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PunditFact bringing fact-checking to Tampa Bay television

PunditFact
Aaron Sharockman
By Aaron Sharockman
January 14, 2014

PunditFact, the fact-checking project of the Tampa Bay Times and the Poynter Institute, is partnering with WTSP 10 News in Tampa Bay to air video fact-checks.

PunditFact launched in November 2013 to fact-check political pundits who appear on television, radio and in print.

10 News will now begin taking that work and adapting it for their on-air broadcasts. The first PunditFact TV segment, which included our recent fact-check of Karl Rove, debuted Tuesday.

Want PunditFact fact-checks aired in your market? Email us at feedback@punditfact.com.

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More by Aaron Sharockman
Instagram posts
stated on November 1, 2024 in a post:
Dominion Voting Systems employee Eric Coomer told an Antifa meeting he “made sure” Donald Trump wouldn’t win.
False
By Aaron Sharockman • November 3, 2024
Threads posts
stated on October 29, 2024 in a post:
“Joe Rogan says he will not be voting for Trump after having him on the podcast.”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • November 3, 2024
Viral image
stated on August 5, 2021 in a viral image:
Says there are fewer than 2,000 confirmed COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S.
False
By Aaron Sharockman, Tom Kertscher • August 9, 2021
Facebook posts
stated on June 21, 2021 in a post on Facebook:
Says President John F. Kennedy said, “There are people in Washington, D.C., in positions of power to whom the border is just a nuisance, and I think some of them believe that illegal immigration is a moral good. It is not.”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • June 22, 2021
Bloggers
stated on October 7, 2020 in a post on Facebook:
“Shredded Pennsylvania Mail in ballot Applications were discovered in a trailer. The applications were for @realDonaldTrump.”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • October 8, 2020
Jason MIller
stated on October 4, 2020 in comments on ABC's "This Week":
Says Joe Biden stays in his basement.
False
By Aaron Sharockman • October 4, 2020
Facebook posts
stated on August 14, 2020 in a post on Facebook:
“As of the last 24 hours this is the protocol regarding masks: Masks should only be used by healthcare workers, caretakers or by people who are sick with symptoms like fever and cough.”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • August 18, 2020
Facebook posts
stated on June 30, 2020 in a post on Facebook:
An image from the St. Louis protest is “what MSM (mainstream media) won’t show you. Peaceful demonstrator pointing weapon at homeowner.”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • July 1, 2020
Facebook posts
stated on June 24, 2020 in a Facebook post:
Tennis star Serena Williams wrote that she’s “sick of COVID-19. I’m sick of black vs. white. I’m sick of Democrats vs. Republicans. I’m sick of gay vs. straight. I’m sick of Christians vs atheists. I’m REALLY sick of the media.”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • June 24, 2020
Facebook posts
stated on June 12, 2020 in a post on Facebook:
Says Tim Tebow “kneeled in protest of abortion during the National Anthem in 2012. He was praised by fans as being a ‘model American.’”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • June 19, 2020
X posts
stated on February 29, 2020 in posts on Twitter and Facebook:
Says Sen. Chuck Schumer deleted a Feb. 5 tweet criticizing President Donald Trump’s decision to ban some forms of travel to and from China.
Pants on Fire!
By Aaron Sharockman • February 29, 2020
Viral image
stated on February 29, 2020 in a post on Facebook:
“Bernie Logic: Nobody can live on $7 an hour. We must raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Also we must raise the tax rate to 52%. $15 an hour * 52% = $7.80. $15 an hour – $7.80 = $7.20. $7.20 an hour!!!”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • February 29, 2020
Amy Klobuchar
stated on December 20, 2019 in the sixth Democratic presidential debate:
Says Pete Buttigieg ran statewide in Indiana and “lost by 20 points.”
True
By Aaron Sharockman • December 20, 2019
Facebook posts
stated on October 29, 2018 in a post on Facebook:
“As some of you may know I am the recent $3.4 million lotto winner. I’d like to spread some positivity so I’m sending $1,000 to the first 100k people that share this.”
Pants on Fire!
By Aaron Sharockman • October 31, 2018
Bloggers
stated on February 7, 2018 in a blog post:
“FBI RAIDS OBAMA – Find Massive Secret That Was Hidden For YEARS.”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • March 30, 2018

PunditFact bringing fact-checking to Tampa Bay television

Clear
Josh Stein
stated on October 20, 2026 in an X post:
In North Carolina, “thousands more absentee ballots (are) being rejected this election — at a rejection rate twice as high as in 2022.”
Mostly False
By Paul Specht • October 23, 2026
WinSenate
stated on October 19, 2026 in an ad:
“After just five years in Washington,” Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson is “$8 million richer.”
Mostly False
By Caleb McCullough • October 23, 2026
X posts
stated on October 21, 2026 in X posts:
This video shows a former James Talarico student accusing him of misconduct.
Pants on Fire!
By Jeff Cercone • October 22, 2026
Club for Growth Action
stated on September 14, 2026 in an ad:
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor “repeatedly” violated “a law aimed at stopping members of Congress from insider trading.”
Mostly False
By Loreben Tuquero • October 22, 2026
Kelly Ayotte
stated on August 23, 2026 in an ad:
New Hampshire Democratic governor candidate Cinde Warmington “was a Purdue Pharma lobbyist. She said that OxyContin was a miracle drug.”
True
By Louis Jacobson • October 22, 2026
JD Vance
stated on October 17, 2026 in un foro con votantes de CBS News:
“La razón principal por la que los precios de la gasolina están tan altos es porque cuando Joe Biden era presidente, alrededor del 20% de la capacidad de refinación estadounidense dejó de operar”.
False
By Louis Jacobson • October 21, 2026
Roger Marshall
stated on October 16, 2026 in an interview with Sean Hannity:
Kansas U.S. Senate candidate Adam Hamilton “wants to shut down the beef industry.”
False
By Amy Sherman • October 20, 2026
Ashley Moody
stated on October 6, 2026 in a TV ad:
Florida U.S. Senate candidate Angie Nixon “backed a $4 trillion tax hike on everyone in this diner,” including a server and older adults.
Half-True
By Maria Briceño • October 20, 2026
Mike Rogers
stated on October 18, 2026 in an interview:
Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed “didn’t disavow” the Muslim Brotherhood.
False
By Caleb McCullough • October 19, 2026
JD Vance
stated on October 17, 2026 in a CBS News town hall:
“The biggest reason why gas prices are so high is because when Joe Biden was president, we had about 20% of American refining capacity that went offline.”
False
By Louis Jacobson • October 19, 2026
Social Media
stated on October 12, 2026 in an image:
If an election worker writes anything on your ballot before you put it in the voting machine, “your ballot could be disqualified.”
False
By Paul Specht • October 16, 2026
Mike Collins
stated on October 13, 2026 in in a debate:
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is “all for abortion up until and past birth.”
False
By Maria Briceño • October 16, 2026
Social Media
stated on October 11, 2026 in publicaciones en redes sociales:
Una grabación de audio es prueba de que James Talarico fue dado de alta de un “hospital psiquiátrico” el 10 de octubre.
Pants on Fire!
By Loreben Tuquero • October 16, 2026
Senate Leadership Fund
stated on October 1, 2026 in an ad:
New Hampshire U.S. Senate candidate Chris Pappas “lied about dating an Amazon lobbyist, then voted on bills Amazon lobbied on.”
Mostly False
By Louis Jacobson • October 15, 2026
Senate Leadership Fund
stated on September 28, 2026 in an ad:
“Sherrod Brown supports sex changes for minors. Irreversible surgery on kids. Like me,” Soren Aldaco.
Pants on Fire!
By Loreben Tuquero • October 14, 2026
Mariannette Miller-Meeks
stated on October 2, 2026 in a Facebook post:
“I don’t own a single individual stock.”
True
By Evan Watson • October 14, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on October 2, 2026 in a rally in Alabama:
James Talarico is “a vegan” and “what they don’t show you is that, after every barbecue … he throws up.”
Pants on Fire!
By Amy Sherman, Caleb McCullough • October 13, 2026
X posts
stated on October 11, 2026 in posts:
Audio recording is proof James Talarico was discharged from a “mental hospital” on Oct. 10.
Pants on Fire!
By Loreben Tuquero • October 12, 2026
Amy Acton
stated on September 21, 2026 in a campaign ad:
Vivek Ramaswamy “pushed an Alzheimer’s drug that he knew didn’t work. He made hundreds of millions of dollars scamming people.”
Mostly False
By Cami Henry-Seymore • October 12, 2026
James Talarico
stated on October 6, 2026 in an ad:
Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton voted “to protect puppy abusers.”
Mostly False
By Caleb McCullough • October 12, 2026
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