Today in accountability news:

• The revolving door between government and the financial companies pushing back against new regulation is hardly a new phenomenon, but The New York Times reports that the issue has grown in prominence in recent years. Data show that more than 125 former Congressional aides and lawmakers are now working for financial firms, and at least 56 are working specifically as lobbyists.
• Following a 2006 coal mine explosion that killed five people, internal reviews by the Mine Safety and Health Administration found flaws in its own inspection practices, reports The Washington Post. Now, to the dismay of former regulators and industry experts, the manager in charge of inspections at that mine will lead an investigation into what went wrong in an explosion that killed 29 miners last week.
• Long before the news broke about sexual harassment allegations against former Congressman Eric Massa, the New York Democrat's senior staff members tried to "manage the problem internally," according to The Washington Post. Some on the staff complained about inappropriate behavior by Massa for a year before senior staff members finally told Congressional leaders about the allegations.
• The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that from 2008 until March 2010, Georgia lawmakers billed the state for more than $3.5 million in per diem payments for expenditures incurred while the General Assembly was out of session.
• The Los Angeles Times reports that a Cal State foundation, accused of illegally shredding financial documents related to a Sarah Palin speaking event, is being investigated for its use of $20 million  intended for educational purposes.

These stories are part of our ongoing roundup of investigations from other news outlets. For more, visit our Investigations Elsewhere page.