Fact-checking the U.S. Chamber on Alan Grayson

Alan Grayson’s four-year-old quip about Republicans’ plan for healthcare reform — remember his “die quickly” rant? — is getting new life this election cycle.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is using it against him in a TV attack ad airing in May 2012. Grayson, who represented House District 8 until Dan Webster unseated him in 2010, is running for a new Orlando seat.

The commercial is part of a broader campaign by the lobbying group targeting Democrats over their support of “Obamacare.”

This commercial compares Grayson to a literal broken record, repeating his explosive lines on the floor.

Narrator: “Reckless politicians gave us Obamacare. Alan Grayson was one of Obamacare’s biggest cheerleaders. He’d say anything.”

Grayson: “Die quickly. The Republicans want you to die quickly.”

Narrator: “Now we learn Obamacare could cause 20 million people to lose their current coverage.”

Another record appears with Grayson’s face on it, labeled “Obamacare Unconstitutional.”

Narrator: “And a Florida judge ruled parts of Obamacare unconstitutional. Will Alan Grayson change his tune on Obamacare, or be the same broken record?”

PolitiFact Florida fact-checked the ad’s claim that a Florida judge ruled parts of Obamacare unconstitutional and found it Mostly True.

We also looked at the claim that “Obamacare” could cause 20 million people to lose their current coverage. We rated that Mostly False. 

Click the links to read the full reports and see complete source lists.