Stand up for the facts!

Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.

More Info

I would like to contribute

Men, monkeys and the origin of AIDS

National

Tennessee state Sen. Stacey Campfield sparked an uproar with his comments about the origin of AIDS.

By Zack McMillin February 3, 2012

Tennessee state Sen. Stacey Campfield sparked an uproar with his comments about gay people and the origin of AIDS.

In one claim, Campfield said AIDS was transmitted to humans because "one guy" had sex with "a monkey" and then started "having sex with men." PolitiFact Tennessee put that claim to the Truth-O-Meter.

See Truth-O-Meter item.

Frank Niceley

stated on February 1, 2012 in a House Conservation and Environment Committee meeting:

Says the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency brought coyotes into the state "to try to keep the deer population down."

Chris Thomas

stated on February 6, 2012 in a Shelby County Commission meeting.:

"Shelby County donated – I’m sorry, gave – 44 schools to the city of Memphis."

Stacey Campfield

stated on January 26, 2012 in an interview with Michelangelo Signorile on the Sirius satellite radio show “OutQ.”:

AIDS was transmitted to humans because "one guy" had sex with "a monkey" and then started "having sex with men."

Lamar Alexander

stated on November 13, 2012 in in a news release announcing support for the Sportsmen's bill.:

"More Tennesseans have hunting and fishing licenses than vote."

Stand For Children Tennessee

stated on October 24, 2012 in in a post on Facebook.:

Says that "Tennessee law requires that schools receive half of proceeds -- $31 million per year" -- from a half-cent increase in the Shelby County sales tax.

George Flinn

stated on October 18, 2012 in in campaign mail piece:

Says that "when Congressman (Steve) Cohen took office in 2007, the unemployment rate was at 4.8 percent. The unemployment rate in Shelby County has reached 9.7 percent."

Andy Berke

stated on August 31, 2012 in a letter to state Senate education committee chairwoman Dolores Gresham.:

Says Tennessee is providing "millions of dollars" to virtual school company for "results at the bottom of the bottom."

Martavius Jones

stated on July 13, 2012 in an interview on the Fox 13 News program "Memphis in the Morning.":

"From a standpoint of the county government, neither school system has received an increase in funding over the past six years."

Lamar Alexander

stated on June 18, 2012 in prepared remarks at a Congressional field hearing.:

"Three of our cities are among the top five worst cities in the U.S. for asthma."

Tennessee Democratic Party

stated on June 12, 2012 in a press release.:

Says Mitt Romney has said "we don't need 'more firemen, more policemen, more teachers.' "

Memphis Police Association

stated on April 25, 2012 in a commercial.:

Says "city leadership is threatening to lay off police and emergency services personnel to balance the budget."

Bill Haslam

stated on May 9, 2012 in signing new schools legislation.:

On allowing Shelby County's schools merger commission to finish work before allowing any new merger legislation.

A C Wharton

stated on April 16, 2012 in an interview about his city budget proposal.:

"We will not ask for a tax increase to run city government."

Joe Brown

stated on April 18, 2012 in a City Council presentation on the Memphis budget.:

"Nobody is leaving Memphis. That's a myth."

The Tax Foundation

stated on March 5, 2012 in a map published on its blog.:

Says Tennessee has some of the lowest beer excise tax rates in the country.

Frank Niceley

stated on February 1, 2012 in a House Conservation and Environment Committee meeting:

Says the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency brought coyotes into the state "to try to keep the deer population down."

Chris Thomas

stated on February 6, 2012 in a Shelby County Commission meeting.:

"Shelby County donated – I’m sorry, gave – 44 schools to the city of Memphis."

Stacey Campfield

stated on January 26, 2012 in an interview with Michelangelo Signorile on the Sirius satellite radio show “OutQ.”:

AIDS was transmitted to humans because "one guy" had sex with "a monkey" and then started "having sex with men."

Lamar Alexander

stated on November 13, 2012 in in a news release announcing support for the Sportsmen's bill.:

"More Tennesseans have hunting and fishing licenses than vote."

Stand For Children Tennessee

stated on October 24, 2012 in in a post on Facebook.:

Says that "Tennessee law requires that schools receive half of proceeds -- $31 million per year" -- from a half-cent increase in the Shelby County sales tax.

George Flinn

stated on October 18, 2012 in in campaign mail piece:

Says that "when Congressman (Steve) Cohen took office in 2007, the unemployment rate was at 4.8 percent. The unemployment rate in Shelby County has reached 9.7 percent."

Clear

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
stated on May 14, 2025 in Senate testimony:

It’s “all true” that the measles vaccine wanes quickly, was never fully safety tested and contains fetal debris.

By Madison Czopek • May 16, 2025
Bernie Sanders
stated on May 12, 2025 in a post on X:

“Republicans just unveiled their ‘big, beautiful bill,’ which will take Medicaid & health insurance away from 13.7 million Americans.”

By Louis Jacobson • May 16, 2025
Gavin Newsom
stated on May 14, 2025 in in a press conference:

On California offering affordable health care access for immigrants in the U.S. illegally.

By Amy Sherman • May 16, 2025
Donald Trump
stated on May 8, 2025 in an event in the White House:

Declining cargo traffic at U.S. ports “means we lose less money. … When you say it's slowed down, that's a good thing.”

By Louis Jacobson • May 16, 2025
Alex Jones
stated on May 11, 2025 in en una publicación en X:

Un vídeo muestra al presidente francés, Emmanuel Macron, al primer ministro del Reino Unido, Keir Starmer, y al canciller alemán, Friedrich Merz, con una bolsa de cocaína tras visitar al presidente ucraniano, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

By Maria Briceño • May 16, 2025
Marcia Morey
stated on April 30, 2025 in a speech in the North Carolina House of Representatives:

“Google caved in to Trump. They erased Black History Month from the calendar.”

By Paul Specht • May 15, 2025
Stephen Miller
stated on May 9, 2025 in an interview:

The Immigration and Nationality Act “stripped Article III courts, that's the judicial branch, of jurisdiction over immigration cases.”

By Maria Ramirez Uribe • May 15, 2025
Donald Trump
stated on May 11, 2025 in a Truth Social post:

Under a new executive order, prescription drug prices will be reduced “almost immediately.”

By Louis Jacobson • May 14, 2025
Donald Trump
stated on May 8, 2025 in a Truth Social post:

The Digital Equity Act is a handout "based on race,” and “illegal.”

By Amy Sherman • May 13, 2025
Donald Trump
stated on May 8, 2025 in a Truth Social post:

The Digital Equity Act is a “handout based on race,” and “illegal.”

By Amy Sherman • May 13, 2025

Follow us

Stand up for the facts!

I would like to contribute

Men, monkeys and the origin of AIDS

Our Sources

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by Zack McMillin

Men, monkeys and the origin of AIDS