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The Newsroom runs PolitiFact Illinois, the local arm of the nationally renowned, Pulitzer Prize-winning fact-checking enterprise that rates the truthfulness of statements made by governmental leaders and politicians.

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PolitiFact

PolitiFact's 2020 Lie of the Year

PolitiFact National names deadly disinformation downplaying or denying the novel coronavirus as its Lie of the Year for 2020.
Dec 16, 2020 7:30 AM
PolitiFact

Fact-Check: Yes, Conservatives Did Share False Post About Pritzker’s Daughter

Gov. Pritzker said Republican elected officials, propaganda sites and radio hosts were sharing a story that falsely claimed a picture showed his teenage daughter violating COVID rules. The governor is correct.
Dec 6, 2020 12:33 PM
PolitiFact

Fact-Check: Is Illinois ‘Nation-Leading’ in Funding Census Outreach?

Gov. Pritzker on Twitter said Illinois led other states in its 2020 Census effort. It ranks third in per-capita spending.
Nov 1, 2020 2:00 PM
PolitiFact

Fact-Check: No, Underwood Did Not Call Riots ‘Beautiful’

U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood’s GOP challenger is out with an ad that uses a clip of the congresswoman talking about protests for racial justice to inaccurately suggest she supports violence.
Oct 11, 2020 2:00 PM
PolitiFact

Fact-Check: Will Large and Small Illinois Businesses Pay More Under the Graduated Tax Plan?

The wealthiest small business owners in Illinois will pay more taxes if voters approve the proposal. But they won’t see any more of an increase than their counterparts in other professions.
Oct 4, 2020 2:00 PM
PolitiFact

Fact-Check: No, U.S. Economy Not Worst In World By ‘A Factor Of Three’

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin made the dubious claim while criticizing the Trump administration’s COVID-19 response during a radio appearance last month.
Sep 27, 2020 2:00 PM
PolitiFact

Fact-Check: No Link Between Fake IDs Seized at O'Hare and Voter Fraud

A viral Facebook post claims nearly 20,000 fake state driver's licenses seized at O'Hare International Airport were all for voters registered as Democrats. But the counterfeit IDs have not been linked to Democrats or voter fraud in any way.
Sep 10, 2020 2:00 PM
PolitiFact

Fact-Check: No, USPS Isn’t Operating With a Multibillion Dollar Surplus

U.S. Representative Darin LaHood said he voted against legislation to infuse the postal service with $25 billion because the agency is operating with “a $12 billion surplus.” But USPS has operated at a net loss since 2007.
Sep 6, 2020 2:00 PM
PolitiFact

Fact-Check: No, an Illinois Couple Who Received Five Vote-by-mail Applications Cannot Vote Five Times.

A viral Facebook post incorrectly asserts an Illinois couple who received multiple unsolicited ballot applications can ask for them all and fraudulently vote with them all. They cannot, and neither can anyone else.
Aug 18, 2020 6:00 AM
PolitiFact

Fact-Check: Pritzker’s Mostly Correct About Illinois’ Historic Unemployment Spike

Speaking to the challenges the state unemployment system faced when COVID-19 struck, Gov. Pritzker said unemployment claims topped numbers seen during the Great Recession many times over. His estimate is in the ballpark.
Aug 14, 2020 3:30 PM

PolitiFact

PolitiFact's 2020 Lie of the Year

Fact-Check: Yes, Conservatives Did Share False Post About Pritzker’s Daughter

Fact-Check: Is Illinois ‘Nation-Leading’ in Funding Census Outreach?

Fact-Check: No, Underwood Did Not Call Riots ‘Beautiful’

Fact-Check: Will Large and Small Illinois Businesses Pay More Under the Graduated Tax Plan?

Fact-Check: No, U.S. Economy Not Worst In World By ‘A Factor Of Three’

Fact-Check: No Link Between Fake IDs Seized at O'Hare and Voter Fraud

Fact-Check: No, USPS Isn’t Operating With a Multibillion Dollar Surplus

Fact-Check: No, an Illinois Couple Who Received Five Vote-by-mail Applications Cannot Vote Five Times.

Fact-Check: Pritzker’s Mostly Correct About Illinois’ Historic Unemployment Spike