Behind the story: Can Interpol avoid politics in its work? By Jasmine Norwood and Emma Schwartz July 18, 2011 Editor Ricardo Sandoval Palos speaks with reporter Libby Lewis about her investigation of Interpol. She found that politics in member countries sometimes influences Interpol’s work. About this story Over five months, the International Consortium of Investigative […]
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Posted inAccountability
U.S. lawmakers frustrated by lack of answers about Google Street View Wi-spying
Energy secretary visits Google to talk green energy By Josh Israel and Aaron Mehta October 28, 2010 Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama speaks at Google headquarters in November 2007. Jeff Chiu/The Associated Press Perhaps you’ve seen them trundling past your house — those ruby-red Google Street View compact cars, with a tripod camera mounted on […]
Posted inAccountability
Badly flawed background check system fails to contain firearms sales
Editor’s note, September 19, 2013: The tragic shootings this week at the Washington Navy Yard have rekindled debate over what more might be done to keep firearms from the hands of troubled individuals. Gunman Aaron Alexis had apparently struggled with a variety of mental health issues, but none serious enough to trigger the federal Brady […]
Posted inAccountability
Fact Check: Obama releases long-form birth certificate to try to satisfy critics
President Barack Obama released the long-form version of his birth certificate, yet another piece of concrete evidence that shows he was born in the United States. The White House said he received a special exemption from the Hawaii Department of Health, which keeps the long-form documents confidential. The pdf version of the document can be […]
Posted inAccountability
Daily Watchdog: Deteriorating conditions in Central America pose security threat
Rising violence in Central America may pose an even greater threat to the United States than the turmoil in neighboring Mexico. U.S. backed anti-drug efforts in Colombia and Mexico forced drug trafficking organizations into Central American countries with weak governments and fewer resources to combat criminal activity. As a result, the higher rate of drug […]
Posted inAccountability
Commerce Department has no security monitoring program
The Department of Commerce requires companies to get special export licenses if a foreign worker will have access to certain types of technology, in order to prevent foreign governments or terrorists from acquiring cutting-edge civilian technology to upgrade military capabilities. A review by the Government Accountability Office reveals Commerce has no way to ensure companies […]
Posted inAccountability, Global Muckraking
Analysis — U.S. interests at risk in six Mideast nations
For decades, politics in most of the Middle East has been frozen like a fossil in amber. Monarchies and pseudo-republics denied their people meaningful participation and representation. Aging presidents-for-life clung to power, grooming sons to replace them. Well-connected elites amassed wealth while burgeoning young populations struggled to find jobs. The amber has shattered. Mideast dictators […]
Posted inAccountability
IRS not strict enough on fraudulent tax refunds to nonresident aliens
The Internal Revenue Services needs to strengthen its review of tax refunds to nonresident aliens before they are sent out of the country, according to an inspector general report. The IRS review found 40 questionable refunds that totaled over $2.3 million. “As long as proper controls are not in place, the risk of fraudulent returns […]
Posted inAccountability
DOJ releases, then tries to reel back FOIA documents in Holocaust case
A federal government ban on Holocaust survivors suing to collect on European insurance policies from that era may be on a shaky legal footing, according to memos accidentally released by the Justice Department in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The department wants the memos back and is trying to keep them from circulating. […]
Posted inAccountability
State of the Union address highlights issues examined by Center for Public Integrity
A series of recent Center for Public Integrity stories provide an illuminating reality check on some of the points made by President Barack Obama last night in his first State of the Union address. “Our most urgent task upon taking office was to shore up the same banks that helped cause this crisis. It was […]
Posted inAccountability
45 million Americans without health insurance
Politicians of all stripes have repeatedly pledged to reduce the number of Americans lacking health insurance, but since 2000, the number of uninsured people under age 65 has increased from 39.6 million to 45 million. In his 2000 presidential campaign, George W. Bush told The Associated Press, “I believe every American should have access to […]
Posted inShadow Government, The White House
Congress moves to curb abuses by advisory councils
In the spring of 2006, Boeing paid one of the largest fines ever imposed on a U.S. company for violating the Arms Export Control Act. From 2000 to 2003, the aerospace and defense giant had defied State Department regulations and warnings about the unauthorized export of commercial aircraft equipped with a microchip that had military […]
Posted inBroadband, Inequality, Well Connected
Center’s suit to get broadband data draws industry interest, comment
Well Connected The business and legislative influences behind our nation’s information networks. Stories in this series Well connected By The Center for Public Integrity May 22, 2003 District of Columbia’s poor pay triple for sub-par Internet service By Laurel Adams February 18, 2011 Billions set aside to bridge broadband gap before creating plan on how […]
Posted inCongress, Democracy, Power Trips
A gateway to Brazil
Privately sponsored trips hot tickets on Capitol Hill By Jim Morris June 5, 2006 In February 2004, Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., went to several African countries to help set up deals for a telecommunications company whose top executive later pleaded guilty to bribing him. In April of that year, the congressman led a delegation that […]
Posted inCongress, Democracy, Power Trips
Unregistered advocates?
Privately sponsored trips hot tickets on Capitol Hill By Jim Morris June 5, 2006 Frequently Asked Questions By The Center for Public Integrity June 5, 2006 Over the past three years, as Airbus and Boeing have been locked in a bitter fight over each other’s government subsidies, an obscure nonprofit has sponsored at least 10 […]
Posted inCongress, Democracy, Power Trips
Privately sponsored trips hot tickets on Capitol Hill
Lobbyists tag along on civil rights tour By Marina Walker Guevara June 8, 2006 So much travel in so little time By Robert Brodsky June 8, 2006 ‘Top Gun’ of travel By Steve Henn and Robert Brodsky June 5, 2006 A gateway to Brazil By Kevin Bogardus September 6, 2006 Drug makers’ dime funds Congressional […]
Posted inInequality
Nice work if you can get it
When Martin Cohen was appointed head of the Illinois Commerce Commission, the regulatory body that oversees utilities in the state, he joined a very small fraternity. Cohen took the post in September 2005 pending confirmation by state lawmakers, becoming only the nation’s eighth utility commissioner since 2004 to have a background as a consumer advocate. […]
Posted inInequality
More cities offering wireless Internet access
As a resident of tech-savvy Austin, Texas, Adina Levin enjoys the benefits of widespread wireless Internet access. Austin is one of a number of cities in the nation that has built a system that allows residents to log on to the Internet without worrying about plugging into a phone or cable outlet. Levin wants the […]
Posted inLobby Watch
Traveling on the Abramoff plan
At least 123 of Washington’s top lobbyists occupy the same ethical gray area now threatening to bring down high-profile influence peddler Jack Abramoff, according to a new study by the Center for Public Integrity, American Public Media and Medill News Service. Like Abramoff, these registered lobbyists sit on the governing boards of non-profit organizations called […]
Posted inAccountability
Interview: Unprecedented opportunity
Rami Khouri, a veteran editor and reporter who currently serves as editor-at-large for the Lebanese English language newspaper, The Daily Star, spoke to the staff of the Center for Public Integrity on March 2, 2005. He discussed recent events in Lebanon and elsewhere in the Middle East and their implications for American foreign policy. Khouri […]
Posted inOur Private Legislatures
Frequently asked questions
Louisiana tightens its ethics standards By Sarah Laskow February 28, 2008 Methodology By The Center for Public Integrity September 24, 2004 Nationwide numbers By The Center for Public Integrity May 21, 2000 Q: Why should the public care about the private financial interests of state lawmakers? A: The public should care about the private financial […]
Posted inInequality
Networks of influence
Note to readers: This story has been reposted. Since the report was originally released, the Center for Public Integrity has changed the way it calculates lobbying expenditures to reflect a more stringent methodology for determining the total amounts. The change was made to correct the potential overstatement of totals. Figures or relevant text that have […]
Posted inDemocracy, Profiles in Patronage, The White House
Obama rainmakers enjoy White House invites, appointments and contracts
Unlike president, GOP candidates won’t release names of top fundraisers By Aaron Mehta and Fred Schulte January 19, 2012 Obama’s bundler total exceeds $74 million By Aaron Mehta, Fred Schulte and Elizabeth Lucas January 31, 2012 Obama ‘bundlers’ hauled in more than $33 million last quarter By Aaron Mehta April 20, 2012 Obama nominates elite […]
Posted inCongress, Democracy, One Nation Under Debt
Clyburn draws line in the sand on Social Security
Who bankrolls the Super Congress? Democratic Senators: Patty Murray of Washington John Kerry of Massachusetts Max Baucus of Montana Republican Senators: Jon Kyl of Arizona Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania Rob Portman of Ohio Republican House members: Jeb Hensarling of Texas Dave Camp of Michigan Fred Upton of Michigan Democratic House members: James Clyburn of South […]
Posted inDemocracy
Limousine liberals? Number of government-owned limos has soared under Obama
Tim Pawlenty’s ties to Morgan Stanley executives could create image issues By Peter H. Stone June 6, 2011 Federal fleet numbers in question again; first limos, now electric carts By Joe Eaton June 23, 2011 State Dept. spends terrorism and emergency dollars on parties, rented linens and a kitchen By Corbin Hiar August 26, 2011 […]
Posted inDemocracy
During Mitch Daniels’ decade at Eli Lilly, the drug giant paid billions in fines and settled thousands of lawsuits
Key findings Mitch Daniels worked at Eli Lilly for 10 years in top positions including president of North American operations During his tenure, Lilly paid more than $2.7 billion in fines and settled 32,000 personal injury claims Zyprexa and Evista were marred by controversy during Daniels’ era Lilly was stung when it lost its Prozac […]
Posted inDemocracy
Newt Gingrich faces questions about consulting job and support for biofuels
“I am not a lobbyist for ethanol,” Newt Gingrich declared in a mid-winter spat with the editors of The Wall Street Journal over his support for government subsidies for alternative fuel. But Gingrich was a hired consultant to a major ethanol lobbying group—at more than $300,000 a year. According to IRS records, the ethanol group […]
Posted inDemocracy
SOLUTIONS: Forcing contractors to disclose contributions is a good first step
Solutions: About this series Solutions is a regular series featuring opinion leaders and experts who weigh in with solutions to the issues of the day. If you are interested in submitting a column, please contact Solutions@iWatchNews.org What’s your opinion? Join the discussion on Twitter by following the hashtag #iwsolutions Requiring federal contractors to disclose political […]
Posted inDemocracy
Do Trump’s assertions about Obama’s birthplace add up?
Donald Trump’s lawsuits could turn off conservatives who embrace tort reform By Peter H. Stone May 5, 2011 If Donald Trump worked for us, we’d have to say: “Donald, you’re fired — for incompetence.” The successful developer and TV celebrity says he’d make a good president, and maybe he would — we take no stand […]
Posted inDemocracy, Profiles in Patronage, The White House
Green bundler with the golden touch
Profiles in Patronage One in a series of occasional articles on “bundlers” — the men and women who round up the largest sums of political donations on behalf of presidential candidates and how they can benefit from their influence. About this project This is a joint investigation between the Center for Public Integrity and ABC […]
