PolitiFact.com

Top Turkeys of 2012: The South Florida Personalities We Love to Hate

George LeMieux Camp Says Maybe Connie Mack's Water Bill Is So Low Because He Drinks Tiger Blood

While it's not clear if a Republican can beat Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in November, the fight for the Republican nomination has no shortage of interesting rhetorical maneuverings.The most recent spat between George LeMieux and Rep. Connie Mack started over a web ad the LeMieux campaign released t ... More >>

Connie Mack Says Bill Nelson Voted for Getting Monkeys High on Coke (VIDEO)

We're a little more than six months away from Election Day, and you know what that means -- it's time to brace yourself for attack-ad season.Florida Republican Rep. Cornelius "Connie Mack" McGillicuddy sent one out on the airwaves yesterday that didn't have very much content in its 30 seconds, but w ... More >>

Speaker of the House Dean Cannon Given Shotgun as Retirement Gift: Four Presents That Would Have Been More Fitting

​Orange County Republican Dean Cannon was named speaker of the Florida House of Representatives in 2010. Since he was first elected in 2004, he's getting term-limited out of office this year.In commemoration, Cannon's official portrait was unveiled on the House floor yesterday and hung in the cham ... More >>

Prisonville, Florida: Low Taxes and Big Yards, All for the Price of a Box Full of Immigrants

Sad: PolitiFact Fact-Checks Rick Scott's Doughnut Sales. Sadder: "Mostly False"

It might seem a little ridiculous that PolitiFact took the time to find out whether Gov. Rick Scott really sold more than 240 dozen doughnuts over a couple hours, as he claimed during his State of the State address.It's a little more ridiculous that PolitiFact returned with a verdict of "mostly fals ... More >>

Democrats, in General, Win PolitiFact's "Lie of the Year" for 2011

​The thought that Rep. Paul Ryan and Republicans wanted to "end Medicare" is now as legitimate as using the phrase "death panels" or "government takeover" when referring to Obamacare, thanks to Democrats winning PolitiFact's "Lie of the Year."The "end Medicare" idea apparently started with Rep ... More >>

PolitiFact: Where "We Have No Way of Knowing" Turns Into "Mostly False"

wildmanhangout.com​Who fact-checks the fact-checkers?The Pulitzer Prize-winning analysts of political statements over at PolitiFact -- a project of the St. Petersburg Times -- ran a pretty curious rundown of one of President Obama's statements this week.The claim: "Some billionaires have a tax ... More >>

Debbie Wasserman Schultz Quote a Finalist for PolitiFact's "Lie of the Year"

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz​Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is a finalist for PolitiFact's 2011 "Lie of the Year" award(?), thanks to her accusation that Republicans want "Jim Crow laws."Wasserman Schultz joins President Obama -- who was nominated twice ... More >>

PolitiFact Rates Pembroke Pines Mayor's Claim of Hands Being Tied on ICE Jail "Mostly False"

Ortis faces off with Southwest Ranches Mayor Jeff Nelson.​We've just discovered the austere yet intriguing Twitter account of Southwest Ranches Town Attorney Keith Poliakoff -- perhaps the perfect 140-character medium for the man who stated, "the less we say, the better off we will be."His feed di ... More >>

Disappointment: The Rick Scott Story

​Gov. Rick Scott's reaction on Wednesday to a former staffer for Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll being charged with illegally recording a conversation: "It is a disappointment." (He said that twice.)His reaction to the part of that audio recording in which Carroll's chief of staff said the governor isn' ... More >>

Rick Scott Busts Out the Flip-Flops Again, Says Pee Tests "Were Never About Money"

Saving taxpayer money? I don't recall.​When things don't go Gov. Rick Scott's way, it's time to take off the loafers and put on the flip-flops.First it was the fact he promised 700,000 extra jobs for Florida over seven years, and after months straight of job creation below state projections, h ... More >>

Rick Scott Promised to Create 700,000 Extra Jobs; Now He'll Smile and Pretend He Didn't

​One of Gov. Rick Scott's main talking points during his campaign was his "7-7-7" plan, which he said would create 700,000 jobs on top of the projected growth of 1 million Florida jobs by 2017.With the statewide unemployment rate staying at 10.7 percent for the third straight month, the state expe ... More >>

Who Lied About Florida's Imaginary Credit-Rating Upgrade

​Accountability -- it's a trait that's seemingly absent from a few of Florida's politicians, especially after Gov. Rick Scott declared that the state's credit rating had been upgraded to AAA by Standard & Poor's.The truth is, Florida's credit rating was upgraded to AAA -- in 2005, under then-G ... More >>

A Tour of Gov. Rick Scott's Dirtiest Deeds

Allen West's Illegal Underwater Flag Trip Was Organized by Taxpayer-Funded Tourism Board

West's underwater salute comes courtesy of the visitors bureau.​The dive trip in which U.S. Rep. Allen West violated federal law by bringing along an American flag was organized by a tourism group funded by tax money.The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau organized the dive tri ... More >>

Gov. Rick Scott Invents A Scientific Study On Drug Use During Nationally Televised Interview

​Now for Gov. Rick Scott's charade of the day -- making up a scientific study on drug use by welfare recipients on a nationally televised CNN interview.As you know, the governor signed H.B. 353 into law last week, requires Floridians on welfare to pass a drug test before they get their cash.On ... More >>

Allen West Interview: Florida Tea Party Favorite Talks About Islam and Donald Trump (Part 2)

​Read the first installment of the Allen West interview here.New Times: Let's talk about the Ryan budget [introduced by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin)], which you supported in the House. [This proposal was passed by the House and at presstime was awaiting a vote in the Senate, although House leader ... More >>

WTFlorida: 10 Reasons Why Florida is Better at Everything

Miche Ratto​Here in Florida we're really good at a lot of things. Topping the list we have: growing indoor marijuana, staging car accidents, and throwing children in jail. And boy are we good at all of those things.To learn more about the awesome state you live in click the image.

Glenn Beck and Allen West Saved America From Japan

​Today marks the one-week anniversary of the day that Glenn Beck saved America from the imperialistic Japanese humility, which briefly threatened our fine standing in the global community. Yes, I'm a week late on this story, but only because many high-priced mental health specialists strongly advi ... More >>

Florida's Senate Majority Leader Makes False Claim About "Smart Cap" Bill

Another Floridian falsity for PolitiFact's truth-o-meter. ​Hypocrisy and shallow intellect are common among the leadership of Florida's fiscally conservative Senate. But a recent statement from Senate Majority Leader Andy Gardiner makes one wonder if he was blatantly trying to mislead the public o ... More >>

Michele Bachmann to Speak About Something She Seems to Know Little About: The Constitution

Michele Bachmann can't be bothered with mere facts​After Charlie Sheen injected tiger blood and seven-gram rocks into the national discourse this week, you may be numb to subtly absurd political gaffes. But let's take a few minutes to look at the congresswoman currently visiting Florida, who is kn ... More >>

Antonio Balta Denied Clemency, Advocates Turn To Rick Scott

Michael J. Mooney​Advocates and supporters of Antonio Balta, the man sentenced to 20 years in prison for allowing his daughter to die in a hot car as he gambled, were given sad news over this holiday season: The same clemency board that voted to pardon long-deceased rocker Jim Morrison chose not t ... More >>

Taxi Cab Drivers Must Wear Socks

Taxi drivers should just say NO to toe socks. ​The St. Petersburg Times reported recently that an independent taxi agency in Hillsborough County has a weird requirement: Drivers must wear socks.And that is evidently not an option.The agency, the Public Transportation Commission, basically regulate ... More >>

Allen West Claim of Security Clearance Higher Than the President Deemed 'Silly'

The question Allen West was fielding at the Pompano Civic Association on September 21 was about the tax lien that had been placed against him. But the retired lieutenant colonel went another way, launching into a soliloquy about his government Secret security clearance. "I still retain a Secret secu ... More >>

Introducing George "Barely True" LeMieux

For the past week, Sen. George LeMieux has been obsessed with skimmers. So obsessed that he's found one to match his salmon tie, as you can see above. Recently, Politifact.com busted out its bullshit detector and put LeMieux's claims to the test.

Quiet Exit for Former Palm Beach Post Editor

JBart leaves two years after the layoffs began.​Two years ago, Editor John Bartosek stood before his employees at the Palm Beach Post and warned of the impending bloodbath of layoffs and buyouts. Now, after slashing more than 300 jobs at the paper, Bartosek is leaving too."JBart," as he is known i ... More >>

Green Eyeshade Award Winners