The Center for Public Integrity

No scientific evidence backs Rep. Michele Bachmann's second-hand story of HPV vaccine causing mental retardation. Our research reveals that 35 million doses of the vaccine have been administered, without a single reported case of mental retardation. A total of four cases of a disorder involving inflammation of the brain have been reported, but a panel of scientists found there was insufficient evidence to establish that the vaccine caused those.

The Republican presidential candidate has repeatedly related an anecdote about a post-debate encounter with a woman who told her a vaccine promoted by Texas Gov. Rick Perry has left her daughter mentally retarded. In fact, federal health officials say they've received no reports of mental retardation following an injection of the vaccine. Based on experience from tens of  millions of doses already administered, they find the vaccine to be safe and effective as a deterrent against a sexually transmitted disease that can lead to cervical cancer, which takes 4,000 lives a year. And that's backed up by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which has denounced Bachmann's statements.

Bachmann first raised the issue about the vaccine at a Republican debate sponsored by CNN and the Tea Party Express on Sept. 12. She attacked Perry for issuing an executive order in 2007 requiring 11- and 12-year-old girls to get the a vaccine designed to protect against cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV).

Bachmann criticized the executive order as a "violation of a liberty interest" and questioned the motivation for Perry's decision, noting that Perry's former chief of staff was a lobbyist for Merck, the maker of the vaccine Gardasil, and that Merck donated thousands to Perry's campaign.

The GOP presidential candidates debated for the second time in six days — tossing out a variety of false and misleading claims on everything from Social Security to vaccines for sexually transmitted diseases. 

Romney, Perry and Huntsman each cherry-picked facts about job growth in their states when they were governor. Here we offer a broader look at the numbers, which sometimes tell a different story than the candidates.

During the GOP presidential candidates' debate on Sept. 7:

In the wee hours next Monday in Las Vegas, when many Sin City visitors are still sound asleep or just going to bed, an army of top fundraisers for Mitt Romney will start dialing for dollars with an eye toward raising millions for his presidential exploratory committee.

Hundreds of fundraisers have signed up for the money harvest in Vegas. The fundraising marathon, which will take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center, is shooting to corral between $2 million and $3 million, according to Romney fundraisers.

The day’s fundraising begins at 5:30 a.m. Pacific time to hit up East Coast donors early. It will include big-name Romney bundlers from around the country. Among those expected to be on hand are: John Rood, the Florida chairman for Romney and an ambassador to the Bahamas under George W. Bush; John Rakolta Jr., a Detroit construction magnate; Chris Collins, a Massachusetts developer; Woody Johnson, the owner of the New York Jets; and Ron Kaufman, the chairman of Dutko Worldwide lobbying group.

So far, Romney has assembled the biggest network of GOP bundlers of the numerous potential GOP candidates. Romney fundraisers said his committee is trying to raise between $15 million and $30 million this quarter, an ambitious goal since donors can only give a maximum of $2,500 each for the primaries. For the entire primary season, Romney fundraisers are looking to raise a minimum of $50 million.

When Romney announces his formal campaign, as he’s expected to do by the end of the second quarter, donors will be able to give a total of $5,000, half for the primaries and half for the general.

Romney will host a reception the night before for his top fundraisers, many of whom will be spending Sunday night at casino hotels owned by Vegas tycoons Steve Wynn or Sheldon Adelson.

The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CREW) today filed a complaint alleging that Fiesta Bowl executives and their wives violated the campaign finance law by being reimbursed for contributions made to Arizona Republicans.

The complaint, filed with the Federal Election Commission, claims 13 people were reimbursed a combined $28,500 by college football’s Fiesta Bowl for their campaign contributions over five years.

Politicians who received the money were Sen. John McCain, Sen. Jon Kyl, former Rep. J.D. Hayworth, and Rep. John Shadegg, along with McCain’s leadership PAC, called the Straight Talk Express, according to the complaint.

Fiesta Bowl officials also were accused of hosting fundraising events at the Fiesta Bowl Museum for Hayworth, McCain and the Straight Talk Express, another violation of campaign finance laws, CREW said.

The allegations of improper campaign contributions were first raised by The Arizona Republic in late 2009. An outside law firm hired by the Fiesta Bowl to investigate the allegations interviewed 52 employees and last month issued a public report detailing how the bowl reimbursed individuals for making campaign contributions to both federal and local candidates and flew politicians on football junkets. Transcripts of the employee interviews have not been released.  

John H. Junker, the president and CEO of Fiesta Bowl, was fired after the investigative report was issued. Junker is among the 13 named in the CREW complaint to the Federal Election Commission.

The Fiesta Bowl had no immediate comment on the new complaint.