So-called fact-checking website PolitiFact proved just how much of a hack organization they were on Thursday when they announced that they were hiring former Florida Congressmen David Jolly (R) and the infamous Alan Grayson (D). The backlash was swift and came from across the political spectrum, especially for Grayson. The backlash was even present on HLN’s S.E. Cupp Unfiltered where Cupp and TV’s Andy Levy hilariously mocked the “fact-checker” for hiring the “Archduke” of lying.
“In his 2010 campaign, he got called out by another fact-checking website for using edited video in a campaign ad to make his Republican opponent appear to be saying the opposite of what he really said,” Cupp recalled of Grayson.
Playing off of Cupp, Levy jabbed PolitiFact by rhetorically asking: “Yeah, that’s the guy who’s going to help you improve trust and credibility, PolitiFact?” He then played a clip of Grayson ridiculously screaming on the House: “Die quickly! That’s right, the Republicans want you to die quickly if you get sick.”
“Seriously, That guy?! That's the guy who’s going to represent your readers, PolitiFact? The guy you gave a “pants on fire” rating to in 2015 when he said that Ted Cruz is technically not an American,” Cupp continued.
Levy took a massive swipe on Grayson and PolitiFact by comparing the Democrat to Satan. “That guy? I mean, if Satan is the prince of lies, Grayson is definitely an Archduke or at least an Earl or something. He said that if Cruz got the GOP presidential nomination, he said he would file a lawsuit against his candidacy. The guy is a frickin' birther,” he said in disgust.
And if hiring Grayson wasn’t terrible enough, PolitiFact also hired Republican David Jolly, or as Cupp recalled: “That guy? The guy who back in 2016 had his campaign go on to his Wikipedia page and take out all the mentions of the fact that he had been a lobbyist and he had made political contributions to Democratic candidates? That guy?”
“Yeah, that guy. That’s the guy that’s going to be writing for a fact-checking site. The guy who’s notable for fact removing,” Levy joked. “Yeah, it’s nuts. He also has multiple “mostly false” ratings from PolitiFact! For statements that he’s made,” Cupp joined in.
After being rocked by the backlash, PolitiFact responded on Twitter by withdrawing their offer to Grayson. And they raised eyebrows by noting: “We sought out a Democrat and Republican to critique our work in order to try to improve the trust and credibility in fact-checking and PolitiFact. it has become clear our choice of Alan Grayson did not meet that threshold to many.”
So clearly, PolitiFact was either somehow oblivious to their hires’ fear of the truth or they really didn’t have any real standards to begin with.
Transcript below, expand to read more:
HLN
S.E. Cupp Unfiltered
February 1, 2018
5:57:27 PM EasternS.E. CUPP: PolitiFact describes itself as a fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others who speak up in American politics. It's a noble cause. But, now the site is bringing on reader's representatives. A Republican and a Democrat as part of what it calls a series of experiments to try and improve trust and credibility in fact-checking. Andy this sounds like a great idea doesn’t it.
ANDY LEVY: Yeah, in principle, it’s a great idea S.E. All though, in practice, I think PolitiFact kind of step in it with the guys they picked.
CUPP: You think?
LEVY: They went with two former Florida congressmen. Let’s start with Republican David Jolly.
CUPP: That guy? The guy who back in 2016 had his campaign go on to his Wikipedia page and take out all the mentions of the fact that he had been a lobbyist and he had made political contributions to Democratic candidates? That guy?
LEVY: Yeah, that guy. That’s the guy that’s going to be writing for a fact-checking site. The guy who’s notable for fact removing.
CUPP: Yeah, it’s nuts. He also has multiple “mostly false” ratings from PolitiFact! For statements that he’s made.
LEVY: Yeah, Jolly’s a bad choice, but let’s talk about the Democrat that they picked. Alan Grayson. Yeah.
CUPP: You remember him. In his 2010 campaign, he got called out by another fact-checking website for using edited video in a campaign ad to make his Republican opponent appear to be saying the opposite of what he really said.
LEVY: Yeah, that’s the guy who’s going to help you improve trust and credibility, PolitiFact? The guy who famously said this on the House floor:
ALAN GREYSON: Die quickly! That’s right, the Republicans want you to die quickly if you get sick.
CUPP: Seriously, That guy?! That's the guy who’s going to represent your readers, PolitiFact? The guy you gave a “pants on fire” rating to in 2015 when he said that Ted Cruz is technically not an American?
LEVY: That guy? I mean, if Satan is the prince of lies, Grayson is definitely an Archduke or at least an Earl or something. He said that if Cruz got the GOP presidential nomination, he said he would file a lawsuit against his candidacy. The guy is a frickin' birther!
CUPP: For real, he makes George Costanza look like a bastion of truth-telling. He is the one of the worst.
LEVY: S.E. I’m just getting this in: PolitiFact has now issued a statement saying, “We sought out a Democrat and Republican to critique our work in order to try and improve the trust and credibility in fact-checking and PolitiFact. It has become clear our choice of Alan Grayson did not meet that threshold to many. We called Alan a short while ago and informed him that we would be canceling our agreement for him to write on PolitiFact.”
CUPP: Yay, we did it!
LEVY: Good work.
