CNN hosted the third GOP Debate between Republican presidential candidates on Oct. 28. The following statements were made by candidates throughout the GOP debate, and the verdicts were decided upon by The Current staff after heavy research of reputable sources. Full transcripts of the debates can be found online at Time.com, CNN.com and other news sources.
- “And secondly, when you talk about me being on the board of Lehman Brothers, I wasn’t on the board of Lehman Brothers. I was a banker, and I was proud of it. And I traveled the country and learned how people made jobs.”—John Kasich on his involvement with Lehman Brothers
- According to CNN, Kasich was managing director of Lehman Brother’s investment banking division from 2001 to 2008, when the firm collapsed. Investopedia.com reported that the firm filed for bankruptcy with a $619 billion debt, which is the largest bankruptcy filing in history.
Bloomberg Politics stated that after reporters viewed Kasich’s 2008 tax return, they found that Kasich was paid over $400,000 in bonuses after the firm shut down. The site also reports that his title of managing director was only applicable to 700 employees, including Kasich.
As stated on mergerandinquistions.com, the managing director of a banking firm is responsible for travelling to meet with clients and companies, while lower-level bankers are responsible for working with the discovered clients on business deals. - VERDICT: The statement is true but misleading. Although Kasich was not on the board of Lehman Brothers, he was not merely a banker either. His position was higher up than bankers, and he was responsible for more activities and affairs within the division, but he was on the board that made final decisions responsible for the company as a whole.
- According to CNN, Kasich was managing director of Lehman Brother’s investment banking division from 2001 to 2008, when the firm collapsed. Investopedia.com reported that the firm filed for bankruptcy with a $619 billion debt, which is the largest bankruptcy filing in history.
- “Six million more people are living in poverty than the day that Barack Obama got elected president. The left just wants more of the same.”—Jeb Bush on workforce participation rates
- In a survey published by the U.S. Census Bureau in September, 46.7 million people were living in poverty in 2014. A survey published in 2008 found that 39.8 million people were in poverty. This data shows the number of people living in poverty increased by 6.9 million during Obama’s presidency.
- VERDICT: True
- “And they [the government] have stolen from you because now they know they cannot pay these benefits, and Social Security is going to be insolvent in seven to eight years.”—Chris Christie on Social Security
- According to the Social Security Administration, Social Security’s Disability Insurance Trust Funds are expected to run out in the latter part of 2016, which would mean that payments to DI recipients would be automatically declined. After the depletion, SSA expects that trust fund assets will be taken from the General Fund of the Treasury until 2034. All of this is part of a 75-year projection period in which Social Security benefits are expected to last.
- VERDICT: False. Although Social Security benefits are expected to decline, it will not be in the next seven to eight years.
- “I didn’t have an involvement with them [Mannatech]. That is total propaganda, and this is what happens in our society. Total propaganda. I did a couple of speeches for them. I do speeches for other people. They were paid speeches. It is absolutely absurd to say that I had any kind of relationship with them.”—Ben Carson on his relationship with Mannatech
- Mannatech is a multi-level marketing company that distributes health products. According to CNN, Mannatech settled for $7 million in 2009 because the company made numerous claims that their products cured cancer and autism. Numerous sources, including recorded speeches and interviews, have shown that Carson has held a relationship with the company for at least a decade. One of these videos is from a 2004 Mannatech event, in which Carson said, “A couple of years ago I was diagnosed with cancer…I started taking the product, and in about three weeks, my symptoms went away…I would advocate using natural products to supplement what’s done by traditional medicine.”
- VERDICT: False. Carson has done multiple interviews with the company and has promoted their products.
