Georgia

Did Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene post that "evil is being defeated", shortly after the death of Pope Francis was announced on April 21, 2025? Yes, that's true: Screenshots of the X post were shared widely online, especially among those critical of what they interpreted as a celebratory reference to the death of the pontiff. The Georgia Congresswoman also wrote that…

Does a video of a rental van being stopped on an Atlanta highway show the rescue of children from human traffickers? No, that's not true: The people in the back of the van were members of two families who were moving household goods, not human trafficking victims, according to Gwinnett County, Georgia, police quoted in several news reports. The driver…

Does a series of Facebook posts offering needy Americans "free food and stuff" provide real information about food banks in the United States? No, that's not true: None of the posts provide any actual locations for those in need to get free food, and images used in the post are taken from unrelated free food banks. Clicking the links on…

Did commentator Ben Shapiro criticize the work of American painter Georgia O'Keeffe for "not looking like anything"? No, that's not true: quotations attributed to Shapiro actually originated in a 2021 article by the self-described satire website The Hard Times, and were re-shared again in March 2025. Similarly, Shapiro never posted a video to YouTube with the title "Ben Shapiro DESTROYS…

Does a "loophole in U.S. law" legally grant permission to noncitizens to vote in federal elections if they believe they are U.S. citizens? No, that's not true: A professor specializing in election law told Lead Stories that what was referred to on social media as a "loophole" described such a narrow exception that "it's hard to imagine whom it might…

Do posts alerting different communities in the U.S. that "Xavier, Alvaro" is on the run after "stabbing both my neighbors to death" describe a real manhunt and real crimes? No, that's not true: The posts mislead, using a mugshot of a man with a different name who had already been jailed on another continent two months before the "alert" started…

Have prosecutors Fani Willis and Alvin Bragg been disbarred from the practice of law after a "bombshell" Trump announcement? No, that's not true: Both the Fulton County, Georgia and New York County district attorneys are still licensed in their respective states and no record of disbarment is online. The post making the claim offered no evidence of disciplinary action against…

In February 2025, public health officials in Texas reported the death of an unvaccinated child following a measles infection. As of this writing, national health authorities report at least three outbreaks of the highly infectious, vaccine-preventable disease across eight states. As communities prepare for potential increases in cases, Lead Stories has compiled information summarizing the Texas outbreak, how cases have…

Did DOGE "uncover" a previously unknown $2 billion federal grant to Power Forward Communities, a nonprofit organization linked to Democratic activist Stacey Abrams? No, that's not true: The Environmental Protection Agency publicly announced the grant from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund on April 4, 2024. It was not covered up and Abrams' connection to the group is overstated, she was…

What is chlorine dioxide, and is it a safe and effective cure or treatment for multiple health ailments, including childhood autism and COVID-19 infection? No, that's not true: Chlorine dioxide is a gaseous chemical that makes a bleach-like substance when added to water. The highly reactive chemical is used as a cleaning agent and can be fatal if ingested. Even…