Ian MacDougall
Ian MacDougall is a contributing reporter at ProPublica.
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A lawyer as well as a journalist, he has written about crime, criminal justice and legal affairs for Harper’s, The Atlantic, Slate, The Guardian and n+1. Prior to attending law school, he was an Associated Press reporter, with stints in the Oslo, Norway, and Providence, Rhode Island, bureaus.
What Went Wrong at New York City Polling Places? It Was Something in the Air. Literally.
There was almost 100 percent humidity and unusually high precipitation in the five boroughs, not exactly perfect for a widely used ballot scanner. According to its technical documents, the scanner becomes downright uncomfortable when the weather turns sweaty.
Long Lines Test Voter Patience Across the Nation
With waits at polling places sometimes exceeding an hour, some voters turn away as poll workers wrestle with malfunctioning equipment and overflow crowds.
How the Trump Administration Went Easy on Small-Town Police Abuses
The Obama Justice Department thought Ville Platte, Louisiana — where officers jail witnesses to crimes — could become a model of how to erase policing abuses that plague small towns across the nation. Jeff Sessions decided not to bother.
What’s Your Experience With the Americans With Disabilities Act? We Want to Know.
We want to know how the law affects you, whether you’re a person with a disability, caretaker, business owner, architect or contractor.
Why the IRS’ Recent Dark Money Decision May Be Less Dire Than It Seems
With the tax agency already “toothless” on political cases, how much difference does it make if it’s now “deaf and blind,” too?
Who Is Brett Kavanaugh? A Supreme Court Reading Guide
President Trump proposed a replacement for retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy. Here, the best reporting to date on the Supreme Court nominee.
Behind the Criminal Immigration Law: Eugenics and White Supremacy
The history of the statute that can make it a felony to illegally enter the country involves some dark corners of U.S. history.
Judge Dismisses Libel Suit Involving ProPublica Article
The ruling cited the article’s heavy reliance on government reports that found numerous problems at nursing home company SentosaCare.
NLRB Member Is Under Investigation for a Conflict of Interest
William Emanuel, already criticized for allegedly favoring clients of the corporate law firm he used to work for, now faces a probe by the agency’s inspector general.
Trump NLRB Appointee Finds a Way Around Conflict of Interest Rules
William Emanuel has recused himself from ruling on disputes involving his former law firm’s clients — but then used unrelated cases as vehicles to help Republican colleagues accomplish the same thing.