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'Obama phones'? No, they've been around for years

National

The latest chain e-mail makes claims about free cell phones for welfare recipients.

By Catharine Richert October 28, 2009

The latest chain e-mail to land in our in box says a new program gives free phones to welfare recipients . But we found the e-mail was glossing over some key details — such as the fact that the program has been around for many years. We rated the claim Barely True.

See item for sources.

stated on May 5, 2010 in a broadcast of the Ed Show:

"Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu received almost $1.8 million from BP over the last decade."

pants-fire

pants-fire

stated on May 4, 2010 in an interview on CNN:

"In the last 10 years we've only had 7,000 barrels of oil spilled in the Gulf ... not counting hurricanes. This well is spewing that amount every day and a half."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on May 11, 2010 in a speech on the Senate floor:

On Sandra Day O'Connor: "I think one reason she was a good judge is she had no judicial experience" before she joined the Supreme Court.

false

false

stated on April 28, 2010 in an interview on the Fox Business Network:

"Up until two weeks ago, John McCain was a leading proponent of amnesty. Now with me challenging him, suddenly he has changed."

pants-fire

pants-fire

Katrina vanden Heuvel

stated on May 2, 2010 in a roundtable discussion on ABC's 'This Week':

"At the moment, energy companies spend 0.25 percent on R&D."

true

true

stated on April 21, 2010 in an interview on MSNBC's Daily Rundown:

"Congress can tell [the Supreme Court] which cases they ought to hear. We have that authority."

true

true

stated on April 25, 2010 in a panel discussion on ABC This Week:

"What the Arizona law does is make a state crime out of something that already is... a federal crime."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on April 25, 2010 in an interview on ABC's This Week:

The Banking Committee voted a 1,336-page bill "out of committee in 21 minutes with no amendments, with the understanding that before the bill came to the floor, we would reach this bipartisan agreement."

mostly-true

mostly-true

House Natural Resources Committee Republicans

stated on April 5, 2010 in a news release posted on his website.:

"Obama did not open new lands to offshore drilling – all of these areas were already open for drilling once Congress and President Bush lifted the moratorium in 2008. Instead, President Obama yesterday announced what areas he would CLOSE to offshore drilling."

barely-true

barely-true

stated on March 31, 2010 in a speech to the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs:

In 2004, "20 percent of U.S. households were getting about 75 percent of their income from the federal government. ... Another 20 percent were receiving almost 40 percent."

barely-true

barely-true

stated on March 25, 2010 in a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner:

"The bill reported out of committee sets up a $50 billion slush fund that, while intended for resolving failing firms, is available for virtually any purpose that the treasury secretary sees fit."

false

false

Stephen Colbert

stated on April 12, 2010 in an interview on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report":

John Paul Stevens is the only Protestant on the U.S. Supreme Court.

true

true

stated on March 31, 2010 in an announcement at Andrews Air Force Base :

On oil drilling

no-flip

no-flip

stated on March 24, 2010 in an appearance on the Fox News show "On the Record" with Greta Van Susteren:

"The average student will be spending $1,700 to $1,800 more during the life of their loan because of this surcharge."

false

false

stated on March 28, 2010 in a U.S. Senate primary debate on FOX News Sunday:

"The average cost for health insurance in Florida went from about $600 a month for an individual to about $150 a month."

false

false

Facebook posts
stated on November 18, 2024 in a Facebook post:

"Kyle Rittenhouse registers a lien against Whoopi Goldberg’s Malibu home for $22 million.”

By Maria Briceño • November 22, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on November 21, 2024 in Facebook posts:

“Taylor Swift has moved to Canada after leaving the U.S. following the big red wave.”

By Sofia Ahmed • November 22, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on November 19, 2024 in a Facebook post:

"Billie Eilish turns down Oscar nomination and leaves US after MASSIVE RED WAVE"

By Caleb McCullough • November 22, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on November 18, 2024 in in a post:

There are “$6,400 in funds for every American to claim.”

By Caleb McCullough • November 22, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on November 15, 2024 in a Facebook post:

"McDonalds chicken nuggets contain silicone oil."

By Maria Briceño • November 22, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on November 13, 2024 in a Facebook post:

“Elon Musk permanently bans Robert De Niro from X, declares ‘no room for his woke presence.’”

By Sofia Ahmed • November 22, 2024
Viral image
stated on November 18, 2024 in a Threads post:

President-elect Donald Trump called Joe Scarborough “a scolded dog” on Truth Social.

By Ciara O'Rourke • November 21, 2024
Viral image
stated on November 20, 2024 in a Threads post:

Says Elon Musk said he would suspend X “accounts calling me fat.”

By Ciara O'Rourke • November 21, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on November 19, 2024 in a Facebook post:

Says Elon Musk said, “The $299 Tesla phone will be the end of the iPhone.”

By Ciara O'Rourke • November 21, 2024
Viral image
stated on November 16, 2024 in an Instagram post:

“Parents of trans-species kids no longer getting money every month” because of President-elect Donald Trump.

By Ciara O'Rourke • November 21, 2024