substantiate

“These practices, if substantiated, undermine public confidence in the neutrality of the City Controller’s office and violate clear prohibitions on using public assets for campaign advantage,” Hall said in his complaint.

None were deemed “substantiated,” which the Sheriff’s Department defines on its website as “an allegation that was investigated and determined to have occurred.”

The Department of Homeland Security said it could not substantiate the allegations.

In both cases, the report said, the VA could not substantiate whether the services were provided or if the valuation was accurate.

It fell to Cowley to find the writing that could substantiate such claims and then to maneuver it into the mainstream.