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PeakMetrics / Fact Checks

Elections & voting fact checks

Explore claims publishers have checked about elections & voting. Read their original ratings and follow the evidence.

5,415 published reviews in this topic

PolitiFactElections & voting

“Leftists” sent “Proud Boys” emails threatening Democratic voters.

Publisher’s rating: False

Research from related reporting describes emails sent to voters in Florida during the 2020 election that claimed to be from the Proud Boys and threatened recipients who did not vote for Trump. It attributes the emails not to leftists or the Proud Boys, but to Iranian operatives: the excerpt says the emails were “actually sent by the Iranians instead” and describes Iranian intelligence operatives as having created fake emails purporting to show Trump directing the Proud Boys to act violently. The excerpt also reports that the emails went to “hundreds of voters in numerous counties in Florida,” seemingly targeting Democrats, and quotes their threat: “you will vote for Trump on Election Day, or we will come after you.” It says U.S. intelligence officials publicly warned in October 2020 that Iran had sent spoofed emails to intimidate voters and damage Trump’s candidacy. This supports that the emails and threats existed, while identifying Iran—not leftists—as their source. The supplied research excerpt does not provide the underlying investigation or documentation, so it supports that attribution as reported but does not let the reader independently assess the underlying evidence.

Cedar Rapids GazetteElections & voting

The Congressional Leadership Fund targeted Rita Hart, the Democratic candidate for Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District seat, in a mailer sent to voters in October. The ad states, “In the State Senate, (Rita Hart) raised the gas tax, voted against simplifying the income tax system, and supported allowing a tax increase on cattle." "Hart is supported by national Democrats who voted to allow the US Export-Import Bank to provide loans supporting the Chinese government.” “In the State Senate, Hart voted to allow exemptions for certain health plans to drop coverage for preexisting conditions. One health insurance company that benefited from this vote had previously contributed to her campaign.”

Publisher’s rating: B