AP fact check: Eye-popping claims about Sanders

[kristopher]

AP fact check: Eye-popping claims about Sanders
BY CALVIN WOODWARD, ASSOCIATED PRESS
March 10, 2016



Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders writes some notes as his rival Hillary Clinton walks behind him to her podium during a commercial break at the Univision News and Washington Post Democratic debate in Kendall, Florida, on March 9. Photo by Carlo Allegri/Reuters


WASHINGTON — How can it be that Bernie Sanders could stand on the side of vigilantes on the border, against the auto industry bailout, against an immigration overhaul that would have eased the plight of people in the country illegally? Can this be the liberal senator his supporters know and love?

It can be because of the politically perilous way legislation works in Congress, as bill after bill becomes a grab bag of the good and bad — as lawmakers see it. Hillary Clinton took full advantage of that in the latest Democratic debate, pointing out votes by her opponent that are eye-raising on the surface while brushing off complexities that help explain them.

A look at some claims in Wednesday’s debate and how they compare with the facts:

CLINTON: While in the Senate, she voted for a bill that later provided the money to bail out the auto industry. “The money that rescued the auto industry was in that bill,” which she chided Sanders for voting against.

SANDERS: That bill “was the bailout of the recklessness, irresponsible and illegal behavior of Wall Street.”

THE FACTS: Sanders is correct in the main. The bill passed in October 2008 provided $700 billion to bail out big banks. But some of that money was later used for a bailout of Chrysler and General Motors. When Clinton voted for the Wall Street package and Sanders voted against it, neither knew money would be shifted to the auto industry.

When legislation came up separately that proposed explicit support for the auto industry, both voted for it. Then in January 2009, shortly before Barack Obama became president, lawmakers tried to block the release of a second phase of the package approved earlier for the Wall Street rescue. Sanders backed this effort, which failed. At this point, it was known that some of the money would go to the auto industry as well, although it was not known how much.

Much more at: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/ap-fact-check-eye-popping-claims-about-sanders/

[revbones]

1. Can't emphasize this part enough

THE FACTS: Sanders is correct in the main. The bill passed in October 2008 provided $700 billion to bail out big banks. But some of that money was later used for a bailout of Chrysler and General Motors. When Clinton voted for the Wall Street package and Sanders voted against it, neither knew money would be shifted to the auto industry.