On October 13, The Dispatch published a fact-check of a viral post from Women Speak Out PAC related to Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and abortion. The fact-check was published in error and in draft form, before it had been through final edits and our own internal fact-checking process. As a result, the viral post was assigned a “partly false” rating that we have determined is not justified after completing The Dispatch fact-checking process. We regret the error and apologize to the Women Speak Out PAC. We’ve pulled the fact-check and lifted the rating.
The mere existence of a fact-checking program at The Dispatch means that we take seriously facts and accuracy. We have a responsibility not only to meet but to exceed the standards to which we hold others. That didn’t happen in this case.
It’s important to note that the error is not the fault of the fact-checker on the piece, Khaya Himmelman. The error came in the editing process. I run that process. It’s my responsibility.
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Thank you for taking it seriously and owning up to it, Steve. You're setting an example. Everyone makes mistakes!
This raises a whole host of red flags for me. Big tech meddling in partisan issues has been big news for the past few days with each of the Dispatch podcasts weighing in on the issue. Not once was it disclosed that the Dispatch has a relationship with Facebook. You’ve asked us to support you monetarily in this project, don’t take us for fools.