Be wary of the latest death toll from Hurricane MariaA recently released study funded by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health spawned headlines and television reports that...
| |  | | Democracy Dies in Darkness | | | | | | | | | | The truth behind the rhetoric | | | | | | Be wary of the latest death toll from Hurricane Maria A recently released study funded by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health spawned headlines and television reports that 4,645 people died in Puerto Rico as a result of Hurricane Maria. The study's total appeared to be 72 times higher than the official government count and around 4 times higher than previous reports. After taking a closer look, The Fact Checker noticed this estimate — the shocking (and exact) 4,645 count — was only a midpoint of a large range. The researchers reported with 95% confidence that the death toll was between 793 to 8,498. Put another way, that's 4645 +/-3852, making the error almost as big as the estimate. Five previous independent reports from media and academic sources (as well a new number from the government of Puerto Rico) relied that on death certificates. They found the number of deaths to hover around 1,000. Wherever the final numbers land, it's clear that far more people died than had been previously reported. It's also a potent reminder to dig into shocking statistics. They aren't always what they seem. |  | | Enjoy this newsletter? Forward it to someone else who'd like it! If this e-mail was forwarded to you, sign up here for the weekly newsletter. Hear something fact-checkable? Send it here, we'll check it out. | | Bill Clinton's #MeToo question turned meltdown Former President Bill Clinton has largely flown beneath the #MeToo movement's radar. That was until Monday. During an interview on NBC's"Today Show," the former president was asked if he would have approached the questions of sexual misconduct that plagued his administration differently if he were president today. His answer? A very defensive no. He said "no one thinks I got out of that for free. I left the White House $16 million in debt" and then touted the fact that he "had a sexual harassment policy when [he] was governor in the '80s." There was plenty more to unpack from the interview, but these two claims stood out. Let's start with the post-White House financial hole. Financial disclosure documents filed by then Sen. Hillary Clinton show they did have large debts, perhaps several million, but not $16 million. That debt, however, didn't last long. Both Clintons drew large paychecks over the next few years and were able to dig themselves out. As for the sexual harassment policy, he was simply implementing federal guidelines — and it's an odd thing to brag about, given the circumstances. Paula Jones was a state employee when then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton allegedly sexually harassed her. Clinton's spin (though edging close to the Four Pinocchio line) earns him Three Pinocchios. | | | Show us the money, a history lesson A Republican investigation released this week found that the Obama administration misled Congress on possible Iranian access to the U.S. financial system — and the internet (more specifically the president's Twitter handle) were outraged. We fact-checked the legality of the move. But we couldn't help but notice history repeating itself. After all, this wasn't the first time a nuclear negotiation was bogged down because a foreign power couldn't get their cash. Back in 2007, then-President George W. Bush faced a similar dilemma when North Korea refused to negotiate with the U.S. until its funds were returned. Ultimately, the Bush administration sent $25 million back – which was the fruits of counterfeiting – via a Russian bank and New York Federal Reserve. Skittish banks were hurdles for Bush's plan but ultimately thwart Obama's. | | Scroll down for this week's Pinocchio roundup. — Meg Kelly | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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