Hillary Clinton Is Not Haley's 'Role Model'

Did you know that Hillary Clinton, a Democrat, is the reason that Nikki Haley, a Republican, got into politics?

If you live in certain parts of Iowa, you've probably heard this fact more than a few times over the last week. That's because Fight Right Inc., a super PAC backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican presidential primary, has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars airing a misleading TV ad to let Iowans know about it. The ad has received a decent amount of news coverage as well.

Haley -- a former governor of South Carolina and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations -- has told the story herself in several interviews over the years. So, this was no secret.

She said she was thinking about running for South Carolina’s House of Representatives in 2003, but many people told her not to do it because she was too young, had two small children, and should run for a lower-level office first. Then Haley went to a Furman University event where Clinton, then a U.S. senator, said something to the audience about not listening to naysayers, which convinced Haley to run for the statehouse.

She didn't make the decision because she was a Clinton fan or shared her politics, as the ad suggests by using out-of-context quotes from Haley and calling Clinton her "role model." In those interviews, Haley made it clear that she doesn't agree with Clinton on "anything" or "a lot."

For Haley's full remarks about Clinton, read "DeSantis-Linked Super PAC Uses Out-of-Context Quotes to Label Hillary Clinton As Haley’s 'Role Model.'"

Reader: If Congressman George Santos is expelled from Congress, will he receive any retirement or other benefits?

FactCheck.org Staff Writer D'Angelo Gore: Removal from Congress is the only "automatic" penalty that comes with expulsion, according to a 2016 report from the Congressional Research Service, the nonpartisan research arm of Congress. That means an expelled member doesn't automatically lose a federal pension because of the expulsion, which doesn't even bar expelled members from being reelected to Congress, CRS says.  

But, as we've written, federal lawmakers can only collect a pension from the government if they have served in Congress for a certain number of years. Congresspersons are eligible to receive a pension at age 62 if they have at least five years of service, at age 50 after serving for 20 years, and at any age if they have served a minimum of 25 years.

Santos, 35, has been a U.S. representative for about 11 months and would not be eligible for a pension based on such a short stint in Congress. 

As for other benefits, former House members are still "entitled to admission to the floor of the House while it is in session," according to another CRS report updated in 2020. House rules state that floor access is allowed unless the individual is a lobbyist or foreign agent, has a direct personal or financial interest in a bill under consideration, or has been convicted of a crime related to their election or House service.

CRS also notes that ex-representatives, under certain conditions, may also retain access to House gyms, for a fee. They also can continue to use House parking facilities and restaurants, among other select privileges.

Wrapping Up

Here's what we've got for you this week:

• "Post Makes Unfounded Claim About Doctors Without Borders Worker": Doctors Without Borders has been working in the West Bank since fighting intensified between the Israelis and Palestinians after Oct. 7. But a video post on social media misleadingly claims it shows an aid worker from that organization passing a gun to a Palestinian fighter. The worker is wearing a vest used by the Palestinian Medical Relief Society.
• "Social Media Posts Misrepresent Video of IDF Aircraft Attack": At least 260 people were killed by Hamas during the militant group’s surprise attacks at an outdoor music festival in Israel on Oct. 7. A video clip on social media falsely claims to show Israel Defense Forces helicopters firing on festival-goers that day. The clip is from a video of IDF aircraft shooting at Hamas militants a day later at sites in the Gaza Strip.

• "Publicaciones difunden afirmación falsa sobre una solicitud de patente de Moderna": Las vacunas de ARNm contra el COVID-19, como muchas otras vacunas, pueden contener pequeñas cantidades de ADN procedentes del proceso de fabricación. No hay pruebas de que este ADN residual cause “turbo cáncer” o un cáncer muy agresivo. La compañía Moderna tampoco ha admitido que las “vacunas de ARNm causen turbo cáncer”, contrariamente a lo que afirma un artículo en línea que interpreta erróneamente una frase en una solicitud de patente.