Megan O’Matz
Megan O’Matz is a reporter at ProPublica, where she covers issues out of Wisconsin.
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Megan O’Matz is a reporter at ProPublica, where she covers issues out of Wisconsin.
O’Matz comes to ProPublica from the South Florida Sun Sentinel, where she worked for two decades. She was a finalist for the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting for stories on widespread fraud in federal disaster aid programs. She also shared in the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for public service for reporting on the Parkland school shooting. O’Matz has worked for the Chicago Tribune, the Morning Call in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and the Pittsburgh Press.
She’s a graduate of Penn State University.
Tribal Lenders Say They Can Charge Over 600% Interest. These States Stopped Them.
Online lenders tied to Native American tribes argue that they aren’t subject to state lending laws, but they backed away from operating in six states where attorneys have acted forcefully to protect consumers.
The Tribal Lending Industry Offers Quick Cash Online at Outrageous Interest Rates. Here’s How It’s Survived.
Despite lawsuits, prosecutions and federal crackdown attempts, the tribal lending industry has adapted for over a decade, providing exorbitant loans to millions of financially vulnerable consumers.
A Tribal Lender Charging 800% APR Has Agreed to Stop Operating in Minnesota
The Lac du Flambeau tribe of Wisconsin settled a civil suit filed by Minnesota’s attorney general that alleged its triple-digit interest rates violated state caps. The tribe is under increasing legal pressure nationally over its lending practices.
Who’s Mailing the Catholic Tribune? It’s Not the Church, It’s Partisan Media.
ProPublica has traced these mass-mailed newspapers to a “pink slime” network known for misinformation and its financial ties to right-wing super PACs and billionaires.
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.
Local Reporting Network
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.
Desperate Times Led Wisconsin Tribe to High-Interest Lending, Dubious Partnerships and Legal Jeopardy
Facing financial ruin, the Lac du Flambeau tribe began offering short-term loans online with annual rates often over 600%. But as the tribe rose in an industry derided for predatory practices, it put its reputation at risk and drew costly lawsuits.
A Wisconsin Tribe Built a Lending Empire Charging 600% Annual Rates to Borrowers
The Lac du Flambeau tribe is at the center of a $1 billion class-action settlement that comes after years of fending off claims of predatory lending practices.
Wisconsin Picks New Legislative Maps That Would End Years of GOP Gerrymandering
Under legal pressure to address Wisconsin’s “Swiss cheese” and oddly shaped districts, the Legislature approved redrawn maps that promise to create a new dynamic in a state known for its pivotal role in national politics.
Wisconsin’s Legislative Maps Are Bizarre, but Are They Illegal?
Wisconsin’s gerrymandering case has garnered national attention. But a little-explored aspect of the suit — the pervasive presence of “Swiss cheese” districts — could have huge ramifications for the outcome.
In Nasty Fight Over Election Maps, Wisconsin GOP Counters Threats to Its Power
Heavily redrawn election districts in the battleground state gave Republicans firm control of the legislature — and the leeway to move aggressively against officials and judges they perceive as threats.