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Does a viral story claiming "listening devices" were discovered in the Oval Office and that the Resolute Desk had been removed for "scanning" cite real sources? No, that's not true: Besides an "anonymous senior official," the story mentioned a "White House spokesperson Emily Harrow," who does not appear on the White House website. It also quotes a "Dr. Michael Kessler",…

Did President Joe Biden take away $250 million in funding for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) that is dedicated to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs)? No, that's not true: The Biden administration has provided funding to HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs) during his presidency. The federal government, however, does not provide any funding to HBCUs through the…

Do jumpy cuts in the asparagus-eating video recorded by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield while in the zero-gravity environment in 2013 prove it was shot in a "Hollywood basement," outer space does not exist and Earth is flat? No, that's not true: In 2015, Hadfield, who became known not only as a space explorer but also as a space video blogger,…

Did President Joe Biden put his hand on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's buttocks while pausing for a photo op during Zelenskyy's December 2022 visit to the United States? No, that's not true: The original image was posted to Twitter by Jill Biden and shows both Jill Biden's and Joe Biden's hands on Zelenskyy's back. The image was digitally edited and…

Did a Republican poll watcher in Arizona have access to voter check-in information where she claims to have seen evidence that 200 extra ballots were counted? No, that's not true: The Maricopa County Elections Department told Lead Stories that "[p]olitical [p]arty observers do not have access to voter check-in data," plus "there are processes in place every election to reconcile…

Are Dominion voting machines in Pennsylvania "rigged for election theft," depending on whether a voter uses a Sharpie, pen or pencil? No, that's not true: The claims are not backed by any evidence and are unsubstantiated. Both Dominion and the Pennsylvania Department of State say the voting systems are designed to work with various writing implements that may be used…

Does California allow non-citizens to vote for congressional representatives, and does the state refuse to cooperate with the "Federal Election Integrity Program"? No, that's not true: California law does not give non-citizens the ability to vote in congressional elections. The California Constitution and the Secretary of State, who ranks as California's "Chief Elections Officer," specify that a person has to…

Was ivermectin "vindicated (again)" in a peer-reviewed study that showed a 92% reduction in COVID-19 mortality? No, that's not true: The claims about ivermectin were published on an "open science" site where scientists may share findings before they have been vetted by independent experts. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not authorized the use of the anti-parasite drug…

Does a video posted by Republican congressional candidate Laura Loomer show dozens of "illegal" migrant workers arriving at a Florida hotel? No, that's not true: The workers were legally contracted to work for a central Florida plant nursery under the federal H-2A program, which allows qualifying employers to hire workers from outside the U.S. Those workers are subsequently granted a…

Is a concrete wall being erected in front of the White House for political reasons? No, that's not true: A spokesperson for the National Park Service, the federal agency that oversees the White House as a part of President's Park, told Lead Stories that the construction on the White House's North Lawn is normal upkeep. The claim appeared in a…