Georgia state Sen. Michael Williams received some on-air fact-checking from CNN when he criticized Delta Air Lines for ending a discount partnership with the National Rifle Association while favoring "liberal-leaning organizations" such as Planned Parenthood.
Delta ended a discount agreement with the NRA in order to remain "neutral" in the national debate over gun control, which resurfaced after a Feb. 14 mass shooting in Florida.
"If they're going to pull the discount for NRA members, why not pull it for Planned Parenthood or some of the left organizations out there?" Williams, R-Cumming, claimed during a Feb. 27 interview with CNN’s Brianna Keilar.
Keilar asked for his source of information to back up Delta discounts for Planned Parenthood. Williams said he and other state senators "looked it up on Google."
"Just to be clear, no, we looked it up as well. And it doesn't appear, after some digging, that we have been able to determine that that is actually factual, because you're indicating something that may not be true there," Keilar responded.
Williams, who’s running to become Georgia’s governor, said he "very firmly" believed that Delta "is out there giving discounts to left-leaning organizations as well."
"But if you're making that argument," Keilar said, "shouldn't you have your facts straight?"
Like CNN, PolitiFact Georgia found no evidence to support Williams’ claim. Williams’ campaign did not provide evidence to prove it, and Planned Parenthood told us there are no perks, discounts or deals that come with being a Planned Parenthood supporter or member — whether with Delta or any other company.
"There are no corporate perks that come with being a Planned Parenthood supporter or member," said Erica Sackin, director of political communications for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
Delta did not respond to our query.
Williams’ evidence is a missed connectionWilliams and Keilar’s debate continued off-air on Twitter: Keilar asked for backup on the Planned Parenthood claim. Williams tweeted back that his team had responded. Keilar said his statement still did not back up his "bogus claim." Williams ultimately tweeted a statement saying Keilar was pushing a "false narrative."
Williams’ statement mentioned "Delta's history of supporting left-wing organizations that donate to abortion provider Planned Parenthood."
That’s a few steps removed from what he said in the interview about Planned Parenthood receiving the discount itself.
Williams started to backtrack from that in the Keilar interview. Here’s a transcript of the original exchange on CNN:
Williams: "You're telling me that Delta … is not giving away discounts to left-leaning organizations? Is that what you're telling me?"
Keilar: "No, you told me that it was Planned Parenthood. I'm just talking to you about what you said to me."
Williams: "I know, but is that not a left-wing organization? . It is a very left-leaning organization."