“fact-checking is becoming a political cudgel.”

At your request: This week's California Commentary by Jon Coupal
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** California Commentary
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** Who checks the fact-checkers?
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By Jon Coupal

“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?” is the question posed by the Roman poet Juvenal from his “Satires.” It is literally translated as “Who will guard the guards themselves?” The quote has several variations including, “Who watches the watchers?” and “Who will watch the watchmen?”

Our question is “Who fact-checks the fact-checkers?” As the name suggests, “fact-checking” refers to the process of verifying factual information for the purpose of promoting the truthfulness and accuracy of journalistic reporting. Even though journalism in America has existed since the nation’s inception, “fact-checking” as a term of art didn’t make an appearance until the early 2000s. Prior to that, the reliability of a story would depend on the integrity of the reporter and the watchful eye of an obsessive editor.

Today, “fact-checking” frequently refers to after-the-fact review of a story or statement by a third party.

Those on the center-right of the political spectrum have noticed for years that “fact-checkers” apply a harsher standard to Republicans and, even worse, won’t bother to fact check some of the most outrageous lies of progressives or Democrats. Mark Hemingway of the Washington Examiner, a conservative-leaning publication, wrote a piece in 2011 entitled “Lies, Damn Lies and ‘Fact Checkers.’” In it he notes that “fact-checkers” attempt to give themselves “a veneer of objectivity doubling as a license to go after any remark by a public figure they find disagreeable for any reason.” More recently, Adi Robertson, writing for technology news outlet The Verge, observed that “fact-checking is becoming a political cudgel.”

To illustrate this from a story just last week, the Sacramento Bee published its own version of a “fact-check.” The article, published on Dec. 14, was headline, “Fact Check: Mitch McConnell says Democrats want to create a ‘slush fund’ for Gavin Newsom” and the Bee labeled the story as “Untrue.”

But from a conservative point of view, the “slush fund” label is more truthful than not. In a nutshell, Republicans and Democrats in Washington are at loggerheads over another round of economic relief for a national economy bludgeoned by the pandemic-induced government shutdown. Republicans have insisted on liability protection for businesses and health-care providers while Democrats demand that state and local governments receive funds along with the private sector.

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Jon Coupal is the President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA). He is a recognized expert in California fiscal affairs and has argued numerous tax cases before the courts.
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