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Texas governor Perry earns Pants on Fire

National

Texas Gov. Rick Perry said the Massachusetts health plan has not reduced the number of uninsured.

By Meghan Ashford-Grooms April 7, 2010

In a recent op-ed in the Austin American-Statesman, Texas Gov. Rick Perry said the mandate that people get health insurance -- a key part of the new federal plan -- had been a failure in Massachusetts. The column also was published by the San Angelo Standard-Times.

As evidence, Perry turns the spotlight onto Massachusetts, which has required that adults have health coverage since July 2007. "The number of uninsured people in Massachusetts is about the same as it was when the mandates were passed in 2006," Perry wrote.

Our friends at PolitiFact Texas put that one to the Truth-O-Meter and found Perry was way off.

See Truth-O-Meter item.

stated on March 15, 2012 in a tweet:

Says that in fiscal year 2010, "nearly 80 percent of women served" in the Texas Women’s Health Program received services from a provider other than a Planned Parenthood clinic.

half-true

half-true

stated on February 26, 2012 in an interview posted online by WFAA-TV in Dallas:

"A hundred percent of all the jobs lost during the recession have been reclaimed in Texas … while the nation is at about 36 percent."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on February 22, 2012 in a Republican presidential debate in Arizona:

Says he "did the very best" in a recent poll in Iowa matching up each of the major Republican presidential candidates against President Barack Obama.

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on May 9, 2012 in a TV ad.:

Says he "restored prayer and the pledge in our schools."

half-true

half-true

stated on May 14, 2012 in an op-ed in the Austin American-Statesman:

Says Williamson County Attorney Jana Duty "has never prosecuted a single adult felony case."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on March 1, 2012 in a campaign flier:

Says "over 40 percent of recent county bonds are for Precinct One, northeast Travis County," because he "is quick to identify projects that help make the East Side a desirable place to live."

half-true

half-true

stated on May 7, 2012 in a campaign mailer.:

Says Lee Leffingwell "raised property taxes 20 percent in three years."

half-true

half-true

stated on April 16, 2012 in an Austin mayoral debate on KXAN-TV:

Says Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell voted for a toll lane on MoPac.

true

true

stated on April 10, 2012 in a speech at Texas A&M University.:

"Just on Jan. 1 of this year, there were 40,000 new laws put on the books in one day."

false

false

stated on March 24, 2012 in remarks at a Texas Capitol rally:

Says legislative cuts mean Texas is "spending on average $500 less per student."

true

true

stated on April 13, 2012 in a Republican U.S. Senate debate:

Says that when adjusted for inflation and population growth, state general revenue spending has decreased 10.7 percent on his watch.

half-true

half-true

Charlie Gonzalez

stated on March 27, 2012 in a conference call:

Says that Mitt Romney, while he was in Arizona, said he believes the state’s SB 1070 immigration law should be the model for national immigration laws.

false

false

stated on April 4, 2012 in an online video:

"6.4 million more Americans living in poverty under President Obama."

half-true

half-true

Rosemary Lehmberg

stated on October 31, 2011 in campaign video:

Says she "created the first felony deferred prosecution program for nonviolent first-offenders" in Texas.

barely-true

barely-true

Elliott Naishtat

stated on March 5, 2012 in an op-ed column:

"Nearly 45 percent of the women who receive health screenings through (the Women’s Health Program) do so at a Planned Parenthood health center."

half-true

half-true

stated on March 15, 2012 in a tweet:

Says that in fiscal year 2010, "nearly 80 percent of women served" in the Texas Women’s Health Program received services from a provider other than a Planned Parenthood clinic.

half-true

half-true

stated on February 26, 2012 in an interview posted online by WFAA-TV in Dallas:

"A hundred percent of all the jobs lost during the recession have been reclaimed in Texas … while the nation is at about 36 percent."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on February 22, 2012 in a Republican presidential debate in Arizona:

Says he "did the very best" in a recent poll in Iowa matching up each of the major Republican presidential candidates against President Barack Obama.

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on May 9, 2012 in a TV ad.:

Says he "restored prayer and the pledge in our schools."

half-true

half-true

stated on May 14, 2012 in an op-ed in the Austin American-Statesman:

Says Williamson County Attorney Jana Duty "has never prosecuted a single adult felony case."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on March 1, 2012 in a campaign flier:

Says "over 40 percent of recent county bonds are for Precinct One, northeast Travis County," because he "is quick to identify projects that help make the East Side a desirable place to live."

half-true

half-true

Social Media
stated on June 16, 2025 in social media posts:

“Governor Tim Walz has DELETED every post he made praising Minnesota (assassin) Vance Boelter.”

By Madison Czopek • June 18, 2025
X posts
stated on June 16, 2025 in X posts:

Image shows accused shooter Vance Boelter wearing a “Resist” shirt.

By Loreben Tuquero • June 18, 2025
X posts
stated on June 9, 2025 in an X post:

Image shows an antifa debit card that can “automatically be funded after looting, rioting and gang stalking.”

By Gabrielle Lazor • June 17, 2025
X posts
stated on June 14, 2025 in an X post:

Video shows the New York Mets “showed a Pride flag instead of the American flag” during the national anthem.

By Gabrielle Lazor • June 17, 2025
Mike Lee
stated on June 15, 2025 in a post on X:

The suspect in the Minnesota lawmakers’ shootings was driven by “Marxist” ideology.

By Madison Czopek • June 16, 2025
Gavin Newsom
stated on June 10, 2025 in posts on X:

California has lower homicide rates than Alabama, Arkansas and Oklahoma.

By Louis Jacobson • June 16, 2025
X posts
stated on June 9, 2025 in an X post:

Video shows Marine Corps attack helicopter over Los Angeles in response to immigration raid protests.

By Gabrielle Lazor • June 16, 2025
Facebook posts
stated on June 15, 2025 in Facebook post:

Photos show Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift participated in a “No Kings” rally.

By Ella Moore • June 16, 2025
X posts
stated on June 12, 2025 in an image:

Says Karoline Leavitt said, “America cannot function if President Trump has to deal with co-equal branches of government having the ability to check his power.”

By Ella Moore • June 13, 2025
Social Media
stated on June 10, 2025 in an ad on Craigslist:

Companies called “T-Mellon Events” and “Fight Fite Fight LLC” are offering to pay “seat fillers” in Washington, D.C, on June 14.

By Gabrielle Lazor • June 13, 2025

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