A recent roundup of popular but completely untrue stories and visuals highlighted the replacement of Milwaukee Election Commission Executive Director Claire Woodall, with claims that her firing was related to rigging the 2020 presidential election. However, a spokesperson for Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson clarified that Woodall’s removal had nothing to do with election impropriety but was due to internal issues within the election commission. Despite the false claims circulating on social media, there is no evidence of election fraud in Milwaukee’s 2020 vote.
The misinformation surrounding Woodall’s dismissal has reignited baseless claims of election fraud in Wisconsin, particularly in the lead-up to the 2024 election. Social media posts alleging that Woodall printed 64,000 ballots in a back room at City Hall and had random employees fill them out for the 2020 presidential election have garnered significant attention, with one post receiving thousands of likes and shares. However, there is no truth to these allegations, and officials have emphasized that there was no election impropriety in Milwaukee during the 2020 election.
Woodall has been the target of unsubstantiated rumors and false accusations since the 2020 election, including claims of printing ballots to swing the election in Biden’s favor. Despite these claims, multiple audits, recounts, and reviews have confirmed Biden’s victory in Wisconsin by nearly 21,000 votes. The recent replacement of Kimberly Zapata, Woodall’s former deputy, who was convicted of misconduct and fraud for obtaining fake absentee ballots, has further fueled speculation and misinformation about election integrity in the state.
In another instance of misinformation, claims have surfaced on social media alleging that businesses owned by white men are excluded from bidding on a $2.3 billion grant funding the redevelopment of New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. However, these claims are distorted, as the project has awarded contracts to both minority- and women-owned businesses (MWBEs) as well as non-MWBEs. The bidding process for the airport redevelopment project is open to all businesses, with an emphasis on increasing MWBE participation to 30% without excluding non-MWBEs from contracting opportunities.
The false narrative surrounding the JFK airport project misrepresents the effort to involve MWBEs in the redevelopment project, creating the impression that certain businesses are being excluded based on race and gender. Despite claims that the $2.3 billion grant is exclusively for non-white or women-owned businesses, the project has awarded contracts to a diverse range of businesses, including non-MWBEs. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has emphasized that the goal is to expand opportunities for all businesses while increasing competitiveness and diversity in the contracting process.
In conclusion, the prevalence of misinformation and false claims on social media continues to mislead the public on various topics, from election integrity to business opportunities. It is essential for individuals to critically evaluate the information they encounter and rely on credible sources for accurate and factual information. Fact-checking initiatives and independent investigations play a crucial role in debunking myths and clarifying the truth behind misleading narratives circulating online.
