Category: Investigations
Let’s recall what exactly Paul Manafort and Rudy Giuliani were doing in Ukraine
President Trump’s former campaign chairman and former lawyer worked with, between them, a deposed authoritarian president, a bevy of oligarchs, Russia-oriented politicians and alleged Russian spies. by Ilya Marritz, ProPublica March 2, 2022 ProPublica is a…
More migrants are dying along the US-Mexico border
A Spanish-language sign warns migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border against explsing themselves to the dangerous elements in the desert. David Howells/Corbis via Getty Images by Courtney Riggle-van Schagen, George Washington University and Elizabeth Vaquera, George Washington…
In San Francisco, hundreds of homes sit vacant
In spite of a growing Department of Homelessness with an annual budget of $598 million, eligible people still wait months or even years after being approved for assisted housing. Meanwhile, hundreds of units remain unused. by…
Hundreds of Arizona schools report inaccurate civil rights data, violate federal law
by Sam Kmack, Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting June 14, 2021 PHOENIX—Hundreds of Arizona’s public schools failed to report accurate civil rights data to the U.S. Department of Education for the 2017-2018 school year, a violation…
A mother needed Welfare. Instead, AZ used welfare funds to take her son.
Arizona spends a majority of its welfare budget on the Department of Child Safety. The agency then investigates many poor parents, sometimes removing their children for reasons stemming from their poverty. by Eli Hager, photography by…
Amid deadly tornado, texts show Amazon threatened to fire driver if packages not delivered
“I’m literally stuck in this damn van without a safe place to go with a tornado on the ground!” by Kenny Stancil, Common Dreams Friday, December 17, 2021 More damning information about last week’s deadly workplace…
Utah makes welfare so hard to get, some feel they must join the LDS church to get aid
Utah’s safety net for the poor is so intertwined with the LDS Church that individual bishops often decide who receives assistance. Some deny help unless a person goes to services or gets baptized. by Eli Hager,…
St. Jude hoards billions while patient families drain their savings
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital promises not to bill families. But the cost of having a child at the hospital for cancer care leaves some families so strapped for money that parents share tips on spending…
Scammers are using fake job ads to steal people’s identities
From Facebook to LinkedIn to Indeed, ads are popping up that promise well-paying jobs — if applicants provide their Social Security numbers and other details up front. Scammers then use the information to apply for unemployment…
Any lawmaker involved in planning Jan. 6 insurrection ‘Must be expelled,’ says AOC
Organizers of the deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol say that several congressional Republicans and White House officials helped plan former President Donald Trump’s coup attempt. Arizona’s Gossar and Biggs understood they were participating in a…
“The Liberty Way”: How Liberty University discourages and dismisses students’ reports of sexual assaults
The school founded by evangelist Jerry Falwell ignored reports of rape and threatened to punish accusers for breaking its moral code, say former students. An official who says he was fired for raising concerns calls it…
The Two Hospitals Have Similar Infant Death Rates — Until You Look at Extremely Premature Babies
Lax state oversight leaves unanswered questions about the deaths of extremely preterm babies at Albuquerque’s Lovelace Women’s Hospital, which markets itself as a state-of-the-art newborn facility. Experts say transparency could save lives. by Bryant Furlow, New…
Meatpacking industry fought feeble Covid-19 safeguards under Trump
“These documents show that the industry actively pushed back against the few steps the Trump administration took to try to ensure the safety of meatpacking workers and federal inspectors.” by Brett Wilkins, staff writer Thursday, March…
Report of illegal $80 million arms transfer by Erik Prince to Libyan warlord raises question of who’s backing former Blackwater CEO
Prince has “been linked to the Trump administration, the Emirati leadership, and the Russians,” noted one expert. by Brett Wilkins, staff writer Saturday, February 20, 2021 Erik Prince, the founder and former CEO of the mercenary…
Utility companies owe millions to California regulatory agency. The problem? The agency can’t track what it’s owed.
When a whistleblower alleged that $200 million was missing from the California Public Utilities Commission, the agency says it took steps to collect. Yet an audit uncovered more missing money and cited flaws in the agency’s…
Text Messages Show Top Trump Campaign Fundraiser’s Key Role Planning the Rally That Preceded the Siege
Caroline Wren, a Trump fundraiser, is listed as a “VIP Advisor” in a National Park Service permit for the Jan. 6th rally at the Ellipse. Text messages and a planning memo show the title downplays the…
Trump’s pardons included health care execs behind massive frauds
Fred Schulte, Kaiser Health News January 22, 2021 At the last minute, President Donald Trump granted pardons to several individuals convicted in huge Medicare swindles that prosecutors alleged often harmed or endangered elderly and infirm…
Video details tense moments as Capitol Mob sought out lawmakers
“Where They Countin’ the Votes?!” New video, found in an archive of data uploaded to Parler, includes a fresh look at the mob’s confrontation with Eugene Goodman, the officer credited for luring rioters away from senators…
Before mob stormed the Capitol, days of security planning involved Cabinet officials and President Trump
A Pentagon memo offers one version of events — six days of preparation for a rally that quickly spiraled out of control. by Joshua Kaplan Saturday, Jan. 9, 7:19 p.m. MST President Donald Trump met with…
Members of several well-known hate groups identified at Capitol riot
A ProPublica-FRONTLINE review of the insurrection found several noted hardcore nativists and white nationalists who also participated in the 2017 white power rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. by A.C. Thompson and Ford Fischer Saturday, Jan. 9, 10:15…
Timber Tax Cuts Cost Oregon Towns Billions. Then Polluted Water Drove Up the Price.
Rural communities in Oregon paid millions of dollars for clean, safe drinking water because the state didn’t protect their watersheds from logging-related contamination. by Tony Schick, Oregon Public Broadcasting, and Rob Davis, The Oregonian/OregonLive Thursday, December…
After a violent crime, Arizona promised reforms for people with developmental disabilities. It has yet to deliver.
After a woman with developmental disabilities was raped and gave birth to a child in a state home, a task force recommended changes to improve care for some of Arizona’s most vulnerable residents. Only a third…
She Noticed $200 Million Missing, Then She Was Fired
Alice Stebbins was hired to fix the finances of California’s powerful utility regulator. She was fired after finding $200 million for the state’s deaf, blind and poor residents was missing. by Scott Morris, Bay City News…
Facebook attempts to shut down research exposing ‘political disinformation’ in ad practices, watchdog fights back
“Rather than combat the rampant disinformation and hate on its platform, Facebook has decided to go after the people who are helping voters understand who is trying to influence their votes.” by Kenny Stancil, staff writer…