Questions About Post-Katrina Vigilante Violence?
The ProPublica/Nation probe of violence in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina has sparked intense discussions on a slew of blogs and Web forums -- as of this posting, more than 500 people have commented on YouTube alone.
As the reporter on those stories and companion video, this week I'll be part of the online conversation, answering your questions here. If you're wondering how I got to know the gunmen of Algiers Point, what's happened since the stories were published, or anything else, send your questions to ac.thompson@propublica.org, or leave them below in the comments section.
Midnight Regulations: Fugitive Emissions, Gray Wolves and More!
There are 14 days left to the Bush administration, and the flow of last-minute rules has slowed to a trickle. But there are still some out there that we feel warrant a place on ProPublica’s Midnight Regulations Chart.
Today we added seven rules, three of which might prove controversial.
First and foremost is one that would allow some industries greater leeway to pollute. On Dec. 19, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule regulating so-called fugitive emissions. This was one rule the agency did not abandon. Recall on Dec. 10, EPA announced it had withdrawn two rules that would have weakened the Clean Air Act.
Quick Picks: Outsourcing Health Care in Texas
Jan. 6: This post has been updated.
Quick Picks focuses on a select few of the day's stories from "Breaking on the Web."
- On Sunday, the Dallas Morning News unrolled the first of a four-part series examining how special-interest influence in Texas has impaired its services for the poor, sick and elderly. The first story focuses on Evercare, a health care company widely dubbed "Nevercare" that continues to win big state contracts despite more than a million dollars in fines and a clamor of complaints about delayed or denied health care. The News points out that Evercare’s owner, UnitedHealth Group, spends millions of dollars every year on a powerful lobbying team and on state and federal campaign contributions. Evercare Responds -- An Evercare spokesperson told ProPublica the News' implication that the company had denied care is incorrect. Patients' eligibility and benefits are set by the state, he said; the company simply administers the program. He reiterated that the program is new and still working out some kinks.
Burris Rebuffed by Senate (For Now)
After having his credentials rejected by Capitol Hill officials this morning, Roland Burris is still not a U.S. senator.
Not yet, at least.
"My name is Roland Burris, the junior senator from the state of Illinois," Burris told reporters outside the Capitol. "I was advised that my credentials were not in order."
Bailout Update: $279 Billion to 284 Firms
It’s been busy few weeks for the Treasury Department. Since mid-December when we updated you last, the bailout kicked into a higher gear, doling out more than $30 billion in celebration of the season of giving (OK, investing). Added to the tally were U.S. auto companies, financial firms like American Express, CIT, and GMAC.
As of today, the Treasury has committed $278.87 billion of the TARP, the $700 billion bailout bill. As always, you can see a list of all 284 of those financial institutions in our frequently updated TARP tally, and a map of those institutions is here.
The average investment so far is $981.2 million, but given that nearly a third of the money has gone to just two institutions (AIG and Citigroup), most of the investments have been for much less. The median investment is $35.8 million.
Quick Picks: Rangel, Paving Paradise, and More
In the spirit of the New Year, ProPublica is trying out a new feature, Quick Picks. Every afternoon, we'll write a quick post about the day's top stories from "Breaking on the Web," putting them in context and explaining why they're editors' picks, etc. And if a reader has recommended one of them, he or she will get a special shout-out. We're hoping you'll send us stories from your local paper, your favorite blog or magazine, etc. (Today's Quick Picks is unusually long because we've included stories from over the holiday.)
Agencies Move to Restrict FOIA Access in Last-Minute Regs
This story was co-published with the Columbia Journalism Review.
As one of the most secretive presidential administrations in history gets ready to close up shop, it's closing a few more things -- records. Over the past few months, some federal agencies have issued rules that would eliminate public disclosure of information -- or, in some cases, make it more difficult for requesters to get information.
While the federal Freedom of Information Act regulates what government information may be withheld from the public, internal rules determine how that law is carried out at the agency level. Those rules also may restrict access to information.
Transit Agencies Still Seeking Gov’t Aid
Editor's note: As part of our year-end coverage, we're checking in on the latest on each of our in-depth stories.
2008 was a year of government bailouts, though cash-strapped city transit agencies might not remember it that way.
With 2009 just underway, more than 30 public transit agencies remain on the hook for about $2 billion in payments to banks and other financial firms. The crunch persists after transit officials and their lobbyists made several unsuccessful pleas to Congress and the Treasury Department for relief. The government has been reluctant to intervene in part because the transit agencies’ problems began with their involvement in now-banned tax shelter deals with banks.
But hope remains.
"We’re still working with members of Congress; it’s still an avenue we’re pursuing especially with the incoming administration," said Candace Smith, a spokeswoman for Washington, D.C.’s Metro transit authority.
This Year in Scandals: Contractors Behaving Badly
The Pentagon was repeatedly rebuked in 2008 for lax oversight of its contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan, drawing accusations of gouging U.S. taxpayers and endangering troops and Iraqi civilians. This past year, KBR and Blackwater were responsible for the lion's share of contractor misconduct allegations. Below is our round-up.
KBR, the former Halliburton subsidiary, is the beast of all the military contractors; as of May last year, it had earned more than $24 billion. That's nearly a quarter of the total amount the U.S. has spent on contractors in Iraq.
But KBR's ubiquitous presence in ongoing U.S. wars has also generated a number of problems. It has been accused of bilking U.S. taxpayers on workman's comp (with help from AIG, no less) and engaging in the human trafficking of Nepali workers. It was accused of installing shoddy electrical wiring in barracks in Iraq and then ignoring warnings to fix it; 18 people have been electrocuted. A subsequent Pentagon investigation of the wiring determined that KBR was guilty of "serious contractual noncompliance."
In 90s, Burris Sought Death Penalty for Innocent Man
Our Midnight Reg Watch
Agencies Move to Restrict FOIA Access in Last-Minute Regs
Some federal agencies have issued rules to eliminate public disclosure of information or make it harder to get information.- ★ Timber Firm Drops Road-Use Request - Washington Post
- ★ Ex-Gitmo Detainee Describes a 6-Year Ordeal - New York Times
- Iraqi Refugees Find Disappointing Welcome in U.S. - Salt Lake Tribune
- Court to Review Constitutionality of FISA - Secrecy News
- SEC IG Can’t Compel Testimony From Key Madoff Witnesses - TPM
- Feds to Charge Ex-Blackwater Contractor in Iraq Death - AP
- Congress Eyes Crackdown on Brokers, Advisers - Financial Week
- Firm in Richardson Probe Got $770K from Pa. - Tribune-Review
- 7 NY Hospitals Accused of $50 Million Medicaid Fraud - AP
- Archives Can’t Assure Full Transfer of Bush Records - Secrecy News
- Interior Secretary Drops $235K on Bathroom Redo - Washington Post
- Baltimore Hit by Madoff Baltimore Sun, 1/6
- Madoff Firm Has $830 Million Left For Victims ClusterStock, 1/6
- More
- Burris Rebuffed by Senate (For Now) ProPublica, 1/6
- Reid Stands by Decision to Block Burris Washington Post, 1/5
- More
- Housing Push for Hispanics Spawns Wave of Foreclosures Wall Street Journal ($), 1/5
- A Small Shack With A Big Mortgage Shows Flaws in System Wall Street Journal ($), 1/5
- More
- Appeals Court: U.S. Can Keep IDs of Gitmo Detainees Secret AP, 1/6
- Ex-Gitmo Detainee Describes a 6-Year Ordeal New York Times, 1/6
- More
- Rep. Rangel, AIG Sought Favors From Each Other New York Times, 1/5
- Rangel Pays Parking Tickets With Campaign Funds CQ Politics, 12/30
- More
Scandals are selected by our editors and ranked in order of our assessment of intensity of coverage. How we do this. Are we missing something? .
A ProPublica investigation finds that California nursing boards allow convicted violent felons, sex offenders, and drug dealers to have clean records as nurses
Post-Katrina, White Vigilantes Shot African-Americans
How the West's Energy Boom Could Threaten Drinking Water A rush to develop domestic oil, gas and uranium deposits along the Colorado River and its tributaries threatens its future.
At Siemens, Bribery Was Just a Line Item To understand Siemens' $1.6 billion fine, it’s worth delving into the story of former Siemens exec Reinhard Siekaczek.
20 Years After Lockerbie, Aviation Security Gaps Remain A review of security breaches, government testimony and audits shows there are still gaps terrorists could exploit.
Iraq's Rebuilding Blunders A 513-page history of the U.S.-led reconstruction of Iraq depicts an effort crippled before the invasion.
Are We Safer From Bioterrorism? A three-part series examines the effectiveness of the $48 billion spent on fighting bioterrorism over the last seven years.
Degrees of Hank Paulson See where Wall Street's CEOs fit into Treasury Secretary Paulson's network.
History of U.S. Gov't Bailouts See How Past Gov't Bailouts Measured Up
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