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Men, monkeys and the origin of AIDS

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Tennessee state Sen. Stacey Campfield sparked an uproar with his comments about the origin of AIDS.

By Zack McMillin February 3, 2012

Tennessee state Sen. Stacey Campfield sparked an uproar with his comments about gay people and the origin of AIDS.

In one claim, Campfield said AIDS was transmitted to humans because "one guy" had sex with "a monkey" and then started "having sex with men." PolitiFact Tennessee put that claim to the Truth-O-Meter.

See Truth-O-Meter item.

Frank Niceley

stated on February 1, 2012 in a House Conservation and Environment Committee meeting:

Says the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency brought coyotes into the state "to try to keep the deer population down."

Chris Thomas

stated on February 6, 2012 in a Shelby County Commission meeting.:

"Shelby County donated – I’m sorry, gave – 44 schools to the city of Memphis."

Stacey Campfield

stated on January 26, 2012 in an interview with Michelangelo Signorile on the Sirius satellite radio show “OutQ.”:

AIDS was transmitted to humans because "one guy" had sex with "a monkey" and then started "having sex with men."

Lamar Alexander

stated on November 13, 2012 in in a news release announcing support for the Sportsmen's bill.:

"More Tennesseans have hunting and fishing licenses than vote."

Stand For Children Tennessee

stated on October 24, 2012 in in a post on Facebook.:

Says that "Tennessee law requires that schools receive half of proceeds -- $31 million per year" -- from a half-cent increase in the Shelby County sales tax.

George Flinn

stated on October 18, 2012 in in campaign mail piece:

Says that "when Congressman (Steve) Cohen took office in 2007, the unemployment rate was at 4.8 percent. The unemployment rate in Shelby County has reached 9.7 percent."

Andy Berke

stated on August 31, 2012 in a letter to state Senate education committee chairwoman Dolores Gresham.:

Says Tennessee is providing "millions of dollars" to virtual school company for "results at the bottom of the bottom."

Martavius Jones

stated on July 13, 2012 in an interview on the Fox 13 News program "Memphis in the Morning.":

"From a standpoint of the county government, neither school system has received an increase in funding over the past six years."

Lamar Alexander

stated on June 18, 2012 in prepared remarks at a Congressional field hearing.:

"Three of our cities are among the top five worst cities in the U.S. for asthma."

Tennessee Democratic Party

stated on June 12, 2012 in a press release.:

Says Mitt Romney has said "we don't need 'more firemen, more policemen, more teachers.' "

Memphis Police Association

stated on April 25, 2012 in a commercial.:

Says "city leadership is threatening to lay off police and emergency services personnel to balance the budget."

Bill Haslam

stated on May 9, 2012 in signing new schools legislation.:

On allowing Shelby County's schools merger commission to finish work before allowing any new merger legislation.

A C Wharton

stated on April 16, 2012 in an interview about his city budget proposal.:

"We will not ask for a tax increase to run city government."

Joe Brown

stated on April 18, 2012 in a City Council presentation on the Memphis budget.:

"Nobody is leaving Memphis. That's a myth."

The Tax Foundation

stated on March 5, 2012 in a map published on its blog.:

Says Tennessee has some of the lowest beer excise tax rates in the country.

Frank Niceley

stated on February 1, 2012 in a House Conservation and Environment Committee meeting:

Says the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency brought coyotes into the state "to try to keep the deer population down."

Chris Thomas

stated on February 6, 2012 in a Shelby County Commission meeting.:

"Shelby County donated – I’m sorry, gave – 44 schools to the city of Memphis."

Stacey Campfield

stated on January 26, 2012 in an interview with Michelangelo Signorile on the Sirius satellite radio show “OutQ.”:

AIDS was transmitted to humans because "one guy" had sex with "a monkey" and then started "having sex with men."

Lamar Alexander

stated on November 13, 2012 in in a news release announcing support for the Sportsmen's bill.:

"More Tennesseans have hunting and fishing licenses than vote."

Stand For Children Tennessee

stated on October 24, 2012 in in a post on Facebook.:

Says that "Tennessee law requires that schools receive half of proceeds -- $31 million per year" -- from a half-cent increase in the Shelby County sales tax.

George Flinn

stated on October 18, 2012 in in campaign mail piece:

Says that "when Congressman (Steve) Cohen took office in 2007, the unemployment rate was at 4.8 percent. The unemployment rate in Shelby County has reached 9.7 percent."

Clear

Facebook posts
stated on May 2, 2025 in an Instagram post:

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By Tyler Adkisson • May 2, 2025
Instagram posts
stated on August 27, 2024 in an Instagram post:

California S.B. 1174 eliminates the requirement for voter ID at polling places.

By Sofia Ahmed • August 30, 2024
X posts
stated on August 29, 2024 in X posts:

President Joe Biden “did a campaign ad at the graves in Arlington in 2020.”

By Loreben Tuquero • August 30, 2024
X posts
stated on August 16, 2024 in a video:

Video shows “Kamala Harris describing how she can ruin lives with the 'swipe of a pen.’"

By Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu • August 30, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on August 25, 2024 in a post:

Kamala Harris’ “plan to tax unrecognized Capital Gains mean(s) if your house goes up in value you will have to pay that Tax Even if you don’t sell your House!”

By Sara Swann • August 30, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on August 25, 2024 in a Facebook post:

“There’s no such thing as menopause.”

By Madison Czopek • August 30, 2024
Instagram posts
stated on August 27, 2024 in an Instagram post:

“Hollywood actor Kurt Russell just said: ‘It is now proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt that Kamala Harris and Joe Biden CHEATED in the 2020 election with mail-in ballots.’”

By Caleb McCullough • August 30, 2024
Kamala Harris
stated on August 22, 2024 in her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention:

Former President Donald Trump "intends to enact what, in effect, is a national sales tax ... that would raise prices on middle-class families by almost $4,000 a year."

By Louis Jacobson • August 30, 2024
Viral image
stated on August 27, 2024 in a Facebook post:

“Kurt Russell forms a new non-woke actors alliance with Roseanne Barr and Tim Allen.”

By Ciara O'Rourke • August 30, 2024
Viral image
stated on August 23, 2024 in an X post:

Photo of former President Donald Trump after an assassination attempt was generated by artificial intelligence.

By Ciara O'Rourke • August 30, 2024

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Men, monkeys and the origin of AIDS

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Men, monkeys and the origin of AIDS