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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · 1d

What's really going on in Portland? The picture Trump paints is far from reality. Read more: apnews.com/article/fact...

FACT FOCUS: Trump paints a grim portrait of Portland. The story on the ground is much less extreme

There have been nightly protests outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland for months, peaking in June when police declared one demonstration a riot.

apnews.com

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · 5d

The headline was not intended to imply that either side shut down the government, but to address the falsehood in its entirety. I can see how it might be read as you interpreted it though.

Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · 5d

Thanks for the kind words, they mean a lot!

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · 10d

Republicans are claiming that Democrats shut down the government because they want to give free health care to "illegal immigrants." That's not true. Read more: apnews.com/article/fact...

FACT FOCUS: Democrats did not shut down the government to give health care to 'illegal immigrants'

President Donald Trump and other high-ranking Republicans claim Democrats forced the government shutdown fight because they want to give free health care to immigrants in the U.S. illegally.

apnews.com

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · 11d

No, alleged FBI documents do not prove that 274 bureau agents acted as "agitators and insurrectionists" during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Read more: apnews.com/article/fact...

FACT FOCUS: Alleged FBI documents do not prove federal agents incited Jan. 6 Capitol attack

This is false. The alleged FBI documents to which Trump is referring state on page 46 that 274 agents from the FBI's Washington Field Office “responded to” to the U.S.

apnews.com

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · 15d

Thank you to @kellyruthk.bsky.social for inviting me to speak about misinfo reporting with her class @cuny.edu’s Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism last night! I really enjoyed answering all of her students’ stellar questions.

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · 21d

Thanks for checking!

Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · 21d

See this press release from the Utah County Sheriff's Office: sheriff.utahcounty.gov/media/sherif...

Utah County Sheriff's Office Media - News Details

sheriff.utahcounty.gov

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · 24d

Yes, I think that you're right that we're going off of different definitions of the word "wrong." I focus on whether a claim has a factual basis. As a journalist, it is not my place to determine whether politicians meet a certain moral standard, which is of course a matter of opinion.

Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · 25d

Thanks for flagging this. We've updated the article to address the issue.

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · 25d

Thanks for flagging this. We've updated the article to address the issue.

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · 25d

Thanks for flagging this. We've updated the article to address the issue.

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · 28d

A flood of false and misleading claims has filled social media since Charlie Kirk's assassination on Wednesday. Here are the facts: apnews.com/article/fact...

FACT FOCUS: Assassination of Charlie Kirk prompts flood of false and misleading claims online

This is false. Utah records say Robinson was registered as a voter, but not affiliated with either political party.

apnews.com

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · Sep 4

The facts on RFK Jr.'s contentious Senate hearing: apnews.com/article/fact...

FACT FOCUS: A look at false and misleading claims made by RFK Jr. during Senate hearing

Kennedy was answering a question from Sen. Maggie Hassan on whether COVID-19 vaccines have saved millions of American lives.

apnews.com

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · Sep 2

Trump has threatened to deploy the National Guard in cities he says have unchecked crime. Here are the facts: apnews.com/article/trum...

Trump suggests more US cities need National Guard but crime stats tell a different story

apnews.com

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · Sep 2

Trump has confirmed that claims he's dead are "fake news." Just FYI. www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8Dn...

LIVE: Trump announces Space Command is moving from Colorado to Alabama

YouTube video by Associated Press

www.youtube.com

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · Aug 31

“Mark represented the best of the White House press corps." - AP Executive Editor Julie Pace apnews.com/article/mark...

CBS News' Mark Knoller, veteran White House correspondent, dies at 73

Mark Knoller, a longtime White House correspondent for CBS News, has died at 73. He was known for prolific reporting across eight presidential administrations, including his encyclopedic knowledge of ...

apnews.com

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · Aug 23

No, there are not 70 million to 100 million noncitizens living in the U.S. Read more: apnews.com/article/fact...

FACT FOCUS: Posts overestimate number of noncitizens living in US by tens of millions

The Trump administration's decision to review the visas of more than 55 million people is leading to false reports on social media for the number of noncitizens living in the U.S., with claims as high...

apnews.com

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · Aug 21

RFK Jr. has been off the mark in his comments on U.S. dietary guidelines and Froot Loops. Read more: apnews.com/article/fact...

FACT FOCUS: A look at RFK Jr.'s misleading claims on US dietary guidelines and Froot Loops

The Trump administration is preparing to release new federal dietary guidelines, as is done every five years.

apnews.com

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · Aug 19

The reality behind Trump's claim that he's ended 7 wars: apnews.com/article/trum...

FACT FOCUS: Trump says he has ended seven wars. That's not accurate

apnews.com

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · Aug 15

Don't splurge just yet. apnews.com/article/fact...

FACT FOCUS: No, taxpayers will not receive new stimulus checks this summer

Rumors spreading on social media claim the U.S. government will soon be issuing stimulus checks to taxpayers in certain income brackets.

apnews.com

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Reposted by Melissa Goldin

Mike Stobbe @mikestobbe.bsky.social · Aug 7

Experts say it's unclear what exactly Trump is calling for. Changes to the 2030 census? A mid-decade census? If the latter, will it be used for a mid-decade change in the divvying up of congressional seats based on the population count? apnews.com/article/trum...

Trump seeks to change how census collects data and wants to exclude immigrants in US illegally

President Donald Trump has instructed the Commerce Department to change how the Census Bureau collects data, seeking to exclude immigrants in the United States illegally.

apnews.com

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · Aug 7

Thank you, glad you think so!

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Melissa Goldin @melissagoldin.bsky.social · Aug 6

RFK Jr. claimed that mRNA vaccines are ineffective against "viruses that infect the upper respiratory tract." Scientific evidence says otherwise. Read more: apnews.com/article/fact...

FACT FOCUS: RFK Jr.'s reasons for cutting mRNA vaccine not supported by evidence

His claim is contradicted by scientific evidence. Countless studies show that vaccinated individuals fare far better against COVID-19 infections than those who are unvaccinated, while others have esti...

apnews.com

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Reposted by Melissa Goldin

Peter Cunliffe-Jones @pcunliffejones.bsky.social · Aug 5

How do fact-checkers select the claims to check? How should we develop a 'harms-based' approach and defend freedom of speech?

Great to work with friend & colleague @mrdudders.bsky.social on this piece for @poynterinstitute.bsky.social

Feedback welcome
www.poynter.org/ifcn/2025/sp...

Spotting the harmful needles in the haystack: How fact-checkers select what to check - Poynter

From person-to-person coaching and intensive hands-on seminars to interactive online courses and media reporting, Poynter helps journalists sharpen skills and elevate storytelling throughout their car...

www.poynter.org

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