Georgia

Did a video show former Republican Vice President Mike Pence endorsing Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for the 2024 U.S. presidential elections? No, that's not true: The video was edited to make it sound like Pence endorsed Harris and Walz, the Democratic presidential ticket. In the original footage of Pence's remarks, he stated that he could not vote for Harris…

Does a video circulating on social media show Jimmy Carter, in a reclining wheelchair, waiting to cast a vote for Kamala Harris on October 15, 2024, during Georgia's early voting? No, that's not true: This video was filmed on October 1, 2024, before early voting in Georgia began. It shows friends and family gathered at the Carter home in Plains,…

Does a video show "twin tornadoes" hitting Miami at the same time Hurricane Milton did? No, that's not true: This video footage was taken in August 2024, not October 2024 when Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida. Also, the columns seen in the video are waterspouts, not tornadoes, according to the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration. Finally, this video was…

Did Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee refuse to ask President Joe Biden and the federal government for help after Hurricane Helene? No, that's not true: The governor requested an emergency declaration on September 27, 2024. It was approved the next day, which opened up federal aid. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on X, formerly known as Twitter, on…

Does federal disaster assistance to Helene victims amount to no more than $750 per family? No, that's not true: The White House stated that the $750 in Serious Needs Assistance is an immediate direct payment to eligible households for essential items like food, baby formula, water, medications and other emergency supplies. A FEMA spokesperson told Lead Stories, "that's not the…

Did an authentic photo show former President Donald Trump wading through hurricane flood waters? No, that's not true: An AI-detection tool from True Media found substantial evidence that the image was generated with AI. Media coverage of Trump's visit to Valdosta, Georgia, on the same day the post was made does not show him wearing the same clothes as in…

Do social media posts prove that Donald Trump "donated $25 million" to the victims of Hurricane Helene? No, that's not true: These posts offer no supporting evidence. Lead Stories found no reports that confirmed such a donation, including on Trump's account on Truth Social and his campaign website. He did post a link to a crowdfunding campaign where his supporters…

Was Hurricane Helene pushed "up the east coast" with purported weather modification systems such as NEXRAD, Doppler and HAARP? No, that's not true: An expert at the government's Air Resources Laboratory told Lead Stories that neither HAARP nor NEXRAD -- a network of high-resolution Doppler weather radars -- can "create, destroy, modify, intensify, or steer hurricanes in any way, shape,…

Did federal prosecutors release an alleged assassin's bounty letter targeting Donald Trump because they "all want him dead"? No, that's not true: A handwritten letter allegedly by accused gunman Ryan Routh offering $150,000 to "whomever can complete the job" was included as part of the government's motion to keep him behind bars until trial. Other prosecutors say it's standard procedure…

Is a screenshot that shows Apalachee High School shooting suspect Colt Gray as transgender and a supporter of Kamala Harris authentic? No, that's not true: The person behind the account frequently changes their profile picture and bio. A previous version of the account warns journalists, lawyers and others that "this context is all fake and made up." The screenshot is…