FactCheck.org is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. According to its website, FactCheck.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. It monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases. The stated goal of FactCheck.org is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.
The news media tend to focus on President Trump’s exaggerations, misstatements and false claims - not a hard task, given the president’s tendency for loose talk. No such due diligence with the current crop of Democrat candidates. No ongoing catalogue of lies, ala CNN, of anyone other than Donald J. Trump. As if Trump were so bad, it’s okay to downplay the shortcoming of “anyone but Trump”. I don’t share that sentiment. So thank you FactCheck.org for combing through the Democrat debates and calling out candidates who spoke less than the truth.
Per FactCheck.org (and in their own words), here are questionable statements made by Elizabeth Warren during the Democrat debates:
Warren criticized South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg for holding a glitzy “closed-door” fundraiser at a California wine cave. A pool reporter was permitted to cover Buttigieg’s remarks at the event, so the event wasn’t entirely off-limits to the media. December 2019 Democratic Debate
Warren also boasted about not doing private fundraisers: “I do not sell access to my time.” That may be the case now, but she transferred $10 million from her Senate campaign to her presidential race. December 2019 Democratic Debate
Warren again undersold the impact of her “Ultra Millionaire Tax” plan, saying, “I have a two-cent wealth tax proposed for millionaires and billionaires,” when her plan calls for triple that rate, a 6% annual tax, on all wealth over $1 billion. December 2019 Democratic Debate
Warren said that under her wealth tax proposal Americans worth more than $50 million would have to “pitch in 2 cents” and those worth over $1 billion “have to pitch in a few pennies more.” Those extra “pennies” would mean an annual 6% wealth tax on billionaires that would raise an estimated $1 trillion over 10 years. November 2019 Democratic Debate
Warren wrongly said a new study found 94% of white students “have paid off their student loan debt,” while only “5% of African Americans have paid it off.” Actually, the study says 49% of white student-loan holders and 26% of black student borrowers were debt-free after 20 years. November 2019 Democratic Debate
Warren overstated the support for an assault weapons ban and government buybacks. September 2019 Democratic Debate
Warren was half-right with her claim that Senate filibuster rules prevented passage of two gun control measures. Those rules did block a universal background check amendment, but they were not a factor in the failure to pass an assault weapons ban. September 2019 Democratic Debate
Warren said her wealth tax plan would bring in enough revenue to fund a host of education priorities for the country, but whether the tax would bring in as much as she expects is a matter of debate among leading economists and tax experts. September 2019 Democratic Debate
Warren pitched her “wealth tax” plan to fund several child care and education programs, but some economists are skeptical that she can deliver as much revenue as she expects. July 2019 Democratic Debate
Links:
January 2020 Democratic Debate
December 2019 Democratic Debate
November 2019 Democratic Debate
October 2019 Democratic Debate