Lydia DePillis
Lydia DePillis covered federal agencies at ProPublica.
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Lydia DePillis previously worked with ProPublica as a Reporter. Before that, she covered national economics issues for CNN Business, Texas’ economy for the Houston Chronicle, labor and the workplace for The Washington Post, and the business, culture and politics of the technology industry for The New Republic. DePillis was also previously a real estate columnist for the Washington City Paper, where she authored its award-winning Housing Complex blog. Her work has appeared in the New York Observer, Pacific Standard, Slate and various trade publications. She’s from Seattle, and is based in Washington, D.C.
Biden Promised to Prioritize People Over Polluters. This Official Is Struggling to Deliver.
Biden’s pick to protect Americans from toxic chemicals, Michal Freedhoff, is facing a bare-bones budget, demoralized staff and increasingly angry advocates.
They Promised Quick and Easy PPP Loans. Often, They Only Delivered Hassle and Heartache.
More than a million government-approved loans ended up being canceled, including some that would have gone to people who needed the loans and applied just as they were told.
This Scientist Created a Rapid Test Just Weeks Into the Pandemic. Here’s Why You Still Can’t Get It.
Irene Bosch developed a quick, inexpensive COVID-19 test in early 2020. The Harvard-trained scientist already had a factory set up. But she was stymied by an FDA process experts say made no sense.
Here’s Why Rapid COVID Tests Are So Expensive and Hard to Find
Monthslong silences. Mysterious rejections. Here’s what's behind the shortages of a critical tool for ending the pandemic.
The Government Gave Free PPP Money to Public Companies Despite Warning Them Not to Apply
At least 120 publicly traded companies that received large PPP loans grew their revenues last year and have been allowed to keep the money anyway, according to a ProPublica analysis.
This Company Got a $10 Million PPP Loan, Then Closed Its Plant and Moved Manufacturing Jobs to Mexico
Many American businesses received millions in federal pandemic aid intended to protect workers, but exploited loopholes and rule changes to lay off those employees anyway.
The Government Is Here to Help Small Businesses — Unless They’re Cooperatives
The Small Business Administration’s rules prevent it from helping most employee- and consumer-owned cooperatives, even though Congress specifically asked it to. The result? Co-ops are largely cut out of the mainstream financial system.
An Online Lender Gave Hundreds of PPP Loans to Fake Farms. Now Congress Is Investigating.
A House committee has opened a probe into loans by Kabbage and other fintech companies after ProPublica reported that millions had gone to businesses that do not exist.
Hundreds of PPP Loans Went to Fake Farms in Absurd Places
An online lending platform called Kabbage sent 378 pandemic loans worth $7 million to fake companies (mostly farms) with names like “Deely Nuts” and “Beefy King.”
The Federal Government Will Now Give PPP Loans to Borrowers in Bankruptcy
Thousands of companies working their way out of bankruptcy are now eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program after ProPublica reported that the Small Business Administration had been excluding them.