Archive
Utah’s Secretive Medical Malpractice Panels Make It Even Harder to Sue Providers
Prelitigation panels are meant to judge the merit of a complaint against a provider ahead of a lawsuit. But some attorneys see them as “nothing more than an obstruction” for victims.
The Army Increasingly Allows Soldiers Charged With Violent Crimes to Leave the Military Rather Than Face Trial
A federal watchdog called for ending the practice nearly 50 years ago, but the military pushed back. Now, soldiers leave the Army with a negative discharge, avoiding possible federal conviction and with little record of the allegations against them.
Clarence Thomas Defends Undisclosed “Family Trips” With GOP Megadonor. Here Are the Facts.
In response to a ProPublica report, Thomas explained why he did not disclose lavish travel provided by billionaire Harlan Crow. But legal experts maintain the justice was required to make these disclosures.
IRS Strategic Plan Vows to Amp Up Audits of the Rich
With $80 billion in new funding, the previously gutted agency pledged to renew its pursuit of wealthy tax dodgers and address a number of problems that ProPublica has been reporting on in recent years.
Homeless Shelters Aren’t Equipped to Deal With New Mexico’s Most Troubled Foster Kids. Police See It for Themselves.
New Mexico places foster teens with serious mental health conditions in shelters that don’t offer psychiatric services. When a crisis erupts, they call 911. “This happens all the time,” said one officer.
Lawmakers Call for Investigation and Ethics Reforms in Response to ProPublica Report on Clarence Thomas
Influential Democratic legislators are pushing for changes at the Supreme Court and a probe into Thomas’ undisclosed luxury trips provided by powerful conservative donor Harlan Crow.
Feds Advance Portable Generator Safety Rule to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Saying that manufacturers failed to make generators safer, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is moving forward with proposed regulations to bolster protections. The proposal comes after reporting by ProPublica, The Texas Tribune and NBC News.
Clarence Thomas and the Billionaire
Island-hopping on a superyacht. Private jet rides around the world. The undisclosed gifts to Thomas have no known precedent in the modern history of the Supreme Court. “It’s incomprehensible to me that someone would do this,” says one former judge.
Major Chemical Company Changes Tune on Asbestos, No Longer Opposes EPA Ban
In a letter to the EPA, Olin Corp., one of the few U.S. manufacturers still using asbestos, signaled newfound support for a federal ban on the deadly mineral and said it could halt imports as soon as this week.
Private Planes and Luxury Yachts Aren’t Just Toys for the Ultrawealthy. They’re Also Huge Tax Breaks.
What’s the only thing better than having your own Gulfstream jet? Why, getting to claim millions in tax deductions for it. All you have to do is make a case you’re using it for business, which turns out to be surprisingly easy.
The Powerful Forces Keeping High Interest Title Lending Alive in Georgia
TMX Finance and Select Management Resources, the owners of two major title lending brands, have been cozying up to Georgia lawmakers in a position to bottleneck industry reform.
Judge Dismisses Sex Abuse Case Against Alaska’s Former Acting Attorney General
The former AG resigned in January 2021 as the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica prepared to publish an article about the allegations.
The True Dangers of Long Trains
Trains are getting longer. Railroads are getting richer. But these “monster trains” are jumping off of tracks across America and regulators are doing little to curb the risk.
Minnesota Lets Nurses Practice While Disciplinary Investigations Drag On. Patients Keep Getting Hurt.
A 2015 state audit found the Minnesota Board of Nursing was slow to act on complaints about nurses, putting the public at risk. The board ramped up its discipline for a few years, but now cases are backing up again.
Lawmakers Have Renewed the Effort to Ban Asbestos
They said ProPublica’s recent reporting on unsafe conditions in factories that use asbestos underscores the need for action.
Two Republicans Kicked Off County Election Board in North Carolina for Failing to Certify Results
What happened to the officials stands in sharp contrast to elsewhere in the U.S., where those who voted against certification faced few consequences.
Sweeping Repatriation Reform Bill Unanimously Passes Illinois House of Representatives
If signed into law, the legislation would create a protected cemetery for the reburial of repatriated Native American ancestors and establish a committee of tribal leaders to review state projects that may disturb culturally significant sites.
How Abortion Bans Are Impacting Pregnant Patients Across the Country
Leading legal scholar Mary Ziegler and Tennessee OB-GYN Dr. Nikki Zite talk to ProPublica about ominous trends and threats to patients’ lives posed by increasingly strict abortion bans.
