3 Things Mayor de Blasio and AG Schneiderman Didn’t Say About Housing Enforcement

New York leaders have been quick to celebrate enforcement achievements to protect rent-stabilized units but haven’t put them in context.

Billionaire Tax Breaks, A Military Rape Trial and More in MuckReads Weekly

Researchers Call for More Study of Agent Orange Effects on Vets and Their Kids

A committee of the Institute of Medicine said even though the Vietnam War ended four decades ago, much is still not known about the way the herbicide Agent Orange has impacted vets and perhaps their children.

Trying (and Trying) to Get Records From the ‘Most Transparent Administration’ Ever

I experienced firsthand the incompetence and neglect behind Obama’s failure to make good on his FOIA promises.

Rent Limits Just a Fiction for Thousands of NYC Tenants, Records Disclose

Among other facts, newly released housing documents reveal that 239,000 regulated apartments have “preferential” rent, meaning landlords may be able to boost rents by more than what the city allows.

‘We’re Sitting Ducks’

Houston, home to millions of people and one of the largest shipping lanes in the world, is unprepared for the hurricane that could bring ecological and economic disaster.

Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About Voter ID Laws

More than 30 states have enacted some version of voter ID law in recent years. How much do these laws change voting rules and what impact could they have on the general election?

Senator Asks Privacy Regulators to Stop Abuse of Nursing Home Residents on Social Media

ProPublica reported in December about three dozen inappropriate posts by employees of nursing homes and assisted living centers. A top Democrat wants details on efforts to combat the trend.

Verizon to Pay $1.35 Million to Settle Zombie Cookie Privacy Charges

The settlement is the latest sign that the FCC is stepping up privacy enforcement actions.

How Philanthropist David Rubenstein Helped Save a Tax Break Billionaires Love

A private equity mogul lauded for patriotic donations has quietly worked to protect one source of his wealth — the carried-interest loophole.

Remember That CEO Pay Cap? It’s Even Less Effective Than We Knew

Companies are increasingly using pay-for-performance to get around a $1 million federal limit on tax deductions for executive compensation.

The Best MuckReads on the Gulf Coast’s Hurricane Threat

Is the Gulf Coast prepared for the next big storm? Here's some of the best reporting we've seen on the continuing dangers that hurricanes pose to America's southern coast

The Evolution of the VA’s Vietnam Ship List

Navy veterans who served in Vietnam often must prove that their ships entered territorial waters in order to receive Agent Orange benefits. It wasn’t always that way. The following history explains how we got to this point.

Ailing Vietnam Vets Hunt Through Ships’ Logs to Prove They Should Get Benefits

Neither the Navy nor the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has a comprehensive list of which ships went where during the Vietnam War. As a result, veterans themselves often have to prove their ships served in areas where Agent Orange was sprayed.

The Referendum That Might Have Headed Off Flint’s Water Crisis

Michigan’s voters decided to scrap the kind of super-empowered emergency managers who made questionable decisions in Flint – but state lawmakers found a way to revive the program.

Is Your Doorman Getting Underpaid? Here’s How to Find Out.

Workers at big NYC apartment buildings that get a tax subsidy are supposed to be paid a prevailing wage set by the city comptroller. But they don’t always know it – and that can cost them.