The El-Sayed town hall heckler is a former Hawley aide
Mostly true: “Tommy” is Thomas Teepell, a former Josh Hawley aide. A paid plant for that night is not in the filings.
United States
Claims, rumours, and fact-checks that matter first to readers in the United States. Includes U.S. Politics.
The Youngstown assault was real. The punch photo that went viral was not.
Mixed: the 12 October 2026 Youngstown assault happened. Two viral stills of it were AI-generated.
The Talarico “former student” video is a deepfake, researchers say
False: the videos do not show James Talarico’s former student. Researchers link them to Storm-1516; the named man told Lead Stories it is not him.
A poll worker’s mark does not void your ballot
False: North Carolina and other states say a poll worker writing on a ballot does not disqualify it. The same rumor has returned since 2020.