PolitiFact Oregon reversed its ruling on Rob Cornilles. (Credit: PolitiFact Oregon, screenshot, highlight added)
PolitiFact Oregon corrected its Jan. 18 ruling that “Republican Rob Cornilles had the endorsements of a variety of local mayors, including Democrat, Republican and Independent” for his “campaign for the 1st Congressional District.”
The statement was made in a “recent mailer sent by the Oregon Republican Party,” according to the Oregonian, which is partnered with PolitiFact to publish PolitiFact Oregon.
In the original ruling, Politifact Oregon said the claim, made by the Oregon Republican Party was true, but it turns out “we were wrong,” according to the “ruling change.”
In a Jan. 23 correction, PolitiFact Oregon called its “reversal” of its ruling a “great dishonor” and wrote:
“We freely admit we have egg on our face. If we were a cat, our ears would be lowered and our head down. If we were a dog, we’d be looking up at you with sad dog eyes. You get the picture.”
The error was that Cornilles wasn’t endorsed by a mayor that was a “registered member of the Independent Party of Oregon.” While Cornilles did have the endorsement of Amity Mayor Michael Cape, who said “he considered himself independent, as in neither Republican nor Democratic,” he isn’t registered as part of the Independent Party of Oregon, PolitiFact Oregon wrote.
According to the PolitiFact Oregon correction, the statement by the Republican Party would have been true “had the Oregon Republican Party used a lower case ‘i'” for independent in the original statement that “Republican Rob Cornilles had the endorsements of a variety of local mayors, including Democrat, Republican and Independent.”
“They say that’s what they intended all along. But capitalization makes a difference. We’re very sorry for the confusion but facts are facts,” PolitiFact Oregon wrote.
PolitiFact Oregon has also added a correction to its original ruling here. See here a list of Cornilles’ endorsements.
We have written to PolitiFact Oregon to ask what prompted the organization to review its original ruling and if it has reversed any rulings before.
Hat Tip: Blue Oregon
