FACT CHECK/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WHISTLEBLOWER: “President Donald Trump did not receive the distinction of being named Time magazine’s ‘Person of the Year,’ but his claims about the anonymous whistleblower did score ‘Lie of the Year’ from fact-checking website PolitiFact. Trump has repeatedly said the anonymous whistleblower whose complaint sparked the impeachment inquiry was ‘almost completely wrong’ about his July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a claim that PolitiFact rated the most significant falsehood of 2019. The president is accused of using the power of his office to pressure Zelensky to open investigations into domestic political rivals, and leveraging nearly $400 million in military aid to do so. The House of Representatives is expected to vote on two articles of impeachment—abuse of power and obstruction of Congress—that were passed along partisan lines by the Judiciary Committee.”
-Jeanine Santucci, “Trump’s whistleblower claim receives 2019 ‘Lie of the Year’ award from fact-checker PolitiFact,” USA Today, December 16, 2019 5:57 pm