Archive - Illinois
Support Journalism That Makes a Difference
I’m writing, as the end of the year approaches, to ask you to consider making a gift to ProPublica. Your support will help us continue our critically important work of publishing investigative journalism in the public interest—and with an eye toward spurring change.
Oil Spill Panel Finds Obama's Regulatory Overhaul Insufficient, Industry ‘Complacent’
The presidential oil spill commission said the Obama administration's overhaul of nation's offshore drilling regulatory agency doesn't go far enough to prevent conflicts of interest.
General Electric Tapped Fed To Borrow $16 Billion
General Electric Co. borrowed $16 billion through a Federal Reserve Board rescue program in the fall of 2008, even as the blue-ribbon company enjoyed the highest credit rating available at the time.
Small Nations Spend Big on Lobbying in Washington, D.C.
New database of federal records shows tiny countries have used big-time Washington lobbyists to plead their cases in the United States.
Drug Company Used Ghostwriters to Write Work Bylined by Academics, Documents Show
Newly released documents show how medical ghostwriters--paid for by a UK drug company--penned material published in medical journals and even a textbook.
On the Mortgage Mess, Fannie and Freddie Point Blame Elsewhere
In testimony before lawmakers, Fannie and Freddie executives blamed servicers for foreclosure missteps, saying they expected them to comply with the law.
Interactive: Which Banks Got Emergency Loans from the Fed During the Financial Meltdown?
Wednesday the Federal Reserve released data on more than 21,000 loans and other deals it made through a dozen emergency programs created during the financial crisis. We've combined the Fed’s three programs that loaned directly to banks and other financial firms with the goal of getting them to start lending again.
Read: Documents Reveal One Bank’s Plan to Squeeze Customers for More Overdrafts
Follow along as we review of internal bank memos and e-mails that show Wells Fargo tried to maximize overdraft fees.
NY Assembly Approves Hydraulic Fracturing Moratorium
The New York state legislature gave its final approval to a bill that would, if signed by the governor, place a hold on new fracking until May 2011.
Banks Seeking to Foreclose Face More Questions About Legal Standing
Several recent cases show that banks are facing more questions not only about their foreclosure documents--but about whether they can prove their legal standing to enforce a foreclosure.
Oil Spill Commission's Missing Document Adds Insight to Gulf Investigation
A new document uncovered last week might help to clear up some confusion over comments made earlier this month by the Oil Spill Commission's chief counsel.
With Federal Benefits Set to Expire, Unemployed Workers Face Shrinking Safety Net
With unemployment at 9.6 percent and state unemployment funds in shambles, federal programs to extend the safety net for unemployed workers are set to expire unless lawmakers intervene.
Ex-Admissions Officer at For-Profit College Testifies About School’s Tactics
In a recent court filing, a former admissions officer at a for-profit college in Utah testified that the school instructed recruiters to make prospective students “feel hopeless” and gave financial incentives for enrolling a certain number of students, according to the Deseret News.