PolitiFact California

03/12/2022

At this week's State of the State, Gov. Gavin Newsom touted his administration's response to homelessness in California. examined Newsom’s claims and added context.

Advocates have praised the governor for making homelessness a state priority. But the data show the problem continues to grow.

01/04/2022

Airlines said bad weather and staff shortages due to COVID-19 infections were to blame for flight cancellations, not because COVID-19 vaccines are making pilots sick.

Are vaccines to blame for the cancellations of thousands of flights around the world? In short, no. A Facebook user post

12/21/2021

Nearly a year later, there is zero evidence to say that Jan. 6 was an antifa operation, a tourist visit, a false flag, or an uneventful day to forget. Lies about the Capitol insurrection is this year's PolitiFact Lie of the Year:

Shortly after 2 p.m. on Jan. 6, supporters of President Donald J. Trump breached the U.S. Capitol, turning the seat of A

11/30/2021

No, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not purchased a mansion in Florida. A member of her staff said that Pelosi’s family is not looking for a home in the state or considering buying one.

A Facebook post claimed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is moving to Florida after purchasing a $25 million, 11,000-square-fo/>

11/26/2021

There is no requirement, and no proposed requirement, that you need a COVID-19 vaccination to receive Social Security payments.

There is no requirement, and no proposed requirement, that you need a COVID-19 vaccination to receive Social Security payments. https://bit.ly/31fhpOA ...

11/24/2021

A viral image show gas for $7 in Lancaster, but these are misleading. The photos appear to be taken at a station that has not yet opened. It’s common for closed stations to put fake, high prices on their signs to discourage drivers from stopping.

A viral image of a Circle K convenience store gas station sign with eyebrow-raising prices is raising eyebrows on the in/>

11/06/2021

This week, the CDC approved COVID-19 vaccinations for children ages 5 to 11. PolitiFact California Reporter Chris Nichols explains the facts on kids and vaccines.

Misinformation continues to spread about whether children can get sick from COVID-19 (they can) and whether vaccines will harm them (health officials say the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective).

11/04/2021

Right after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced plans to mandate vaccination for California schoolchildren, social media users posted a CDC graph often used to perpetuate misleading vaccine narratives.

Our latest debunks these myths.

The federal VAERS database has seen an influx of reports among children in recent months. But experts say that doesn’t mean COVID-19 vaccines are dangerous for kids, as some are claiming online.

10/26/2021

No, the supply-chain backlog at US ports is not due to an executive order on China from former President Donald Trump.

The backlog is caused by numerous factors, including surges in consumer demand amid labor shortages.

An Instagram post blames — or rather credits — an executive order by former President Donald Trump for the supply-chain />

10/22/2021

BAD DATA: Flawed government data appears to show a massive decline in wildfires after 1930. The best assessments suggest that fires today are about on the scale the country saw in the first few decades of the 20th century.

The wildfire season in the U.S. has gotten longer. In recent decades, what once lasted four months has grown to six or e/>

10/22/2021

The shipping pileup at California’s ports is part of a worldwide supply chain crisis, not the state’s rules and regulations on the trucking industry.

As hordes of ships wait to unload at California ports and elsewhere, some are shifting blame to the Golden State’s regul/>

10/15/2021

The overwhelming evidence shows COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective for both adults and children 12 and up.

But false claims are circulating around the death of a Sonoma County teenager. There’s no evidence the vaccine caused the death.

The overwhelming evidence shows COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective for adults children 12 and up, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and prevention.

10/13/2021

Southwest Airlines said its thousands of recent flight cancellations “were not a result of employee demonstrations” to protest the company’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

In separate statements to the press, Southwest Airlines and the union representing its pilots denied the widespread inte/>

10/12/2021

A record number of cargo ships are backed-up off the California coast.

But, no, they’re not deliberately being prevented from docking — as some misleading Facebook posts suggest.

Here are the facts ⤵

A record-breaking number of cargo ships are anchored off the coast at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. But posts/>

10/03/2021

There are a record-breaking number of ships at anchor in Southern California waiting to unload their cargo. But experts say the backup is being caused by labor shortages, holiday buying surges and other COVID-19 related issues.

09/24/2021

Breakthrough cases are rare but are fueling misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines, which are safe and effective at preventing the disease.

09/16/2021

🔥PANTS ON FIRE: An elections watchdog group Elections Integrity Project California falsely claimed that the Golden State has 1.8 million ineligible registered voters.

An elections watchdog group Elections Integrity Project California falsely claimed that the Golden State has 1.8 million ineligible registered voters.

09/13/2021

A statement from the Gov. Gavin Newsom's office claimed that California is providing unhoused people with services and shelter. It was posted on social media alongside photos of Newsom assisting with an encampment sweep. While the post gives the impression that all or most people at the encampment received housing, that’s only partially true.

The California Governor’s Office stated on Aug. 9, 2021: “California is moving folks out of encampments, into safe housing and getting them the mental health services they need.”

09/13/2021

GOP recall candidate Larry Elder claimed the science is unsettled on whether young people should receive the COVID-19 vaccine or wear masks in schools.

That’s not supported by the facts. For months, leading scientific groups have offered clear recommendations.

Numerous leading scientific organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend children, ages 12 and up, should receive the vaccine and wear masks at school to protect their health and slow the pandemic.

09/03/2021

GOP recall candidate Larry Elder claimed without evidence that a program that helps people with disabilities cast their ballot is a security concern.

Election and disability rights experts rejected that claim.

GOP recall candidate Larry Elder recently suggested — without evidence — that there are concerns about the security of a/>

08/17/2021

There’s lots of about the California recall election🗳️

Check out our guide to debunk false claims and demystify how the recall process works.

California’s recall election will determine whether Gov. Gavin Newsom remains in office or is removed and replaced/>

08/02/2021

Yes, George Washington ordered troops to be inoculated against smallpox during the Revolutionary War.

President Joe Biden recently said he asked the Defense Department to explore "how and when they will add COVID-19 to the/>

07/27/2021

Posts on Instagram spread by anti-vaccination advocates falsely claim that California has a personal belief exemption for any new vaccine mandated after the passage of Senate Bill 277 in 2015.

Instagram posts stated on June 21, 2021: “California has a personal belief exemption to any new vaccine added to the schedule after June 2015 for public and private daycare, preschool and K-12.”

07/26/2021

Former San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer has made his record on homelessness a focus of his campaign to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom. We decided to take a closer look at his time in San Diego, specifically his claims that he did not allow tent encampments and reduced homelessness.

Faulconer says he did not allow tent encampments and achieved a “double digit” reduction in homelessness. Experts say his claims are overstated and incomplete.

07/22/2021

PolitiFact reporting found UCSF’s biomedical research and acquisition of fetal tissue is legal and adheres to ethical guidelines, and that a post by an anti-abortion group took university emails out of context and disregard the facts.

Facebook posts stated on July 6, 2021: “Newly obtained emails show UCSF harvesting the clitorises, testicles and pen*ses of murdered babies.”

07/05/2021

Posts on social media claimed California told electric car owners to “not charge” their vehicles because of a power shortage.

That's false. State officials asked electric vehicle owners to shift their charging later in the evening during a Flex Alert.

Facebook posts stated on June 18, 2021: “California literally just told everyone to not charge their electric cars due to power shortage.”

06/22/2021

A video on Facebook claims that Gov. Gavin Newsom “has no power or authority” to extend the state of emergency and that the measure expired on May 6, 2020. That's false. Legal experts say the law gives public officials broad discretion to determine when it is appropriate to end a state of emergency.

A Facebook video stated on June 7, 2021: Gov. Gavin Newsom has “no power or authority” to extend the state of emergency in California because it expired “automatically” on May 6, 2020.

06/08/2021

NEW: Vice President Kamala Harris claimed 'one-third of small businesses have closed' during the pandemic.

We found that's Mostly True.

A survey by the Small Business Roundtable and data tracked by Harvard University support Harris’ statement.

06/03/2021

Vice President and former California Senator Kamala Harris recently claimed one-third of all small businesses have closed during the pandemic. A Harvard University economic tracker and related surveys support her claim.

Harris said one-third of all small businesses have closed during the pandemic. A Harvard University economic tracker and related surveys support her claim.

05/27/2021

An image shared on Instagram and Twitter falsely claimed businesses cannot legally require customers to provide proof of vaccination, citing the Fourth Amendment. But experts say the Fourth Amendment applies only to government entities.

An Instagram post stated on May 18, 2021: “Businesses cannot legally ask for proof of vaccination and cannot deny entry based on vaccination status.”