public meeting
Thirty-seven percent of Central Falls’ retired police officers and firefighters are out on disability pensions; in most municipalities, about 5 percent of retirees collect disability pensions.
False
By Lynn Arditi • August 18, 2011
Tom Coburn
Tom Coburn
stated on December 1, 2010 a meeting of the Simpson-Bowles deficit commission
"One in 19 Americans today get SSDI or SSI. That's one in 19 Americans (who) are disabled."
Mostly True
By Louis Jacobson • December 14, 2010
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
stated on December 7, 2010 a press conference
When President Franklin D. Roosevelt started Social Security, "it only affected widows and orphans," and when Medicare began, "it was a small program."
False
By Louis Jacobson • December 8, 2010
Florida Democratic Party
Florida Democratic Party
stated on July 26, 2010 a press release
"(Bill) McCollum also voted for numerous amendments to weaken the legislation, even voting to make trains less accessible to those in wheelchairs."
True
August 2, 2010
Margaret Gomez
Margaret Gomez
stated on February 15, 2010 a campaign flier.
Says she "stopped Capital Metro from raising fares for senior and disabled citizens."
Mostly True
February 22, 2010
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