The Washington Post Fact Checker just gave Stacey Abrams two Pinocchios for this claim that the new Georgia voting law “eliminates hours of voting”:
“It restricts the hours of operation because it now, under the guise of setting a standardized timeline, it makes it optional for counties that may not want to see expanded access to the right to vote. They can now limit their hours. Instead of those hours being from 7 to 7, they’re now from 9 to 5, which may have an effect on voters who cannot vote during business hours, during early voting.”
Fact Checker: Stacey Abrams’s pitch that the new Georgia law "eliminates hours of voting" https://t.co/1yDZ0FAxls
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) April 28, 2021
Their conclusion:
The Pinocchio Test
This is a good example of how different phrasing can change the Pinocchio count. Abrams tried to make the same general point as Biden, but she did it more artfully, especially in the clip that went viral. She made clear that she was talking about early-voting rules and she used words such as “may,” “optional” and “can,” avoiding the certitude of Biden’s statements.
At the same time, Abrams leaves the impression that the previous hours were 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and avoids saying the previous law had a vague “normal business hours” standard that sometimes meant even less than 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For ordinary people not attuned to the debate over the Georgia law, her language misleadingly implies that voting is restricted to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., especially when she says the law “eliminates hours of voting.”
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So, when will all the media outlets that quoted her run their corrections?
A number of media outlets touted Stacey Abrams’ latest video about the Georgia law.
The problem? She was repeating debunked lies, and earned herself 2 more Pinocchio’s from the Washington Post. https://t.co/pgqiW7LMFw
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) April 28, 2021
And we do like how the only way she avoided Four Pinocchios like the paper gave President Joe Biden for a similar claims is that she “lied ‘more artfully'”:
So, the only reason Stacey didn't get "Four Pinocchios" — like Biden — is because she lied "more artfully."
Either way — she is a self-interested liar whose lies have hurt Georgians. #gapol https://t.co/ZKFxRLrO1e
— Brandon Howell (@BrandonDHowell) April 28, 2021
Gov. Brian Kemp points out that Dems are up to “SIX Pinocchios,” and counting, on the new law:
A total of SIX Pinocchios for the Biden/Abrams misinformation campaign against our election integrity legislation.
Their lies cost Georgia jobs and paychecks. https://t.co/pMwguHvg0K
— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) April 28, 2021
And here’s Sean Spicer from the top rope with a note to all the “WOKE CEOS” out there:
MEMO
TO: WOKE CEOS
FROM: @washingtonpost left wing "fact checker"
RE: Georgia Law
CC: @staceyabrams @POTUS @nytimes @NBCNews"net effect of the new early-voting rules was to expand the opportunities to vote for most Georgians, not limit them. https://t.co/VFkxb0buR3
— Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) April 28, 2021
Do better, journos:
Gee, you mean a shameless narcissist got caught in a lie once again?
Glossy mag interviews and late night TV shows have always been her go to platforms because they don’t challenge her on this stuff https://t.co/mE2XXb53ME
— Jesse Hunt (@JJHunt10) April 28, 2021
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