2016 AdWatch: on Government Reform

Patty Judge: Special interests get too much help from Congress

In the ad, Judge says special interests get too much help from a Congress that takes from Social Security and education to pay for those tax breaks. Although she doesn't mention Grassley by name in the ad, Judge argues "Chuck Grassley has played a big part in that over his 41 years in office."

"From here in Iowa, it seems to be the wealthy and big corporations get enough help," Judge says while leaning on a pasture fence. "It's time Washington starts working for middle-class families."

The special interests "need to pay their fair share, because Washington is giving those at the top too much and it's time someone stood up for the rest of us."

Jason Kander: OpEd AdWatch: "Pandering Panda" caters to lobbyists

The YouTube ad features a person dressed in a panda suit in various locations throughout Washington. The panda character alternates between holding a burlap sack full of money and a hand-drawn sign that reads, `I love Obama.` The ad also features clips of real pandas and high pitched voices making claims about Kander `pandering` for money in Washington.

Kander, a Democrat, is hoping to unseat Sen. Roy Blunt, a Republican who has held the office since 2011. Among the charges in the NRSC ad is the claim that Kander is `attending fancy dinners all over the country.`

Jason Kander: FactCheck: Has more MO donors & less PAC money than opponent

• March 4, Washington: Porterfield, Lowenthal, Fettig & Sears (lobbying firm)
• May 20: Washington: Hosted by Sen. Chris Murphy and various lobbyists
• May: Las Vegas: hosted by Harry Reid
• Date unknown: Martha's Vineyard
• Date unknown: Philadelphia

[Comparing to Kander's opponent Senator Roy Blunt]: Blunt's money is 49.8% PAC donations, totaling $1.2 million compared to Kander's $176,650, totaling 11.6%. In total itemized contributions, Blunt has 516 Missouri donors resulting in $581,647, compared to Kander's 835 Missouri donors for $679,816.

David Jolly: OpEd AdWatch: Worked for lobbyists associated with Pakistan

The dictator in the ad was former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, and experts we talked to agreed with describing him as a dictator. The ad used guilt by association, but was careful not to claim Jolly himself lobbied for the country, which he never did.

The commercial veered close to the line, implying that Jolly's firm did something unethical when, so far as we know, it acted lawfully and as other lobbying firms regularly do. We rated the claim Half True.