National Rifle Association Fact Checks Politifact

The so-called independent fact-checker, PolitiFact, is the latest example of blatant mainstream media bias on the issue of firearms and the Second Amendment.

The organization “fact-checked” an NRA campaign ad which quotes Hillary Clinton as saying that she thinks “it would be worth considering” when asked about gun confiscation in America. Those are Hillary’s exact words when asked at a town hall meeting in New Hampshire last year if she supported America adopting Australia-style gun confiscations.

The audience member’s question for Hillary: “Australia managed to take away tens of thousands - millions - of handguns and in one year they were all gone. Can we do that and why? If we can’t, why not?” 

Hillary’s answer: “I think that’s worth considering.” 

Fact: Australia’s 1996 gun law was not voluntary. It was compulsory. Anyone found with an illegal or unregistered firearm was threatened with 10 years in prison.

Hillary Claim: The Clinton campaign said Hillary opposes gun confiscation and accused the NRA of distorting her comments. According to PolitiFact, a campaign spokesperson emailed them with this whopper, "Of course Hillary does not support national mandatory gun buyback programs, including those modeled after Australia's program. She was discussing voluntary buyback programs, which are drastically different than what occurred in Australia and are regularly run by cities across the America." 

Fact: Hillary Clinton was referring directly to Australia’s gun confiscation scheme when she answered the question. Her later attempts to back track on her support for “considering” gun confiscations is more of the usual politician double-speak.

PolitiFact Claim:“We asked the NRA if it had any other evidence that it believes shows Clinton is open to gun confiscation. A spokeswoman for the gun group’s lobbying arm questioned whether that was "relevant" to our fact-check and didn’t provide an answer.”

Fact: The NRA ad was referring only to Hillary’s comments at the New Hampshire town hall meeting. The NRA made no other claims about any other Hillary comments on the subject. So, to bring in other instances is irrelevant to this fact-check.

PolitiFact Claim:“…there’s an element of truth to the NRA’s statement, but it ignores critical facts that would give a different impression. That makes it Mostly False.”

Fact: PolitiFact ignored Hillary Clinton’s actual words when asked a direct question. That question was to determine her opinion on the Australia program. She answered that question saying "…it's worth considering." PolitiFact ignores Clinton's answer to the voter's question and accepts her staff 's cleanup spin at face value. 

Conclusion:PolitiFact had the relevant information necessary to fact-check the NRA ad. They ignored the facts and instead twisted the information to fit the Hillary campaign’s false narrative about guns. PolitiFact has been co-opted by the mainstream media and is 100 percent biased in this fact-checker on Hillary Clinton’s stated position that Australia-style gun confiscations are “worth considering.”