Some Wisconsinites downplay the severity of COVID-19, spurning masks and vaccinations and inhibiting efforts to contain the pandemic.

Author Archives: Howard Hardee
Howard Hardee is the election integrity reporter at the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism and a local fellow with the international journalism nonprofit First Draft News. He most recently was a reporter at the Wisconsin State Journal. He has written extensively about government, natural disasters and forest health in Northern California, and was a 2017 Environmental Reportage fellow at the Centre for Arts and Creativity in Banff, Alberta.
Wisconsin GOP official bucks Trump and draws backlash: ‘There is no fraud in this election’
Lifelong Republican Rohn Bishop believes the GOP must stop trafficking in conspiracies and falsehoods, for the good of his party — and the country
Falsehoods about Wisconsin’s vote count are flying. Here’s the truth.
Supporters of President Donald Trump falsely suggested fraud after votes shifted to former Vice President Joe Biden.
Pre-bunking falsehoods: How Wisconsin voters can avoid falling for election misinformation
The best defense from rumors, hoaxes and propaganda is knowing what to expect. Here’s a preview of what voters might see ahead of Election Day.
Pro-Trump and pro-Biden PACs spread debunked Facebook ads in Wisconsin
Researchers flag hundreds of political advertisements containing false or misleading messages — including some already debunked by fact-checkers.
Stick up for truth: How to fact-check friends and family on social media
Experts say it’s important to set the record straight to halt the spread of misinformation, but suggest some finesse is needed when dealing with loved ones.
False conspiracies swirl as Wisconsin contact tracers battle the coronavirus
Health experts call contact tracing essential for slowing COVID-19. But misinformation is circulating in Wisconsin, exhausting some local officials.
‘Trying to muddy the waters’: Opponents misuse stats in attack on Wisconsin virus lockdown, experts say
Some critics who question Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ Safer at Home order omit crucial context of state COVID-19 projections.