Latest Fact-checks in Economy Clear Any Rating True Mostly True Half True Mostly False False Pants on Fire Full Flop Half Flip No Flip Any Speaker Any Date Range Last 3 Months Last 6 Months Last 12 Months 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 Any Category Chris Dodd stated on March 19, 2009 in a CNN interview.: On whether he wrote a provision that allowed AIG to dole out bonuses. Mike Pence stated on March 17, 2009 in a TV interview: "Tens of billions of dollars (from taxpayer-funded bailouts) ... flowed straight through AIG into the coffers of foreign corporations and foreign banks." National Republican Senatorial Committee stated on March 18, 2009 in a fundraising e-mail.: "Senator Chris Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, placed an amendment in the ‘stimulus’ bill that allowed for banks bailed out with taxpayer money — including AIG — to hand out huge bonuses." Elijah Cummings stated on March 16, 2009 in in a TV interview: AIG "said they were giving $57 million (in retention payments) to people who were being terminated." Ron Wyden stated on March 17, 2009 in an interview on The Rachel Maddow Show: "We had bipartisan legislation that got through the Senate" that would have prevented bonuses like AIG's "and then somehow mysteriously disappeared." Christina Romer stated on March 15, 2009 in an interview on Meet the Press.: "Last week the Blue Chip Economic Indicators came out that surveys lots of private forecasters. Almost all of them are predicting a turnaround in the third quarter and positive growth in the fourth quarter." Joe Biden stated on March 5, 2009 in a speech in Miami Beach, Fla.: "The average CEO makes $10,000 more every day ... than what the average worker makes every year." Bobby Jindal stated on February 22, 2009 in an interview on "Meet the Press.": Louisiana is turning down $100 million "that would require us to change our unemployment law, that would have actually raised taxes on Louisiana businesses." Jim DeMint stated on February 5, 2009 in a speech on the Senate floor.: There is a provision in the economic stimulus plan that means that "students cannot meet together in their dorms, if that dorm has been repaired with this federal money, and have a prayer group or a Bible study." Michael Steele stated on January 31, 2009 in a speech to House Republicans: "You and I know that in the history of mankind and womankind, government — federal, state, local, or otherwise — has never created one job." Pat Roberts stated on February 5, 2009 in remarks made in the Senate: The Congressional Budget Office "estimates that only 15 percent of this stimulus package will be spent in 2009" and only 37 percent in 2010. Barack Obama stated on February 3, 2009 in interview with CBS News: On attacks by Republicans that various programs in the economic stimulus plan are not stimulative, "If you add all that stuff up, it accounts for less than 1 percent of the overall package." Fred Smith stated on February 5, 2009 in appearance on ABC's This Week: "The average bonus [on Wall Street] is about $100,000...The bonuses on Wall Street are down 44 percent." Mike Pence stated on February 3, 2009 in a speech: The stimulus bill contains "$20 million for the removal of small to medium-sized fish passage barriers" and "$25 million to rehabilitate off-roading trails for ATVs." Robert Gibbs stated on February 2, 2009 in a comment at the daily White House press briefing.: "There are no earmarks" in the stimulus bill. Mitch McConnell stated on February 1, 2009 in appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation": To give the proposed economic stimulus plan some perspective, "if you started the day Jesus Christ was born and spent $1 million every day since then, you still wouldn’t have spent $1 trillion." John Boehner stated on January 26, 2009 in a news release: "The (economic stimulus) legislation could open billions of taxpayer dollars to left-wing groups like the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)." Barack Obama stated on January 9, 2009 in a news conference: "There is no disagreement that we need action by our government, a recovery plan that will help to jump-start the economy." National Republican Congressional Committee stated on January 28, 2009 in a news release: "The House Democrats' so-called 'stimulus' has been stuffed with an astonishing $335 million to fund prevention programs of sexually transmitted diseases." Eric Cantor stated on January 23, 2009 in an interview on the Fox News Channel.: "For every dollar (in the stimulus package) that is spent to help small businesses, $4 is being spent to help upkeep the grass on the lawns of Washington." Eric Cantor stated on January 23, 2009 in an interview on the Fox News Channel.: The stimulus bill includes "$300,000 for a sculpture garden in Miami." Barack Obama stated on January 24, 2009 in in a weekly YouTube and radio address: "Our economy could fall $1 trillion short of its full capacity, which translates into more than $12,000 in lost income for a family of four." Joe Barton stated on January 22, 2009 in a statement at a committee meeting.: Democrats have said that "even one hearing (on the stimulus bill) would be one too many, and that we have a single day to approve these five complex propositions that will affect the lives of millions." Eric Cantor stated on January 21, 2009 in an interview on the Fox News Channel.: Says a Congressional Budget Office report on spending by House Democrats in the economic stimulus concluded it "is just not stimulus. It won't help the economy grow." Competitive Enterprise Institute stated on January 14, 2009 in a news release: "Geithner still didn't correct the same type of error for some years, even after the Internal Revenue Service flagged him for the failure to pay the taxes in other years." Barack Obama stated on October 29, 2008 in North Carolina: McCain called for less regulation 21 times just this year. Barack Obama stated on October 9, 2008 in Cincinnati, Ohio: "AIG executives ... (took) a junket for over $400,000. Twice." Barack Obama stated on October 7, 2008 in a debate in Nashville, Tenn.: "I wrote to Secretary Paulson, I wrote to Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke [in March 2007], and told them this is something we have to deal with, and nobody did anything about it." John McCain stated on October 7, 2008 in Nashville, Tenn.: On the economic troubles of 2008, "really the match that lit this fire was Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac." John McCain stated on October 7, 2008 in Nashville, Tenn.: "The Democrats in the Senate and some members of Congress defended what Fannie and Freddie were doing. They resisted any change."
Clear Any Rating True Mostly True Half True Mostly False False Pants on Fire Full Flop Half Flip No Flip Any Speaker Any Date Range Last 3 Months Last 6 Months Last 12 Months 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 Any Category
Chris Dodd stated on March 19, 2009 in a CNN interview.: On whether he wrote a provision that allowed AIG to dole out bonuses. Mike Pence stated on March 17, 2009 in a TV interview: "Tens of billions of dollars (from taxpayer-funded bailouts) ... flowed straight through AIG into the coffers of foreign corporations and foreign banks." National Republican Senatorial Committee stated on March 18, 2009 in a fundraising e-mail.: "Senator Chris Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, placed an amendment in the ‘stimulus’ bill that allowed for banks bailed out with taxpayer money — including AIG — to hand out huge bonuses." Elijah Cummings stated on March 16, 2009 in in a TV interview: AIG "said they were giving $57 million (in retention payments) to people who were being terminated." Ron Wyden stated on March 17, 2009 in an interview on The Rachel Maddow Show: "We had bipartisan legislation that got through the Senate" that would have prevented bonuses like AIG's "and then somehow mysteriously disappeared." Christina Romer stated on March 15, 2009 in an interview on Meet the Press.: "Last week the Blue Chip Economic Indicators came out that surveys lots of private forecasters. Almost all of them are predicting a turnaround in the third quarter and positive growth in the fourth quarter." Joe Biden stated on March 5, 2009 in a speech in Miami Beach, Fla.: "The average CEO makes $10,000 more every day ... than what the average worker makes every year." Bobby Jindal stated on February 22, 2009 in an interview on "Meet the Press.": Louisiana is turning down $100 million "that would require us to change our unemployment law, that would have actually raised taxes on Louisiana businesses." Jim DeMint stated on February 5, 2009 in a speech on the Senate floor.: There is a provision in the economic stimulus plan that means that "students cannot meet together in their dorms, if that dorm has been repaired with this federal money, and have a prayer group or a Bible study." Michael Steele stated on January 31, 2009 in a speech to House Republicans: "You and I know that in the history of mankind and womankind, government — federal, state, local, or otherwise — has never created one job." Pat Roberts stated on February 5, 2009 in remarks made in the Senate: The Congressional Budget Office "estimates that only 15 percent of this stimulus package will be spent in 2009" and only 37 percent in 2010. Barack Obama stated on February 3, 2009 in interview with CBS News: On attacks by Republicans that various programs in the economic stimulus plan are not stimulative, "If you add all that stuff up, it accounts for less than 1 percent of the overall package." Fred Smith stated on February 5, 2009 in appearance on ABC's This Week: "The average bonus [on Wall Street] is about $100,000...The bonuses on Wall Street are down 44 percent." Mike Pence stated on February 3, 2009 in a speech: The stimulus bill contains "$20 million for the removal of small to medium-sized fish passage barriers" and "$25 million to rehabilitate off-roading trails for ATVs." Robert Gibbs stated on February 2, 2009 in a comment at the daily White House press briefing.: "There are no earmarks" in the stimulus bill. Mitch McConnell stated on February 1, 2009 in appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation": To give the proposed economic stimulus plan some perspective, "if you started the day Jesus Christ was born and spent $1 million every day since then, you still wouldn’t have spent $1 trillion." John Boehner stated on January 26, 2009 in a news release: "The (economic stimulus) legislation could open billions of taxpayer dollars to left-wing groups like the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)." Barack Obama stated on January 9, 2009 in a news conference: "There is no disagreement that we need action by our government, a recovery plan that will help to jump-start the economy." National Republican Congressional Committee stated on January 28, 2009 in a news release: "The House Democrats' so-called 'stimulus' has been stuffed with an astonishing $335 million to fund prevention programs of sexually transmitted diseases." Eric Cantor stated on January 23, 2009 in an interview on the Fox News Channel.: "For every dollar (in the stimulus package) that is spent to help small businesses, $4 is being spent to help upkeep the grass on the lawns of Washington." Eric Cantor stated on January 23, 2009 in an interview on the Fox News Channel.: The stimulus bill includes "$300,000 for a sculpture garden in Miami." Barack Obama stated on January 24, 2009 in in a weekly YouTube and radio address: "Our economy could fall $1 trillion short of its full capacity, which translates into more than $12,000 in lost income for a family of four." Joe Barton stated on January 22, 2009 in a statement at a committee meeting.: Democrats have said that "even one hearing (on the stimulus bill) would be one too many, and that we have a single day to approve these five complex propositions that will affect the lives of millions." Eric Cantor stated on January 21, 2009 in an interview on the Fox News Channel.: Says a Congressional Budget Office report on spending by House Democrats in the economic stimulus concluded it "is just not stimulus. It won't help the economy grow." Competitive Enterprise Institute stated on January 14, 2009 in a news release: "Geithner still didn't correct the same type of error for some years, even after the Internal Revenue Service flagged him for the failure to pay the taxes in other years." Barack Obama stated on October 29, 2008 in North Carolina: McCain called for less regulation 21 times just this year. Barack Obama stated on October 9, 2008 in Cincinnati, Ohio: "AIG executives ... (took) a junket for over $400,000. Twice." Barack Obama stated on October 7, 2008 in a debate in Nashville, Tenn.: "I wrote to Secretary Paulson, I wrote to Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke [in March 2007], and told them this is something we have to deal with, and nobody did anything about it." John McCain stated on October 7, 2008 in Nashville, Tenn.: On the economic troubles of 2008, "really the match that lit this fire was Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac." John McCain stated on October 7, 2008 in Nashville, Tenn.: "The Democrats in the Senate and some members of Congress defended what Fannie and Freddie were doing. They resisted any change."
Chris Dodd stated on March 19, 2009 in a CNN interview.: On whether he wrote a provision that allowed AIG to dole out bonuses.
Mike Pence stated on March 17, 2009 in a TV interview: "Tens of billions of dollars (from taxpayer-funded bailouts) ... flowed straight through AIG into the coffers of foreign corporations and foreign banks."
National Republican Senatorial Committee stated on March 18, 2009 in a fundraising e-mail.: "Senator Chris Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, placed an amendment in the ‘stimulus’ bill that allowed for banks bailed out with taxpayer money — including AIG — to hand out huge bonuses."
Elijah Cummings stated on March 16, 2009 in in a TV interview: AIG "said they were giving $57 million (in retention payments) to people who were being terminated."
Ron Wyden stated on March 17, 2009 in an interview on The Rachel Maddow Show: "We had bipartisan legislation that got through the Senate" that would have prevented bonuses like AIG's "and then somehow mysteriously disappeared."
Christina Romer stated on March 15, 2009 in an interview on Meet the Press.: "Last week the Blue Chip Economic Indicators came out that surveys lots of private forecasters. Almost all of them are predicting a turnaround in the third quarter and positive growth in the fourth quarter."
Joe Biden stated on March 5, 2009 in a speech in Miami Beach, Fla.: "The average CEO makes $10,000 more every day ... than what the average worker makes every year."
Bobby Jindal stated on February 22, 2009 in an interview on "Meet the Press.": Louisiana is turning down $100 million "that would require us to change our unemployment law, that would have actually raised taxes on Louisiana businesses."
Jim DeMint stated on February 5, 2009 in a speech on the Senate floor.: There is a provision in the economic stimulus plan that means that "students cannot meet together in their dorms, if that dorm has been repaired with this federal money, and have a prayer group or a Bible study."
Michael Steele stated on January 31, 2009 in a speech to House Republicans: "You and I know that in the history of mankind and womankind, government — federal, state, local, or otherwise — has never created one job."
Pat Roberts stated on February 5, 2009 in remarks made in the Senate: The Congressional Budget Office "estimates that only 15 percent of this stimulus package will be spent in 2009" and only 37 percent in 2010.
Barack Obama stated on February 3, 2009 in interview with CBS News: On attacks by Republicans that various programs in the economic stimulus plan are not stimulative, "If you add all that stuff up, it accounts for less than 1 percent of the overall package."
Fred Smith stated on February 5, 2009 in appearance on ABC's This Week: "The average bonus [on Wall Street] is about $100,000...The bonuses on Wall Street are down 44 percent."
Mike Pence stated on February 3, 2009 in a speech: The stimulus bill contains "$20 million for the removal of small to medium-sized fish passage barriers" and "$25 million to rehabilitate off-roading trails for ATVs."
Robert Gibbs stated on February 2, 2009 in a comment at the daily White House press briefing.: "There are no earmarks" in the stimulus bill.
Mitch McConnell stated on February 1, 2009 in appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation": To give the proposed economic stimulus plan some perspective, "if you started the day Jesus Christ was born and spent $1 million every day since then, you still wouldn’t have spent $1 trillion."
John Boehner stated on January 26, 2009 in a news release: "The (economic stimulus) legislation could open billions of taxpayer dollars to left-wing groups like the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)."
Barack Obama stated on January 9, 2009 in a news conference: "There is no disagreement that we need action by our government, a recovery plan that will help to jump-start the economy."
National Republican Congressional Committee stated on January 28, 2009 in a news release: "The House Democrats' so-called 'stimulus' has been stuffed with an astonishing $335 million to fund prevention programs of sexually transmitted diseases."
Eric Cantor stated on January 23, 2009 in an interview on the Fox News Channel.: "For every dollar (in the stimulus package) that is spent to help small businesses, $4 is being spent to help upkeep the grass on the lawns of Washington."
Eric Cantor stated on January 23, 2009 in an interview on the Fox News Channel.: The stimulus bill includes "$300,000 for a sculpture garden in Miami."
Barack Obama stated on January 24, 2009 in in a weekly YouTube and radio address: "Our economy could fall $1 trillion short of its full capacity, which translates into more than $12,000 in lost income for a family of four."
Joe Barton stated on January 22, 2009 in a statement at a committee meeting.: Democrats have said that "even one hearing (on the stimulus bill) would be one too many, and that we have a single day to approve these five complex propositions that will affect the lives of millions."
Eric Cantor stated on January 21, 2009 in an interview on the Fox News Channel.: Says a Congressional Budget Office report on spending by House Democrats in the economic stimulus concluded it "is just not stimulus. It won't help the economy grow."
Competitive Enterprise Institute stated on January 14, 2009 in a news release: "Geithner still didn't correct the same type of error for some years, even after the Internal Revenue Service flagged him for the failure to pay the taxes in other years."
Barack Obama stated on October 29, 2008 in North Carolina: McCain called for less regulation 21 times just this year.
Barack Obama stated on October 9, 2008 in Cincinnati, Ohio: "AIG executives ... (took) a junket for over $400,000. Twice."
Barack Obama stated on October 7, 2008 in a debate in Nashville, Tenn.: "I wrote to Secretary Paulson, I wrote to Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke [in March 2007], and told them this is something we have to deal with, and nobody did anything about it."
John McCain stated on October 7, 2008 in Nashville, Tenn.: On the economic troubles of 2008, "really the match that lit this fire was Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac."
John McCain stated on October 7, 2008 in Nashville, Tenn.: "The Democrats in the Senate and some members of Congress defended what Fannie and Freddie were doing. They resisted any change."
