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An update from FactCheck.org


** FactChecking Final GOP Debate Before Iowa
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The fourth and final debate of the year between the Republican candidates for the party's presidential nomination took place in Alabama on Dec. 6.

Once again without former President Donald Trump, the debate included only four candidates -- the fewest number to date -- who argued over their positions on gender-affirmation surgery, legal immigration and other issues.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley was frequently at the center of the debate barbs. At one point, she joked ([link removed]) , "I love all the attention, fellas. Thank you for that."

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis cherry-picked comments from Haley to claim that she did not oppose gender-affirming surgeries — or as he put it, “gender mutilation” -- for minors. Haley has said children should not be allowed to undergo a “gender-changing procedure” until they are at least 18 years old.

Haley wrongly accused DeSantis of supporting a Florida bill that would have required political bloggers to register with the state. He actually said at the time that he didn’t support the bill, and it later died in committee.

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy promoted the baseless conspiracy theory that the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol was an “inside job" -- the work of the "deep state" at the Department of Justice. There is no evidence to support such a claim. For more about these and other claims, read our article "FactChecking the Fourth GOP Primary Debate ([link removed]) ."
HOW WE KNOW
In researching California Gov. Gavin Newsom's suggestion that his state has seen a two-year net increase in migration of residents moving between Florida and California, FactCheck.org Director Eugene Kiely used the Census Bureau migration data. The Census Bureau tracks the number of people who had a different state of residence in the prior year. Eugene found more people moved from California to Florida in each of the last two years. Check out the data ([link removed]) , which go back to 2004, for your state. Read more ([link removed]) .
FEATURED FACT
Many social media posts have used the phrase “white lung” to describe the pneumonia cases in Ohio, but this is not a medical term. Pneumonia can show up on a chest X-ray as white patches, reflecting the infection’s inflammation or fluid buildup. Normally, since lungs are filled with air, they don’t block much radiation and will appear dark. But a fully white lung X-ray is rare — sometimes called lung “white out” in the medical literature — and would indicate the lung has collapsed or has another serious problem. Read more ([link removed]) .
WORTHY OF NOTE
We hold an annual fundraising drive at the end of every year. This week, we posted an item ([link removed]) about our annual appeal and sent you an email about it.

And we are off to a good start.

So far, we have raised $8,815 from 106 donors. For context, we raised $74,197 in our last second quarter, which ended Dec. 31, 2022. Most of that came in the final month during our fundraising drive. We hope, with your help, that we will do even better this year.

If you would like to join the fight against misinformation, you can make a credit card donation through our “Donate ([link removed]) ” page.

If you prefer to give by check, send to: FactCheck.org, Annenberg Public Policy Center, 202 S. 36th St., Philadelphia, PA 19104-3806. Checks can be made payable to “The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania” with a note in the memo field indicating the donation is for FactCheck.org.

That you for considering a donation to FactCheck.org.
REPLY ALL

Reader: Is the immigration number the same under Biden as it was under Trump?

FactCheck.org Director Eugene Kiely: I’m not sure what you mean by “immigration number.” However, in our regular series called “Biden’s Numbers ([link removed]) ,” we provide quarterly reports on the number of apprehensions at the southern border under President Joe Biden. Every three months, we compare the most recent 12 months on record with the year prior to Biden taking office. The data consistently show that apprehensions have significantly increased since Biden took office.

In our October article ([link removed]) , Deputy Managing Editor Rob Farley found that apprehensions totaled 2,034,730 for the 12 months ending in August, according to ([link removed]) Customs and Border Protection. Rob wrote, "That's 300% higher than during Trump’s last year in office." Our next report will be in January.


** Wrapping Up
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Here's what else we've got for you this week:
* "Biden Spins the Facts in Campaign Speech ([link removed]) ": At a campaign reception in Denver, President Joe Biden distorted some of the facts and the position of his predecessor.
* "Respiratory Illnesses in Children in China Not So 'Mysterious' ([link removed]) : Five Republican senators have penned a letter to the president urging him to ban travel to the U.S. from China because of a surge in “mystery” respiratory illnesses among children. But the letter selectively cites outdated information from the World Health Organization, and experts say the illnesses are likely due to known viruses and bacteria and aren’t unexpected.
* "FactChecking DeSantis-Newsom Debate ([link removed]) ": Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and California Gov. Gavin Newsom — who head two of the largest states in the country — squared off in a debate on Nov. 30 on Fox News. The governors spun, mangled and exaggerated some of the facts on issues including COVID-19, migration, abortion, book bans and gasoline prices.
* "Post Misrepresents Condition of Israeli Hostages Released by Hamas ([link removed]) ": More than 100 hostages taken by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack on Israel have been released through a negotiated swap for 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. A post on social media misleadingly claims the freed Israelis “look like people finishing a vacation.” But news reports say many of the Israelis returned malnourished, injured and traumatized.

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