Archive - Illinois
Lowe’s Amends Settlement to Get Drywall Victims More Money
Lowe’s Companies Inc. is offering $100,000 in cash to customers who can prove their health or their homes have been substantially damaged by defective drywall they bought from Lowe’s. The amended settlement came after a ProPublica and Sarasota Herald-Tribune report that a previous version of the settlement shortchanged victims and was overly generous to attorneys.
Lawyer at Center of Robo-Signing Scandal Sees ‘More of the Same’ From Banks
Banks foreclosure fixes are “more of the same, cheap stuff,” according to the lawyer whose deposition of a robo-signer sparked the foreclosure scandal.
U.S. Regulator Investigating Defective Drywall Demands China’s Cooperation
Frustrated by intransigent Chinese drywall manufacturers and government officials, the federal agency investigating the tainted drywall that’s believed to be contaminating thousands of American homes met with Chinese officials this week to urge them to cooperate.
The Government's Incredible Shrinking Mortgage Mod Program
The U.S. government's effort to help struggling homeowners from defaulting on their mortgages is approaching a standstill, and the number of homeowners in ongoing mortgage modifications could start shrinking.
Q&A: Leaked War Logs Raise Questions of Accountability for Military Contractors
An expert on private military contractors weighs in on WikiLeaks’ Iraq war logs, State Department secrecy and more.
Why Tracking BP Worker Deaths Is Tricky
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration, or OSHA, keeps track of worker deaths according to the company that employed the dead workers, not the company on whose sites they died, so ProPublica couldn’t accurately track the fatalities BP oil company is responsible for.
Furious Growth and Cost Cuts Led To BP Accidents Past and Present
An EPA attorney tried for 12 years to make oil giant BP operate safely. Now, recently retired, she says BP should be banned from doing business with the U.S. government. A ProPublica and PBS FRONTLINE investigation.
Amid Foreclosure Questions, Govt Loan Mod Program Continues Struggles
New numbers show the administration’s mortgage modification program continues to struggle, while government officials say the banks’ flawed foreclosure practices should draw even more attention to their poor record in the handling of homeowners seeking modifications.
Leaked Memo Depicts Bare-Bones Regulatory Environment for NY Gas Drilling
Memo from fired New York environmental chief says Paterson budget cuts would make it harder to clean up spills, respond to natural gas drilling in New York state.
Magnetar Deals at Center of New Lawsuit
A European-based investment fund and a French bank are battling it out in New York state court over complex securities created at the behest of the hedge fund Magnetar
China Plays Tug-of-War With U.S. Inspectors Over Drywall
A team of federal investigators who traveled to China last year to search for answers about defective drywall faced resistance from Chinese government officials. At one point, a Chinese official snatched a drywall sample from an American’s hands.
Loan Mod Reporting Matchmaker Project Works for PBS's NewsHour
As part of our loan mod Reporting Matchmaker Project, ProPublica connected PBS's NewsHour with a family to discuss their 17-month ordeal applying for a loan modification.
Loan Mod Reporting Matchmaker Project Works for PBS's NewsHour
As part of our loan mod Reporting Matchmaker Project, ProPublica connected PBS's NewsHour with a family to discuss their 17-month ordeal applying for a loan modification.
The Documentary BP Wants You to Disregard
In a speech today, BP CEO Robert Dudley warned London's business leaders that an upcoming report and documentary from ProPublica and PBS FRONTLINE would paint an unflattering picture of the company's safety record. He defended BP's record on safety but said the company would continue to work to improve.
The New Democrats: The Coalition Pharma and Wall Street Love
When the Democrats took control of Congress they promised a new era that would end the excesses of what they labeled a Republican "culture of corruption." Today, many of the same techniques and tactics are still in use, this time by Democrats.
