FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Tale of Two Fact Checks

(BISMARCK, ND) — This week, Congressman Kevin Cramer earned Four Pinocchios from the Washington Post – their worst possible rating, reserved for “whoppers” – for lying about the Washington Republican tax bill’s impact on the national debt. Glenn Kessler, the Post’s fact checker, even called Cramer’s claims “poppycock.” See for yourself below:

Washington Post: N.D. Republican’s Senate campaign ‘fact-checking’ website promotes false claim on CBO estimates

• Cramer’s website is simply wrong when he claims the deficits projected do not take into account the economic growth in Trump’s agenda. The CBO does take into account the economic feedback from tax cuts. As any mainstream economist will explain, the problem is that tax cuts do not pay for themselves.

• For a website that proclaims it is providing the truth and nothing but the facts, this line about the tax cuts and economic growth is poppycock. The CBO does take into account the economic effect of tax bills, so Cramer is simply wrong on that score. It’s even worse for a politician to suggest he is a deficit hawk — and ready to take on entitlements — and yet dismiss credible forecasts on future deficits by a respected agency.

• In the meantime, Cramer earns Four Pinocchios.

On the flip side, Senator Heidi Heitkamp was fact-checked by the Associated Press (AP) about her new ad, “Answer.” The AP found that Heidi was correct about her voting record. Read more below:

Associated Press: AP FACT CHECK: It’s true Heitkamp votes often with Trump

• In a television ad released last week, Heitkamp speaks directly to viewers and says she’s voted more than half the time with Trump.

• THE FACTS: It is true that Heitkamp has voted a majority of the time with Trump since he took office on Jan. 20, 2017.

• The AP reviewed Heitkamp’s voting record on all bills and nominations from Trump’s inauguration to June 1, 2018. During that period, the North Dakota senator supported Trump-backed nominees or legislation more than 68 percent of the time. Presidential nominations for judges, cabinet members and other Trump administration appointees make up a bulk of the voting record.