Archive
The Ghosts of John Tanton
Climate change and anti-immigrant hate are colliding, foretelling a volatile future.
FEMA Told Victims of New Mexico’s Largest Wildfire It Can’t Pay for Emotional Harm. A Judge Will Likely Rule It Must.
Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire victims sued the agency because it will compensate them only for losses that come with a price tag. Victims say the law allows them to be paid for the stress of fleeing the blaze and the toll of losing their possessions.
JD Vance Campaign Event With Christian Right Leaders May Have Violated Tax and Election Laws, Experts Say
Ziklag and the Courage Tour, the far-right groups that hosted the Republican vice-presidential nominee, are charities that can’t legally intervene in political campaigns.
Opponents of Missouri Abortion Rights Amendment Turn to Anti-Trans Messaging and Misinformation
Facing poll numbers showing support for a proposed amendment that would ensure reproductive rights in the state, abortion opponents have poured more than $1 million into a last-minute campaign to undermine support leading up to the election.
Charleston Unveils Historical Marker at the Site of Firm That Held the Largest Known U.S. Slave Trade
As a graduate student at the College of Charleston, Lauren Davila found an ad for the auction of 600 enslaved people. A ProPublica story last year revealed her discovery and unearthed the identity of the family responsible for the sale.
Executives From a Bank Charged With “Predatory Lending” Moved to a New Lender. Regulators Did Little to Stop Them.
A dozen states that pursued Santander Consumer USA for its high-interest loans have failed to address scores of complaints alleging nearly identical behavior at Exeter Finance. The same team of executives ran both companies, ProPublica has learned.
After Mass Dismissals in Anchorage, Alaska Officials Step in to Help Prosecute Crimes
The state offered to send up to 10 prosecutors to Anchorage days after the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica reported that hundreds of misdemeanor cases had been dropped since May because the city couldn’t hit court deadlines for speedy trials.
Georgia Judge Rules Election Officials Must Count All Votes and Certify Results
The judge ruled that “Georgia voters would be silenced” if county election board members were “free to play investigator, prosecutor, jury, and judge” and refuse to certify election results.
Right-Wing Activists Pushed False Claims About Election Fraud. Now They’re Recruiting Poll Workers in Swing States.
Experts say these poll workers could sow distrust in democracy and bolster court cases challenging the election. ProPublica and Wisconsin Watch reviewed dozens of hours of trainings and presentations in which activists discussed their plans.
Blinken to Israel: Allow More Aid Into Gaza or Face the Consequences
The stern letter from the secretary of state and the Pentagon comes amid the worst month for relief efforts since the war began. ProPublica previously reported Blinken had earlier rejected findings that Israel was deliberately blocking aid.
Greg Abbott Boasted That Texas Removed 6,500 Noncitizens From Its Voter Rolls. That Number Was Likely Inflated.
At least nine U.S. citizens across three Texas counties were incorrectly labeled as noncitizens or removed from voter rolls because they did not respond to letters asking about their citizenship.
Tribal College Campuses Are Falling Apart. The U.S. Hasn’t Fulfilled Its Promise to Fund the Schools.
Decades ago, Congress made a commitment to fund a higher education system for Indigenous communities. But a quarter-billion-dollar annual shortfall has led to crimped budgets and crumbling buildings, even as enrollment rises.
Domestic Violence, Child Abuse and DUI Cases Are Being Dismissed en Masse in Anchorage
An effort to clear a backlog in the court system, combined with a lack of prosecutors, has led hundreds of people charged with an array of criminal misdemeanors in Alaska’s most-populous city to have their cases dropped without a trial.
In a State With School Vouchers for All, Low-Income Families Aren’t Choosing to Use Them
Working-class parents often express interest in vouchers. But in Arizona, the nation’s school choice capital, these families aren’t using them due to the inaccessibility of private schools and the costs of transportation, meals and uniforms.
In Texas’ Third-Largest County, the Far Right’s Vision for Local Governing Has Come to Life
From cutting social services to changing election rules, Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare has pushed his agenda with an uncompromising approach. His term offers a rare look at what happens when hard-liners exert influence in a battleground county.
Battle Over Ballot Drop Boxes Rages On in Wisconsin as Officials Put Them at Center of Election Integrity Debate
After court rulings that first outlawed the boxes and then made them legal again, conspiracy theories continue to stir opposition that will result in heightened surveillance at sites this election. The hijacking of one box reflects the controversy.
Uvalde City Officials Release Dozens of Missing Videos From Officers Responding to Robb Elementary Massacre
The new material largely affirms prior reporting by ProPublica, The Texas Tribune and FRONTLINE detailing law enforcement’s failures to engage the teen shooter who killed 19 children and two teachers in 2022.
Fossil Fuel Interests Are Working to Kill Solar in One Ohio County. The Hometown Newspaper Is Helping.
A retired gas industry executive, a shadowy “grassroots” group and a controversial media company are spreading misinformation while turning residents against a proposed solar farm — and each other.
North Dakota’s Likely Next Governor Brushes Off Conflict Concerns, Says His Oil and Gas Ties Would Benefit the State
Kelly Armstrong earns nearly all of his personal income from oil and gas. If elected, he'll lead boards overseeing the industry in a state with weak financial disclosure rules.
Election Skeptics Are Running Some County Election Boards in Georgia. A New Rule Could Allow Them to Exclude Decisive Votes.
An examination of a new election rule in Georgia suggests that local officials in just a handful of rural counties could exclude enough votes to affect the outcome of the 2024 presidential race.
