WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa is suggesting government statistics on coronavirus infections and deaths have been inflated.
Ernst, who is facing an unexpectedly tough reelection fight, is echoing a discredited conspiracy theory. Ernst made the comment after a man at a campaign stop in Waterloo, Iowa, said he believes the numbers of cases and deaths are much lower than reported.
Experts refute that and new data suggests that the toll is probably significantly higher than the official count. Ernst said she, too, is “so skeptical” of the official numbers.
