February 2020 Archive
Senators Call on Highway Administration to Finalize Car Seat Test Rules
Two senators, citing ProPublica’s reporting on the dangers of Evenflo’s booster seats, want NHTSA to finish rules that Congress mandated 20 years ago.
It’s Time for Sundown Towns to Become a More Visible Part of Illinois History. But How?
If you are discussing your community’s history of racial exclusion, or if you would like to start, let us know.
Republican National Committee Obscured How Much It Pays Its Chief of Staff
Amid the record-breaking flows of cash, the RNC is giving lucrative consulting work to a select group of political operatives with Trump campaign ties.
He Went to Prison After a Prosecutor Hid Evidence. Seven Years After Our Story, He Walked Free.
Tyronne Johnson was featured in a 2013 ProPublica investigation that showed how a prosecutor kept jurors from hearing evidence that may have helped him beat a murder charge. He was granted parole this week and credits the story with helping him.
How Much Has the Government Spent at Trump’s Properties? It Won’t Say.
“He’s paying our money to himself,” the Washington Post’s David Fahrenthold told “Trump, Inc.” “There must be so much more we haven’t seen.”
Illinois Adopts Stricter Rules Against Secluding and Physically Restraining Students in Schools
The state board of education stopped short of a complete ban on seclusion after a small number of special education schools asked for more leeway in dealing with students.
California Takes a First Step Toward Improving Its Failing County Jails
After an investigation by McClatchy and ProPublica, a state oversight agency is proposing tougher scrutiny and consequences for dangerous conditions in California’s county jails.
TurboTax Is Still Tricking Customers With Tax Prep Ads That Misuse the Word “Free”
Intuit has amped up its misleading digital advertising in the wake of a new IRS agreement that bars tax prep companies from burying the agency’s Free File program.
Utah Representative Proposes Bill to Stop Payday Lenders From Taking Bail Money from Borrowers
Debtors prisons were banned by Congress in 1833, but a ProPublica article that revealed the sweeping powers of high-interest lenders in Utah caught the attention of one legislator. Now, he’s trying to do something about it.
We Showed How Easy It Is to Commit Health Care Fraud. Now Senators Want to Close the Loophole.
The bipartisan proposal comes in response to a ProPublica story that showed how a personal trainer posed as a doctor to defraud prominent health insurers.
How Much Did It Cost to File Your Taxes?
Did you file with H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt, Liberty Tax or another preparer? Help us report on what Americans really paid for tax help.
School Employees Have Used Isolated Timeouts Illegally, State Investigations Find
In six of eight districts investigators examined, they found that workers broke the law by improperly secluding students. Parents say the investigations, which were prompted by a Chicago Tribune and ProPublica Illinois story, have not gone far enough.
The Benefits of Being Joe Biden’s Brother
Jim Biden has been at his brother’s side at nearly every critical junction in Joe’s life. He’s also repeatedly tapped into Joe’s political network for help with his finances, and used Joe’s fame to promote his business ventures.
The New U.S. Maternal Mortality Rate Fails to Capture Many Deaths
Since 2007, the government had held off on releasing an official estimate of expectant and new mothers who died from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. It waited for the data to get better. But the new, long-anticipated number falls short.
A Liar’s Testimony Convinced a Jury to Convict a Man of Murder. Will Florida Execute Him Anyway?
A federal judge says key testimony used to convict James Dailey of murder was likely false. Dailey’s co-defendant has asserted — again — that Dailey had no involvement in the crime. So far, that hasn’t made a difference in the courts.
Do You Have a Tip for ProPublica? Help Us Do Journalism.
Got a story we should hear? Are you down to be a background source on a story about your community, your schools or your workplace? Get in touch.
House Subcommittee Opens Investigation of Evenflo, Maker of “Big Kid” Booster Seats
The probe comes after ProPublica’s story showing that the company put marketing of its “Big Kid” booster seats over child safety.
