Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

“F” Stands for Fail: Politifact Flip-Flops to Advocate Anti-Gun Narrative

Friday, October 9, 2015

“F” Stands for Fail: Politifact Flip-Flops to Advocate Anti-Gun Narrative

As we’ve reported here, here, and here, one of the more favored, yet discredited, claims made by gun control advocates is that 40% of firearm transfers take place without a background check.  Mark Kelly, of Americans for Responsible Solutions, is particularly attached to this deception, bringing it up once again in the wake of the recent shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, OR last week. 

Fact checkers have routinely pointed out numerous problems with the 40% statistic, with the Washington Post’s Glenn Kessler giving Obama “Three Pinocchios” when the President cited the bogus claim back in 2013. 

Unfortunately, it now appears that even the fact checkers need fact checkers.  Last Sunday, Linda Qui, writing for Politifact, addressed the issue in response to Kelly’s appearance on CNN on the same day in which he invoked the 40% claim.  She rightly points out all the reasons why the 40% claim has been repeatedly rebuked by fact checking organizations in the past, including Politifact itself.

The claim is based on a 1994 survey of only 251 people who told researchers they were gun owners.  As anyone who’s ever read a survey or poll knows, a sample size of 251 is insufficient to draw conclusions about the broader population under study.  You cannot reliably measure anything about the American people with only 251 respondents in a survey.  The researchers then asked of these 251 respondents how they came to have their firearms and whether or not a background check had been conducted.

Even if the sample size was sufficiently large to represent the broader population, there are obvious problems with this methodology.  It doesn’t take a statistician to know that of the 251 respondents, the researchers didn’t actually verify whether or not they were actual firearm owners.  Further, the researchers also relied on the memory of respondents to accurately describe the circumstances of how and when their firearms came into their possession.   Problems with reliability of this information are obvious and abound.  Many respondents likely couldn’t remember the exact details the researchers were asking about.

That anyone would rely on a statistic derived from this house of cards is chilling, given that the infringement of constitutional rights is what they’re advocating for.

More broadly, even if the base (albeit severe) methodological deficiencies are ignored, it’s important to recall that the survey was conducted in 1994 and the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) wasn’t operational at the national level until 1998.  In other words, even if the 40% claim was based on a reliable methodology, which it isn’t, responses in 1994 tell us nothing about firearm transfer taking place today.
 
But even after recognizing these problems, Qui shifts from fact checker to advocate about half way through her article.  She turns from an explanation of why the 40% claim is bogus to an exploration of all the reasons why it is the “best estimate” available.  A litany of anti-gun advocates and researchers are quoted as essentially saying, “we don’t have anything else, so this is good enough.”  For Qui, this somehow equates to bolstering the bogus claim’s veracity.

She closes her “fact check” with the “ruling”:


Kelly said, "We sell 40 percent of our guns without a background check."


The figure he’s citing comes from a 21-year-old survey with a small sample size before a key gun law took effect. Even its authors say they’re not sure if it holds true today.


Still, there are few credible alternative statistics because of a two-decade dearth of gun violence research funding. 


We rate his claim Half True.


This is truly bizarre.  Remarkably, this is in direct contradiction to a “fact check” done by the same organization mere months ago. 

Politifact’s Sean Gorman says on April 28, 2015 the 40% claim is “mostly false.”

Politifact’s Linda Qui says on October 4, 2015 the 40% claim is “half true.”

When Politifact decided to make this turn towards advocacy is unknown and anyone’s guess.  While they may lament the “fact” that the public’s view of the media continues to diminish, it is obvious what’s driving this loss of credibility
.

IN THIS ARTICLE
40% Myth PolitiFact
TRENDING NOW
Colorado: General Assembly Continues to Follow California's Lead; Semi-Auto Ban Scheduled For Hearing

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Colorado: General Assembly Continues to Follow California's Lead; Semi-Auto Ban Scheduled For Hearing

The Colorado General Assembly continues to follow California's lead when it comes to gun control, this year already pushing for an 11% Excise tax on firearms/ammunition and now pursuing a ban on commonly owned semi-automatic ...

Wisconsin: Legislation Updating the Definition of Muzzloader Signed by Governor Evers

Friday, March 15, 2024

Wisconsin: Legislation Updating the Definition of Muzzloader Signed by Governor Evers

Yesterday, the governor signed Wisconsin Act 116, formally Senate Bill 587, into law. This legislation establishes a new definition for “muzzleloaders” that would allow for the use of innovative technological advancements that could benefit sportsmen, ...

Maine: NRA Fires Back Against Gun Grabbers

Friday, March 15, 2024

Maine: NRA Fires Back Against Gun Grabbers

For months, anti-gun politicians and gun-grabbing groups have been running wild in Augusta, spreading misinformation about firearms in a desperate attempt to pass the most extreme gun-control in the country. The proposals carry the same theme, ...

Delaware: Senate Passes Maryland-Style Permit to Purchase Scheme

Friday, March 15, 2024

Delaware: Senate Passes Maryland-Style Permit to Purchase Scheme

Last night, the Delaware Senate passed Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 2 (SB 2) by a vote of 15 to 6. This extreme legislation will impose a Maryland-style “handgun qualified purchase card” and a handgun transfer ...

Virginia: More than a Dozen Anti-Gun Bills Sent to the Governor!

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Virginia: More than a Dozen Anti-Gun Bills Sent to the Governor!

The newly elected Virginia General Assembly has prioritized restricting law-abiding citizens' Second Amendment rights and has made good on that priority this session. This year, dozens of anti-gun bills have been considered in both chambers ...

Colorado: Mandatory Storage Bill Passes Committee and Hearings Postponed Due to Weather

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Colorado: Mandatory Storage Bill Passes Committee and Hearings Postponed Due to Weather

Today, HB 24-1348 which mandates how firearms must be stored in unattended vehicles, passed out of the House Judiciary Committee and is now eligible for a final vote on the House Floor. Please contact your lawmakers by using the ...

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Introduced in General Assembly

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Introduced in General Assembly

Anti-Gun extremist State Reps. Tim Hernandez (D-04) and Elisabeth Epps (D-06) introduced House Bill 24-1292, a bill banning the manufacturing, importing, purchasing, selling, offering to sell, or transferring ownership of so called “assault weapons”. 

Utah: Governor Cox Signs Legislation Protecting Financial Privacy of Gun Owners!

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Utah: Governor Cox Signs Legislation Protecting Financial Privacy of Gun Owners!

Today, Governor Spencer Cox signed HB 406, legislation that provides important financial privacy protections for gun owners when purchasing firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition. The NRA would like to thank Governor Cox for signing this ...

Idaho: Legislative Update- Big Wins in the Gem State

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Idaho: Legislative Update- Big Wins in the Gem State

There have been big wins in the Gem State this week for the Second Amendment! Anti school carry bill is stopped in its tracks in committee and multiple pro-guns bills are on the move in ...

Washington Post’s Somewhat Pro-Gun Column Inadvertently Exposes Problem with Mandatory Storage Laws

News  

Monday, March 11, 2024

Washington Post’s Somewhat Pro-Gun Column Inadvertently Exposes Problem with Mandatory Storage Laws

We generally don’t expect to see the Washington Post say anything positive about firearms or law-abiding gun owners, although there are occasional Op-Eds from pro-Second Amendment lawmakers, unbiased researchers and Constitutional scholars, and the like.

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.