PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse has been making headlines in the last month pushing for Senate passage of the DISCLOSE Act, which would -- with some exceptions -- require special-interest groups to reveal the identities of their large donors.
His Republican opponent, Barry Hinckley, has criticized Whitehouse, a Democrat, saying it's hypocritical to rail against the influence of special-interest groups such as political action committees (PACs) while taking their money.
During a news conference in front of Whitehouse's Providence office, Hinckley wondered aloud "how someone can take $2 million from the special interests when he's crying out against special-interest money in politics?"
"I agree [that] special-interest money is polluting politics," Hinckley said. "Thirty percent of his money is coming from special interests. I've taken 1 percent."
PolitiFact Rhode Island examined Hinckley's claim and ruled it Mostly True. Read the complete analysis here.