Archive - Illinois
Chemicals Meant To Break Up BP Oil Spill Present New Environmental Concerns
Dispersing the oil in the Gulf of Mexico is considered one of the best ways to protect birds and keep the slick offshore. But the dispersants being used contain harmful toxins of their own and can concentrate leftover oil toxins in the water,
Geithner Talks Tough on Loan Mods, and Backs It Up With … More Data
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has finally acknowledged the depths of the problems with the administration's mortgage modification program. But in testimony before Congress this week, he offered no new solutions.
Did Former Bank Execs Lie to Congress?
Former Lehman CEO Richard Fuld may have understated his earnings while testifying before Congress, some reports say, and a former Goldman executive may have been disingenuous in his testimony.
BP Had Other Problems in Years Leading to Gulf Spill
BP has found itself at the center of several of the nation's worst oil and gas–related disasters in the last five years. It has been fined for a deadly refinery explosion in Texas, a pipeline leak in Alaska, and for manipulating propane prices.
Gulf Oil Spill Puts Spotlight on Regulator With Mixed Record
The Minerals Management Service, which oversees oil rigs, has had ethical and other problems. It is the agency that decided against requiring an oil-drilling safeguard that is used in some other countries.
Banks Pressured Credit Agencies, Then Blamed Them
Big financial firms are among those pointing fingers at the credit rating agencies for their role in the economic meltdown. But internal e-mail suggests that those same firms pressured the credit agencies to give good ratings.
New Tricks for Those Republican ‘Census’ Mailers
After the Republican National Committee used a fake census form to try to raise money, Congress passed a law aimed at eliminating such tactics. But the RNC has found a way around it, and the mailings continue.
Read the Pentagon's New Rules for Military Trials
The Department of Defense has released its Manual for Military Commissions, 281 pages that detail the latest rules and procedures for military trials at Guantanamo Bay. ProPublica provides access to the manual.
Republicans Getting More Campaign Cash From Wall Street
The Republicans' resistance to financial reform is risky in an election year. Whatever the reason, it comes as big financial firms are shifting more of their political contributions toward the GOP.
Are Goldman's 'Big Short' Denials Short on Persuasiveness?
Goldman Sachs dd nothing illegal in shorting the market, but it has a lot of persuading to do if it expects people to believe it wasn't happy to see the housing market tank.
After the SEC's Goldman Suit, Other Banks Being Scrutinized
Reports about Deutsche Bank's CDO deals with Paulson & Co. raise disclosure issues like those for which the SEC sued Goldman Sachs. But Deutsche Bank says its situation was different.
Senate Dems to Deny Buffett's Derivatives Exception
Though Warren Buffett has long argued about the danger of derivatives, he has pushed to exempt existing deals from proposed new regulations on such contracts. But his efforts to win such an exemption are reported to have failed.
