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Fact checker

Stephen Koff is fact-checking the 2018 midterm elections for PolitiFact. Stephen has worked as a reporter or editor for more than 30 years, including 26 years for The Plain Dealer and Cleveland.com. For both, he served as Washington Bureau Chief. He previously worked for the St. Petersburg Times, St. Petersburg Evening Independent, and Cincinnati Magazine. He grew up in Cincinnati and has degrees from Northern Arizona University and American University.

Featured Statements

Mike Bost
stated on October 22, 2018 in a campaign ad:

Says Brendan Kelly "allowed half of the criminals he faced to walk free" and "failed to protect women who were violently assaulted," allowing "those guilty of sexual assault to cut inexcusable plea deals."

By Stephen Koff • November 5, 2018
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
stated on October 30, 2018 in a campaign ad:

Says New York Rep. John Faso "cast the deciding vote" to try to kill health care protections provided by Obamacare.

By Stephen Koff • November 5, 2018
Environmental Defense Fund Action
stated on October 29, 2018 in a mailer to Texas homes:

Says Texas U.S. Rep. John Culberson "was caught using campaign cash on collectibles, including Civil War memorabilia and fossils."

By Stephen Koff • November 3, 2018
Gil Cisneros
stated on September 17, 2018 in a spoof website:

Says California Republican Young Kim is "a tax cheat" who "illegally claimed a $7,000 annual homestead exemption on a house she wasn’t living in," had "multiple tax liens placed on her" as a result and "owes over $10,000 in unpaid federal income taxes."

By Stephen Koff • November 2, 2018
National Republican Congressional Committee
stated on October 18, 2018 in a campaign ad:

Says "billionaire George Soros bankrolls" Minnesota Democrat Dan Feehan, who is "employed by a Soros-funded liberal outfit in D.C." and his campaign is "propped up by out of state super PACs backed by Soros' millions."

By Stephen Koff • October 30, 2018
Troy Balderson
stated on October 20, 2018 in a television interview:

"A lot of people are still dealing with lack of access to health care. There are counties out there, in my former Senate district, that didn’t have doctors and providers."

By Stephen Koff • October 30, 2018
Congressional Leadership Fund
stated on October 26, 2018 in a campaign ad:

Says Dan Feehan "would vote with Pelosi for open borders and amnesty, putting Minnesota families at risk."

By Stephen Koff • October 29, 2018
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
stated on October 22, 2018 in a campaign ad:

Says "over 40 Republican leaders denounced" Steve Watkins’ campaign

By Stephen Koff • October 25, 2018
Maine Democratic Party
stated on October 5, 2018 in a campaign mailer:

Say Maine U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin "voted to gut your retirement benefits."

By Stephen Koff • October 24, 2018
Defending Main Street
stated on October 12, 2018 in an ad:

Says Ohio congressional candidate Danny O’Connor "would make Columbus a sanctuary city for illegal immigrants."

By Stephen Koff • October 19, 2018

Fact-checking the congressional race between Dan McCready and Mark Harris

By Bill McCarthy • November 2, 2018
Did New York's John Faso break his promise to a woman with cancer?

By Stephen Koff • October 18, 2018
Abuse-of-office claim in Ohio's Chabot-Pureval race raises intrigue

By Stephen Koff • October 8, 2018
UPDATE: Ad says Calif. candidate Gil Cisneros demanded sex for campaign cash. Here's what we know

By Stephen Koff • September 19, 2018
The year in social media claims, from True to Pants on Fire

By Louis Jacobson • December 26, 2013
Will recess appointment handcuff consumer cop?

By Stephen Koff • January 17, 2012
PolitiFact Ohio celebrates a year of the Truth-O-Meter

By Stephen Koff • July 25, 2011
Texas Democrats accused of maxing out U.S. credit card

By Meghan Ashford-Grooms • June 2, 2011
One year later: Some truths, some half-truths

By Angie Drobnic Holan • March 24, 2011
Fact-checking the federal budget fight

By Angie Drobnic Holan • February 28, 2011