View this email in your browser ([link removed])
An update from FactCheck.org
Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz
** Trump Dumps Oppo Research on Harris
------------------------------------------------------------
Now that Vice President Kamala Harris has assumed the role as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump is quickly seeking to define her public image.
Managing Editor Lori Robertson and Staff Writer D'Angelo Gore wrote an article on Trump's July 27 rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, where the former president dumped his campaign's opposition research on Harris.
Here are some of the claims that Lori and D'Angelo wrote about:
* Trump falsely claimed that Harris voted to “cut Medicare by $237 billion” and “betrayed American seniors.” The legislation allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices, which saves costs for some seniors and strengthens Medicare's finances.
* He claimed that Harris “said that a 80% tax rate is a bold idea that should be discussed.” She didn’t endorse that rate. Rather, Harris said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s proposals, which included a rate that high for people making more than $10 million a year, “should be discussed,” adding that “when we are able to defend the status quo, then do it." If not, she said, "then let’s explore new ideas.”
* He also claimed Harris “called for slashing consumption of red meat to fight climate change.” Harris once said she supported encouraging and incentivizing Americans to eat better, but she did not say she would restrict how much red meat is consumed.
Lori and D'Angelo write about nearly a dozen claims. Read the full story, "Trump Distorts the Facts in Attacks on Harris ([link removed]) ."
HOW WE KNOW
Not everything is online and free. In those cases, we rely on books and archived news reports kept by Lexis-Nexis, among other sources, to dig up the facts. That's what Deputy Managing Editor Robert Farley did to debunk former President Donald Trump's bogus claim that Vice President Kamala Harris "happened to turn Black" recently to gain a political advantage. Rob used excerpts from Harris' autobiography and dug up stories about Harris when she was elected as San Francisco district attorney in 2003. Read more ([link removed]) .
FEATURED FACT
The worst inflation ever recorded in the United States occurred from June 1919 to June 1920, when the 12-month increase in the Consumer Price Index was 23.7%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. BLS has been keeping such records since 1913. During President Joe Biden's time in office, the largest increase was 9.1% for the 12 months ending June 2022. BLS said it was the biggest increase since November 1981. Inflation is currently running at 3% for the most recent 12-month period, ending in June. Read more ([link removed]) .
WORTHY OF NOTE
The journal Judicature this week published a report by our parent organization -- the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania -- on the drop in the public's confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court.
The researchers drew on nearly 20 years of APPC survey data. They write that "from 2005 to 2019, large majorities of Americans across the political spectrum had either 'a fair amount' or 'a great deal' of trust in the U.S. Supreme Court to operate in the best interests of the American people."
But between 2019 and 2022, the researchers found "a considerable drop in trust." Only 46% percent of those surveyed said they had a "fair amount" or "great deal" of trust in the high court -- down from 68% in 2019.
In 2023, a year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, 53% expressed “a great deal” or “a fair amount” of trust in the court -- although that is still below the historical norm, as the authors noted.
The piece concludes with a discussion of "the role of robust civics education" to rebuild "public confidence in the judiciary."
For more information, read "The Withering of Public Confidence in the Courts ([link removed]) " in Judicature.
REPLY ALL
Reader: Even though Trump was convicted, didn't they also have to throw it out of court after the supreme court overturned it??? Making it not!! A conviction??? because in my state when you take something to a higher court and win! Then it's not a conviction. So what's the truth?? And don't word play me.
FactCheck.org Director Eugene Kiely: Former President Donald Trump’s criminal conviction in New York state still stands – at least for now.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled ([link removed]) on July 1 that a president has a “presumption of immunity” when carrying out “official acts.” However, the court also said “[t]he President enjoys no immunity for his unofficial acts, and not everything the President does is official,” as Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the court’s 6-3 ruling. That court ruling involved a federal indictment in Washington, D.C., not the New York state case. (You can read more about the status of the federal case here ([link removed]) .)
Since then, there has been a flurry of legal papers filed in the New York case.
The day of the Supreme Court ruling, Trump’s lawyers sent a letter ([link removed]) to acting Justice Juan Merchan in New York, asking him to “set aside the jury’s verdict” against Trump in light of the high court's ruling on immunity. On July 25, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg filed a 69-page opposition brief ([link removed]) insisting that the verdict should stand, claiming the court ruling has "no bearing on this prosecution."
Trump’s lawyers responded ([link removed]) to Bragg's brief on July 31, saying the verdict violates “the Presidential immunity doctrine and the Supremacy Clause.” The Supremacy Clause, as you note, refers to the principle that federal law takes precedence over state law when the two are in conflict.
In an Aug. 1 article, the New York Times reported ([link removed]) that Merchan has promised to rule on "Mr. Trump's bid to toss out the conviction" on Sept. 6. If he rejects Trump's request, the judge has set a sentencing date of Sept. 18.
That’s where we are at right now.
** Wrapping Up
------------------------------------------------------------
Here's what else we've got for you this week:
* "Harris Has Always Identified as Indian American and Black ([link removed]) ": Former President Donald Trump falsely claimed that Vice President Kamala Harris has only recently begun identifying as Black, and that until a few years ago "she was only promoting Indian heritage." That's nonsense.
* "Republican Rhetoric on Harris’ Position on Israel Goes Too Far ([link removed]) ": For months, Vice President Kamala Harris has walked a fine line on the conflict in Israel and Gaza. Some of the rhetoric attacking Harris goes too far and misrepresents her stated position.
* "Netflix Chairman, Not the Company, Reportedly Donated to Super PAC Supporting Harris ([link removed]) ": Netflix Co-founder and Executive Chairman Reed Hastings reportedly made a $7 million donation to a super PAC supporting Vice President Kamala Harris for president. But some social media posts inaccurately claim that “Netflix just donated 7 million to Kamala.” The contribution was from Hastings, not the company.
* "Social Media Posts Misrepresent Harris’ 2014 Remarks About Young People ([link removed]) ": When Vice President Kamala Harris was the attorney general of California in 2014, she announced a program to help young people transitioning out of the criminal justice system. She glibly referred to the 18-24 age group as “stupid,” saying people that age “make really bad decisions.” But social media posts have taken her words out of context.
Y lo que publicamos en español ([link removed]) (English versions are accessible in each story):
* "Fue el presidente de Netflix, no la empresa, quien supuestamente donó al Súper PAC que apoya a Harris ([link removed]) ": Según se informa, el cofundador y presidente ejecutivo de Netflix, Reed Hastings, hizo una donación de 7 millones de dólares a un súper PAC que apoya a la vicepresidenta Kamala Harris para la presidencia. Pero algunas publicaciones en las redes sociales afirman erróneamente que “Netflix acaba de donar 7 millones a Kamala”. La contribución fue de Hastings, no de la empresa.
* "Verificación de los ataques de Vance a Harris ([link removed]) ": En sus dos primeros mítines de campaña propios como candidato republicano a la vicepresidencia, el senador JD Vance concentró sus ataques en la vicepresidenta Kamala Harris. Pero en varios casos, Vance tergiversó las palabras de Harris o su historial.
* "Publicaciones en las redes sociales descontextualizan comentarios sobre los jóvenes que Harris hizo en 2014 ([link removed]) ": Cuando la vicepresidenta Kamala Harris era fiscal general de California en 2014, anunció un programa para ayudar a los jóvenes en su transición fuera del sistema de justicia penal. Al hacerlo, de paso se refirió al grupo de entre 18 y 24 años de edad como “estúpidos” y dijo que a esa edad las personas “toman decisiones realmente malas”. Pero publicaciones en las redes sociales han sacado sus palabras de contexto.
* "Verificación de la entrevista televisiva de Biden después del debate ([link removed]) ": En su primera entrevista televisada desde su reconocido mal debate presidencial, el presidente Joe Biden hizo algunas declaraciones exageradas y engañosas.
* "Narrativas contrapuestas sobre los salarios y los ingresos reales bajo el gobierno de Biden ([link removed]) ": En junio, la Secretaria del Tesoro Janet Yellen y el Senador Tim Scott han ofrecieron declaraciones aparentemente contradictorias al discutir el impacto de la inflación en los salarios e ingresos del estadounidense promedio. Ambos pueden citar datos económicos que respaldan sus afirmaciones. La diferencia es el punto de partida de sus comparaciones.
* "La afirmación engañosa de Emmer sobre Harris en la Convención Republicana ([link removed]) ": Durante su discurso en la Convención Nacional Republicana, el representante Tom Emmer de Minnesota habló sobre los “alborotadores” en Minneapolis tras la muerte de George Floyd en 2020, y dijo de manera engañosa que la vicepresidenta Kamala Harris “liberó” de la cárcel a uno de “los criminales” que “luego asesinó a un hombre” en St. Paul. Emmer está distorsionando los hechos.
* "Trump repite falsedades sobre las vacunas infantiles en una llamada telefónica privada con RFK Jr. ([link removed]) " En una llamada telefónica privada con el candidato presidencial independiente Robert F. Kennedy Jr., el expresidente Donald Trump sugirió incorrectamente que las dosis de vacunas infantiles son demasiado grandes y peligrosas para los niños. La llamada fue indebidamente divulgada en las redes sociales.
* "Afirmación falsa sobre un agente falso del Servicio Secreto contribuye a las teorías de conspiración sobre el mitin de Trump ([link removed]) ": Publicaciones del foro anónimo en línea 4Chan difundieron la falsa afirmación que funcionarios del Servicio Secreto impidieron que un agente llamado “Jonathan Willis” disparara al asesino del expresidente Donald Trump. El Servicio Secreto no tiene ningún empleado con ese nombre y la afirmación es “categóricamente falsa”, según la agencia.
* "Desinformación que circula sobre la identidad del tirador en el mitin de Trump ([link removed]) ": En los días posteriores a un intento de asesinato contra el expresidente Donald Trump, las redes sociales se llenaron de desinformación sobre el tirador. El hombre armado, de 20 años, estaba registrado como republicano y no hay evidencia de que tuviera antecedentes penales, contrario a lo que se afirma popularmente en línea.
* "Rumores afirman sin fundamento que Biden tuvo una emergencia médica después del diagnóstico de COVID-19 ([link removed]) ": El presidente Joe Biden dio positivo en una prueba de COVID-19 el 17 de julio. Sus síntomas permanecieron leves y ya están resueltos, según dijo su médico tratante. Pero publicaciones en las redes sociales, impulsadas por los días sin apariciones públicas y la decisión de Biden de abandonar la carrera presidencial, afirman sin fundamento que Biden estaba gravemente enfermo o que tuvo una emergencia médica.
* "Expertos: Los delegados tienen libertad para elegir al candidato demócrata ([link removed]) ": Los expertos en derecho electoral dicen que el presidente de la Cámara de Representantes, Mike Johnson, se equivoca cuando dice que es “ilegal” que los demócratas “simplemente cambien a un candidato que ha sido elegido mediante… el proceso democrático”.
Do you like FactCheck.Weekly? Share it with a friend! They can subscribe here ([link removed]) .
Donate to Support Our Work ([link removed])
============================================================
** Twitter ([link removed])
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Instagram ([link removed])
We'll show up in your inbox every Friday with this fact-focused rundown. But you can message us any day of the week with questions or comments:
[email protected].
Copyright © 2024 FactCheck.org, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
FactCheck.org
Annenberg Public Policy Center
202 S. 36th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3806
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed][UNIQID]&c=ff9a7620f9&utm_source=FactCheck.org&utm_campaign=90979e3087-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_07_31_04_43&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-90979e3087-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D)
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed][UNIQID]&c=ff9a7620f9&utm_source=FactCheck.org&utm_campaign=90979e3087-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_07_31_04_43&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-90979e3087-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D)
.
This email was sent to
[email protected] (mailto:
[email protected])
why did I get this? ([link removed]) unsubscribe from this list ([link removed]) update subscription preferences ([link removed])
FactCheck.org: A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania . 202 S 36th St. . Philadelphia, Pa 19104 . USA