Eric Hovde: Lies, Lies, and More Lies
MADISON, Wis. — With scandals and missteps mounting, California bank owner Eric Hovde (R–Laguna Beach) has found a new way to step in it on the campaign trail: Repeatedly lying to Wisconsinites.
Hovde has been called out over and over again by independent fact-checkers for his constant stream of lies and falsehoods.
See all of Hovde’s lies below:
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Hovde claimed that Baldwin gave taxpayer money to a transgender-affirming clinic that “does it without even telling parents.”
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Baldwin did secure funds for Briarpatch Youth Services… Hovde’s vagueness leaves room for the idea that there’s gender-affirming medical treatment happening, which is not accurate. On top of that, and most significantly, the funds Baldwin requested went to an entirely different program, and are not being used for the purpose Hovde claimed.
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We rate this claim False.
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Hovde claimed Baldwin “has done absolutely nothing” to address the fentanyl crisis in Wisconsin.
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For years, Baldwin has been outspoken about her work to address the growing number of issues with opioids in the state, including fentanyl. In particular, Baldwin has signed on to, championed or even introduced bills aimed at tackling the issue not just in Wisconsin, but across the country.
Wisconsin Watch: Did Tammy Baldwin fund a transgender clinic for youths?
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No.
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U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., directed $400,000 in 2024 federal spending to Briarpatch Youth Services, a Madison, Wisconsin-area nonprofit.
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Republican Eric Hovde, Baldwin’s opponent in the Nov. 5 election, alluded to the earmark in claiming that Baldwin “gave all of our money to a transgender clinic … that does this without notifying parents.”
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Briarpatch provides counseling, shelter, job assistance and other services to runaway and homeless youths.
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It’s not a transgender clinic.
Wisconsin State Journal: Fact check: Has Tammy Baldwin done ‘absolutely nothing’ on fentanyl?
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Baldwin’s campaign noted the topic of opioids is a personal issue for the senator, who has in the past shared the story of her mother’s mental health struggles and addiction to prescription drugs, which led to Baldwin being raised by her grandparents.
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In addition to co-sponsoring the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, Baldwin twice this year voted for the bipartisan border security bill, which was backed by the U.S. Border Patrol and several law enforcement groups like the Fraternal Order of Police. The bill proposed billions of dollars in funding for border security, including measures to detect and stop the flow of fentanyl into the country.
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Baldwin also introduced the Safe Response Act last year. The proposal would have provided first responders with training on how to properly use life-saving overdose reversal drugs.
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To say she’s done “absolutely nothing” to address the problem is contradicted by the legislative record.
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At a luncheon Wednesday, Wisconsin Republican Senate nominee Eric Hovde falsely claimed that most abortions are conducted using the morning-after pill. Plan B doesn’t cause abortions, as it does not terminate a pregnancy.
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According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an emergency contraceptive like the morning-after pill “prevents pregnancy by acting on ovulation, which occurs well before implantation.” This is vastly different from a medication abortion, more commonly known as the “abortion pill,” which is offered during the first 11 weeks of pregnancy at Planned Parenthood.
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Eric Hovde, the leading Republican candidate for Senate in Wisconsin, released an ad that features executives from his business without disclosure.
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The video, called “Crazy Spending,” shows two vice presidents and a director from Hovde Properties seated in a bar, according to Milwaukee’s NBC affiliate TMJ 4 News. The men are not identified at any point and are depicted as typical Wisconsin voters.
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“Now, I suppose if you’re Eric Hovde, you can say, ‘It’s me and my co-workers getting a beer after work, and I’m bringing them beer, and what’s peculiar about that?’ But I think it’s a little bit deceptive to make it appear as though these are regular folks and not employees,” said Mike Wagner, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Washington Post: Senate candidate calls for drop box monitoring in Wisconsin college town
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“The top Republican running for the Senate in Wisconsin this week suggested without evidence that absentee ballot drop boxes could be stuffed with fake ballots”
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Hovde offered no evidence that fake ballots were used in Wisconsin or anywhere else. There were no reports of fake ballots in Wisconsin in 2020 after recounts, lawsuits and a detailed review by a conservative nonprofit law firm.
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Hovde floated the possibility of fake ballots three months after suggesting that nursing home residents shouldn’t be allowed to vote. “If you’re in a nursing home, you only have a five-, six-month life expectancy,” he said. “Almost nobody in a nursing home is in a point [in life] to vote.”
Wisconsin Watch: Did Eric Hovde say single parenthood leads to poverty and drug addiction?
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Yes.
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Running for U.S. Senate in 2012, Wisconsin Republican Eric Hovde lamented the number of children “born out of wedlock,” saying it is “a direct path to a life of poverty. There’s been numerous studies that show that it leads to higher drug rates.”
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