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Men, monkeys and the origin of AIDS

National

Tennessee state Sen. Stacey Campfield sparked an uproar with his comments about the origin of AIDS.

Zack McMillin

By Zack McMillin February 3, 2012

Tennessee state Sen. Stacey Campfield sparked an uproar with his comments about gay people and the origin of AIDS.

In one claim, Campfield said AIDS was transmitted to humans because "one guy" had sex with "a monkey" and then started "having sex with men." PolitiFact Tennessee put that claim to the Truth-O-Meter.

See Truth-O-Meter item.

Lamar Alexander

stated on November 13, 2012 in in a news release announcing support for the Sportsmen's bill.:

"More Tennesseans have hunting and fishing licenses than vote."

false

false

Stand For Children Tennessee

stated on October 24, 2012 in in a post on Facebook.:

Says that "Tennessee law requires that schools receive half of proceeds -- $31 million per year" -- from a half-cent increase in the Shelby County sales tax.

true

true

stated on October 18, 2012 in in campaign mail piece:

Says that "when Congressman (Steve) Cohen took office in 2007, the unemployment rate was at 4.8 percent. The unemployment rate in Shelby County has reached 9.7 percent."

false

false

stated on August 31, 2012 in a letter to state Senate education committee chairwoman Dolores Gresham.:

Says Tennessee is providing "millions of dollars" to virtual school company for "results at the bottom of the bottom."

true

true

Martavius Jones

stated on July 13, 2012 in an interview on the Fox 13 News program "Memphis in the Morning.":

"From a standpoint of the county government, neither school system has received an increase in funding over the past six years."

true

true

Lamar Alexander

stated on June 18, 2012 in prepared remarks at a Congressional field hearing.:

"Three of our cities are among the top five worst cities in the U.S. for asthma."

true

true

Tennessee Democratic Party

stated on June 12, 2012 in a press release.:

Says Mitt Romney has said "we don't need 'more firemen, more policemen, more teachers.' "

mostly-true

mostly-true

Memphis Police Association

stated on April 25, 2012 in a commercial.:

Says "city leadership is threatening to lay off police and emergency services personnel to balance the budget."

false

false

stated on May 9, 2012 in signing new schools legislation.:

On allowing Shelby County's schools merger commission to finish work before allowing any new merger legislation.

full-flop

full-flop

stated on April 16, 2012 in an interview about his city budget proposal.:

"We will not ask for a tax increase to run city government."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on April 18, 2012 in a City Council presentation on the Memphis budget.:

"Nobody is leaving Memphis. That's a myth."

pants-fire

pants-fire

The Tax Foundation

stated on March 5, 2012 in a map published on its blog.:

Says Tennessee has some of the lowest beer excise tax rates in the country.

half-true

half-true

stated on February 1, 2012 in a House Conservation and Environment Committee meeting:

Says the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency brought coyotes into the state "to try to keep the deer population down."

pants-fire

pants-fire

stated on February 6, 2012 in a Shelby County Commission meeting.:

"Shelby County donated – I’m sorry, gave – 44 schools to the city of Memphis."

half-true

half-true

Stacey Campfield

stated on January 26, 2012 in an interview with Michelangelo Signorile on the Sirius satellite radio show “OutQ.”:

AIDS was transmitted to humans because "one guy" had sex with "a monkey" and then started "having sex with men."

pants-fire

pants-fire

Facebook posts
stated on April 11, 2024 in a post:

“You’ve probably heard that Taylor Swift is endorsing Joe B."

By Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu • April 16, 2024
Lisa Subeck
stated on February 16, 2024 in X, formerly Twitter:

“The United States is an outlier, one of only about half a dozen countries, without any guarantee of paid leave for new parents and/or other health care needs.”

By D.L. Davis • April 16, 2024
Donald Trump
stated on April 1, 2024 in TV interview:

In 2020, Trump “did much better” in the Wisconsin election than 2016, and “after the wrongdoing was found, people said, ‘Well, he actually did win.’”

By Hope Karnopp • April 16, 2024
Instagram posts
stated on March 31, 2024 in an Instagram post:

“ULEZ protesters covering cameras with bat boxes. Authorities not allowed to remove under their own law.”

By Loreben Tuquero • April 15, 2024
Threads posts
stated on April 13, 2024 in a post on Threads:

President Joe Biden “will address the nation from the Oval Office” on April 13, “following Iran’s attack on Israel.”

By Madison Czopek • April 15, 2024
Instagram posts
stated on April 14, 2024 in a video:

Video is from Iranian media and shows rockets fired at Israel on April 13.

By Loreben Tuquero • April 15, 2024
Instagram posts
stated on April 13, 2024 in an Instagram post:

Footage shows “Israelis panicking after Iranian attacks reach Israel.”

By Loreben Tuquero • April 15, 2024
Threads posts
stated on April 14, 2024 in a post:

“Not even one rocket (from Iran) hit Israel.”

By Sara Swann • April 15, 2024
Joe Biden
stated on April 8, 2024 in a speech:

Speaking of semiconductor industry jobs, "Know what the average salary is? $110,000. You don't need a college degree."

By Marta Campabadal Graus • April 15, 2024
Joe Biden
stated on April 9, 2024 in an interview with Univision:

Starting in 2025 "no matter what your total bills are for prescription drugs, you'll never have to pay more than a senior, more than $2,000 a year."

By Amy Sherman • April 15, 2024