Revolving doors
Dec. 11, 2013
In the “reverse revolving door,” key players outside of government, often in heavily regulated industries, leave their high-paying corporate lobbying jobs for the public sector, where they take staff jobs on Senate and House committees. But can someone shift his or her outlook from protecting business interests to protecting the nation’s interest?
Bank Tracker
Dec. 10, 2013
Solid loan growth and continued low interest rates have helped the nation’s 6,600 credit unions rebuild from the 2008-09 financial crisis, according to new data from the National Credit Union Administration.
But there might be storm clouds on the horizon. NCUA Chair Debbie Matz warned recently that the prospect of higher interest rates could cut into credit union profits.
Economic impact ripples
Dec. 4, 2013
Lawyers often see the criminal and civil courts as two separate entities, but for people caught up in the legal system, the problems often bleed from one arena into the other. Having a bad lawyer, or an overwhelmed one, can result in a felony conviction rather than a misdemeanor, or a plea deal rather than a trial. Those missed opportunities can have economic and social ripple effects that last beyond any prison sentence.
Bank Tracker: Five-Year Review
Oct. 29, 2013
By most accounts TARP achieved its primary purpose: To help bring about stability in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. But the program has been called is "one of the most hated, misunderstood and effective policies in modern economic history."
Hunting the Nightmare Bacteria
Oct. 21, 2013
"Hunting the Nightmare Bacteria," a FRONTLINE program co-produced with the Investigative Reporting Workshop, looks at whether the age of antibiotics is coming to an end. From a young girl thrust onto life support in Arizona to an uncontrollable outbreak at one of the nation’s most prestigious hospitals, FRONTLINE investigates the alarming rise of a deadly type of bacteria that our modern antibiotics can’t stop. You can watch the full video, learn more about the global spread of superbugs and read about the making of the film.
What Went Wrong: The Betrayal of the American Dream
Oct. 17, 2013
Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele's 2012 book, "The Betrayal of the American Dream," chronicles how four decades of public policy shaped America's ongoing economic crisis. The New York Times bestseller, researched in part by Workshop staffers, will be released in paperback Oct. 22. The paperback edition includes the authors' new afterword, which takes a critical look at economic recovery in the United States and its impact on the middle class.
BankTracker: Smaller banks rebound more slowly
Sept. 13, 2013
The latest data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. shows that the nation’s banks continue to recover from the financial crisis, reporting stronger earnings and increasing loan volume.
But an analysis by the Investigative Reporting Workshop shows that for the vast majority of banks — those with less than $1 billion in assets — profits are harder to come by as they continue to try to work their way through a disproportionate amount of troubled loans and foreclosed property.
Obama's Drones
Aug. 2, 2013
Within the world of money and politics, Congressman Howard "Buck" McKeon stands out. Not only is he the top recipient of contributions from manufacturers of unmanned aerial vehicles, but he is also Capitol Hill’s most vocal supporter of the industry and has close ties with lobbyists and contractors. And if McKeon has his way, drones will soon populate the skies over this country.
Courts redefining crime and punishment
July 30, 2013
There is growing recognition that the current system of impossible caseloads, over-criminalized rule books and overflowing prisons is incredibly expensive, unsustainable — and avoidable. Legislatures and advocates are exploring how to shift some acts from criminal offenses to ticket-able ones. Organizers are teaming up with public defenders, bringing people power where money is short. And lawyers are trying to address the issues that led people into the justice system in the first place.
Nanotechnology: Harmful or Benign?
July 24, 2013
Although questions abound about the impact of nanoparticles on the environment and the human body, such particles have ushered in breakthroughs in medicine, agriculture and electronics, fueling a huge industry. Nanomaterials are now either produced or used by many of the nation’s largest businesses in toys, textiles, sunscreens, computer screens and tennis rackets. The industries say don't regulate us, but the EPA continues to study the issue.
The Koch Club
July 1, 2013
Koch foundations gave more than $41 million to 89 nonprofits from 2007-2011, part of a wide effort at funding organizations with public policy, education and political interests that align with those of Koch Industries, run by Charles and David Koch. The Investigative Reporting Workshop examined Internal Revenue Service documents for a closer look at Koch giving, which also includes millions to the arts, medicine and colleges across the country, as well as continued support of a "No Climate Tax Pledge."
The Hole
March 24, 2013
On any given day, there are about 300 immigrants in solitary confinement in some of the most populous detention centers overseen by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Conditions vary, but according to interviews with detainees and lawyers, segregated detainees are routinely kept alone for 22 to 23 hours a day in windowless, 6-by-13 cells. These immigrants are civil, not criminal, detainees, but new data obtained by the National Immigrant Justice Center and the Investigative Reporting Workshop show how punitive immigration enforcement has become. Trauma experts say the psychological impact may be more acute for detainees as many of them are victims of human trafficking or domestic violence or have survived persecution in their countries of origin.
BankTracker: Reshaped banking industry emerges from crisis
March 18, 2013
The banking industry has emerged shaken but in some senses thriving. Last year was the second most profitable ever for the nation’s banks, according to reports filed with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., but it is unmistakably true that the industry is fundamentally different today than it was five years ago.
Momentive
Dec. 26, 2012
Workers at Momentive Performance Materials have what thousands of unemployed Americans want most: jobs that pay a decent wage. And not just any jobs, union jobs, in manufacturing. But in the years since a private equity firm took over the chemical company, workers have seen contract fights, safety problems and slashed wages. This is the new face of stability in the American workplace.
Toxic Influence
Dec. 21, 2012
A landmark Environmental Protection Agency report concluding that children exposed to toxic substances can develop learning disabilities, asthma and other health problems has been sidetracked indefinitely amid fierce opposition from the chemical industry. Public health officials view it as a source of one-stop shopping for the best information on what children and women of childbearing age are exposed to, how much of it remains in their bodies and what the health effects might be.
BankTracker: More money, fewer banks
Dec. 20, 2012
The nation’s banks turned in another strong performance in the third quarter, continuing the steady recovery from the financial crisis that gripped the nation four years ago, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
Big Sky, Big Money
Oct. 29, 2012
"Big Sky, Big Money," which airs Oct. 30 on PBS FRONTLINE, chronicles how boxes of records turned over to Montana authorities show that a top person from Western Tradition Partnership interacted with candidates and helped shape their election efforts, possibly violating laws that bar coordination between campaigns and outside groups. The documentary and a series of stories on campaign finance examine how things have changed in Montana — and across the country — since the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United two years ago.
The Digital Campaign
Oct. 26, 2012
If candidates can make political messages feel like personal conversations, then they may win more votes. So they are turning more and more to Big Data to find out about individual voters before they go knocking on doors. Here's a look at how both Republicans and the Democrats are analyzing voters — and then tailoring their pitches.
Cliffhanger
Oct. 24, 2012
If the Congress and the White House can't find a way to avoid tax increases and large budget cuts -- the so-called "fiscal cliff" -- state budgets also could take a big hit.
Wasted Places: America's Brownfields
Sept. 19, 2012
Hundreds of thousands of former industrial and commercial sites around the nation can't be redeveloped without extensive environmental cleanup. But the Investigative News Network finds that a federal program designed to help get rid of toxic chemicals and other pollutants is plagued by a shortage of funds and bureaucratic problems.
BankTracker: Lending, profits growing
Sept. 11, 2012
The nation’s banks continued to recover in the second quarter, as the volume of troubled assets on their books dropped to the lowest level in three years, according to data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Banks earned $34.5 billion, below the $35.3 billion reported for the first quarter of this year but above the $28.8 billion recorded in the second quarter of 2011.
See how your bank is doing by searching for a bank or a credit union.
Passing Thoreau
Sept. 4, 2012
After a string of suicides two years ago, money and additional resources poured into tiny Thoreau, N.M., where economies, cultures and destinies bump into each other, where a Navajo teen can lose hope and a sense of identity. The crisis is no more, but the town still sits on a ragged edge.
Who can vote?
Aug. 30, 2012
News21 students from around the nation investigate claims of voter fraud and attempts to require voters to identify themselves at polling places.
Restoring the American Dream
Aug. 19, 2012
What will it take to fix the nation's economic problems? Co-authors Barlett and Steele offer solutions, including limiting subsidized imports and insisting that foreign nations lower their barriers to U.S. goods.
End of Retirement
Aug. 12, 2012
Pensions were once an integral part of the American dream, a pledge by corporations to their employees: For your decades of work, you can count on retirement benefits. Not everyone had a pension, but from the 1950s to the 1980s, the number of workers who did rose steadily — until 1985. Since then, more and more companies have walked away from pensions. Before today's workers reach retirement age, decisions by Congress favoring moneyed interests will drive millions of older Americans — most of them women — into poverty and push millions more to the brink.
Toxic Taps
Aug. 8, 2012
Millions of Americans may be drinking water that is contaminated with dangerous doses of lead. The Environmental Protection Agency knows it; state governments know it; local utilities know it. The only people who usually don’t know it are those who are actually drinking the toxic water.
The problem stems from a common practice in which water utilities replace sections of deteriorating lead service lines rather than the entire lines, commonly known as partial pipe replacements. It is a course of action that can do more harm than good.
Phantom Jobs
Aug. 4, 2012
America essentially invented outsourcing, but few outside the corporate world realized how rapidly it would devastate employment across the middle class, as imports quickly overwhelmed exports, and workers in industry after industry were sacrificed on the altar of unrestricted free trade.
Assault on the Middle Class
July 29, 2012
"The Betrayal of the American Dream" is the story of how people in power have put in place policies that have enriched themselves while cutting the ground out from underneath America’s greatest asset — its middle class. In this, the first of three excerpts from their new book, Don Barlett and Jim Steele show how 40 years of public policy and Wall Street practices have hurt working Americans.
Economic Indicators
June 19, 2012
The economic story of the past 40 years — wage stagnation, increased poverty rates, rising consumer debt — stands in sharp contrast to earlier periods in American history, when an expanding economy brought broader prosperity and created a large and dynamic middle class. The charts show the complexity of the economic picture.
Re-manufacturing America
June 14, 2012
A new study of manufacturing employment by the Investigative Reporting Workshop shows that factory jobs declined by nearly half since the peak in 1979, when there were 21 million manufacturing workers. But we also found that manufacturing employment grew in some states west of the Mississippi. And communities such as York, Pa., still see manufacturing as integral.
Investigating Power
April 25, 2012
Since 1950, independent journalists have fearlessly reported abuses of power, such as the anti-Communist demagoguery of Sen. Joseph McCarthy; the institutionalized racism and injustice in the South; and the gross misrepresentations and civilian atrocities committed by the U.S. government during the Vietnam War. Our new website, investigatingpower.org, highlights historical moments in the reporting of those landmark stories through video interviews, timelines and biographies of key journalists.
Connected: Rural, poor areas lag in broadband
March 23, 2012
The digital divide is more about economics than access, with people in poor states, particularly in the South, lagging behind the rest of the nation when it comes to broadband subscribership, according to an Investigative Reporting Workshop analysis of federal data. See where your state and city rank using our interactive maps and tables, and read about programs that offer potential solutions set to take effect later this year.
BankTracker: 2011 best in 5 years
March 8, 2012
The nation’s banks and credit unions had their best year since 2006, as a slowly recovering economy led to modest loan growth and lower levels of nonperforming loans.
Commercial banks made $119.5 billion in net income in 2011, the most since 2006, when they earned $145.2 billion. Credit unions earned $6.4 billion, the most ever.
Uneven dream
March 6, 2012
The economic crisis has shifted the nation’s focus to job creation but within the African-American community, a 40-year crisis of economic insecurity and dreams deferred exists with solutions that are just as unclear.
Lost in Detention
Feb. 2, 2012
The government has agreed to launch an investigation into sexual abuse at immigration detention centers. At the same time, the adminstration is weighing whether it will include immigrant detainees in regulations on prison-rape prevention, which are set to go into effect early this year.
American Dream
Jan. 26, 2012
Many still hope to attain the American Dream, whether the term means economic success, opportunity or freedom. But a group of Baltimore-area residents said some of their dreams have had to change or even be put on hold in these uncertain times.
Elder care: Labor fights heat up
Jan. 25, 2012
Elder care and home health care are rare bright spots in the American economy, adding jobs at a steady clip. But as the workforce grows, so, too, fights focus on unionization, wages and benefits.
Memories of another era
Dec. 24, 2011
Some call this moment the Great Recession. As the hardship has lingered, others have begun calling it the Little Depression. But equating the hard times of the 1930s with the hard times of today is mostly overblown rhetoric. Or is it?
BankTracker: Loans to small businesses down
Dec. 16, 2011
Loans to businesses of $1 million or less have been shrinking consistently since June 2008 and are now at their lowest point in 10 years. Read this story and more in our ongoing series. And see how your bank is doing by searching for a bank or a credit union.
A second look: The new Journalism Ecosystem
Nov. 30, 2011
The recent momentum of the new nonprofit journalism phenomenon is continuing despite the difficult U.S. economy, according to an analysis by the Investigative Reporting Workshop iLab. Most of the funding for these new journalistic nonprofits comes from philanthropic foundations and individuals. A year after publishing our initial “new journalism ecosystem” story, searchable database and national map, we have revisited each of the original 60 nonprofit news publishers profiled, and we have included 15 additional journalistic nonprofits, most of them recently created organizations.
As Apple grew, American workers left behind
Nov. 19, 2011
Apple is one of America's greatest success stories, built on innovative products and the marketing acumen of a legendary founder. But it also is emblematic of another, darker reality: Almost all its manufacturing is done overseas, and left in the wake of Apple's shifting of work to China are thousands of American workers.
Lost in Detention
Nov. 18, 2011
Today there are more than 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States. How we deal with this situation as a nation, founded by undocumented immigrants, is complex. The Investigative Reporting Workshop thought this territory was perfect for our brand of in-depth reporting and storytelling. We teamed with FRONTLINE to produce a new documentary, and have continued to update our coverage.
Redefining poverty
Nov. 7, 2011
Taking into account numerous supplemental measures, new poverty data paint a more complex and nuanced picture of who is struggling. The upshot: More seniors and fewer children are considered poor than in the "official" measure.
American Steal
Oct. 15, 2011
With millions of Americans unemployed, the reconstruction of the San Francisco Bay Bridge is well-timed to create much-needed jobs. And it has. Only the jobs are in China. Will the outsourcing of this $12 billion project deliver a death blow to the American steel industry?
Promise of green jobs falls short for many
Oct. 11, 2011
Training for green industries doesn't necessarily result in job offers, particularly for those hoping to break into entry-level positions such as wind techs, despite the administration's push. Casey McDonald and his fiancee, Jade Mooneyhan, don't need to see statistics to know that the political promises do not always equal economic reality.
Unemployment by the numbers
Oct. 10, 2011
New numbers give a fuller picture of the unemployed, and how particularly difficult it has been for young people, people of color and women to find work.
Voices of the unemployed
Sept. 19, 2011
Those looking for work and those who counsel them talk about their stress and frustration with the employment picture in this economy. In this package, you'll see video interviews from a recent job fair and learn more about programs that are trying to help those who have been looking for jobs for months.
Jobs don't mean end of struggle for working poor
Sept. 14, 2011
From the president to Congress to nearly every neighborhood in America, the focus today is on job creation. But for millions of Americans, just having a job doesn’t mean prosperity or anything like it.
Foreclosures: Housing counselors under siege
Aug. 5, 2011
Funding for housing counselors has been cut and more cuts to assistance programs for those who need help with foreclosures or even first-time home purchases take effect in October.
Crisis in the courts: Legal aid reeling from proposed budget cuts
July 12, 2011
Legal assistance for the poor will take a huge hit under a proposal just released by the House Appropriations Committee, which aims to slash funding for Legal Services Corporation by $104 million, rewinding the program’s budget back to 1999 levels.
Culture, income, location affect broadband adoption in Washington region
July 7, 2011
Our study of the Washington metro area shows that the “digital divide” is less about access to broadband and more about affordability. The analysis shows that broadband adoption is greater in the close-in suburbs than in areas farthest from the belway, though there are some exceptions.
Lost Jobs: Why fixing the trade deficit matters most
June 18, 2011
Congress is wrought up over the wrong deficit. The real deficit issue that has been out of control for 35 years is the trade deficit, which has blocked the creation of new jobs, triggered pay cuts for those who still have jobs and generally lowered the standard of living for many.
What Went Wrong: Taxes
April 20, 2011
One of the more egregious falsehoods being peddled by the corporate tax cutters is that companies doing business in the United States are taxed at an exorbitant rate. Not so. While the United States has one of the highest statutory rates on the books at 35 percent, the only fair way to measure what companies actually pay is their effective rate after deductions, credits and assorted writeoffs. By that yardstick, companies in the United States consistently pay taxes at rates lower than corporations in Japan and many nations in Europe.
Flying Cheaper
April 19, 2011
Sixteen US Airways pilots and flight attendants have filed a lawsuit against ST Aerospace Mobile, alleging the contract maintenance company conducted improper maintenance that led to employee illnesses. ST Mobile was one of the focuses of Flying Cheaper, a PBS FRONTLINE and Investigative Reporting Workshop co-production that looked at airline maintenance issues. The program was re-broadcast on April 19 and can be seen here.
Crisis in civil courts
Feb. 14, 2011
Poor people have fewer legal resources than ever despite battling foreclosures and seeking bankruptcy protection in tight economic times. Traditionally, people with little money could turn to the Legal Services Corporation, the federally mandated nonprofit that supports free legal-aid programs. But over the past few years, a perfect storm of conservative pushback, stagnant budgets and recessionary demand for legal services has left those who can least afford it fending for themselves.
Gunrunners
Feb. 3, 2011
The movement of guns from the United States into Mexico actually begins in Europe, with a gun supplier in Romania that sells to a company in Vermont. We examine how AK47s are remade and resold and can now be traced to crime in Mexico. This is an ongoing report in a new partnership between the Investigative Reporting Workshop, PBS FRONTLINE, the Center for Public Integrity, the Romanian Centre for Investigative Journalism and InSight, a website co-sponsored by American University's Center for Latin American and Latino Studies.
The Comcast-NBC merger: What it means for Internet TV
Jan. 4, 2011
Those in the know say you don’t need a television to watch TV anymore. All you need is an Internet connection and a screen.
Missed last night’s episode of 30 Rock? No worries. Log on to Hulu and watch it on your laptop. Once you’ve done that, it’s just a small step to drop your cable or satellite subscription and save a bunch of money, right?
Not so fast. Watching your fill of free TV online isn’t so easy, especially if you want to see this week’s episode of Glee at the same time as your cable-connected friends or view special events like the Super Bowl.
Blown Away: Tracking stimulus grants for renewable energy
Dec. 9, 2010
Top Democratic fundraisers and lobbyists with links to the White House are behind a proposed wind farm in Texas that stands to get $450 million in stimulus money, even though a Chinese company would operate the farm and its turbines would be built in China.
The Coal Truth
Nov. 23, 2010
No U.S. coal company had a worse safety violation and fatality record than Massey Energy Co., even before an explosion at its Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia killed 29 on April 5, according to an analysis by the Investigative Reporting Workshop.
The X-ray factor
Sept. 29, 2010
At a time when Americans are exposed to more medical radiation than ever, the patchwork regulation of technicians who perform imaging exams may be putting patients at risk. There is no national minimum standard for technicians’ training or competency or for the inspection of the medical X-ray machines they operate.
FOIA DC AUDIT
May 21, 2010
The Workshop and the D.C. Open Government Coalition analyze the District's shortcomings in complying with FOIA. See the audits by agency or by category.
Flying Cheap
Feb. 9, 2010
The crash of Continental 3407 a year ago just outside Buffalo has cast new light on the increasing importance of regional airlines and their relationships with their bigger and better-known major partners. FRONTLINE and the Investigative Reporting Workshop explore those relationships in "Flying Cheap." See major crashes, or air traffic and crashes by airport or by airline.
Nuclear Energy’s Lobbying Push
Jan. 24, 2010
With the help of some new-found friends and a $600 million lobbying effort, the nuclear energy industry is on the brink of getting federal financial support to build reactors to generate elecricity. Already, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is swamped by a tsunami of applications, even though old issues such as safety and waste disposal still haven't been solved.
Electronic Medical Records Market Fueled by Stimulus
Nov. 5, 2009
The government’s $45 billion plan to jump-start a national shift to electronic medical records has touched off a gold rush among scores of technology firms – even as many experts question whether the benefits of the products are being oversold.
The DeParle Portfolio
July 2, 2009
Nancy Ann DeParle, who heads the White House Office on Health Reform, served as a director of corporations that faced scores of federal investigations, whistleblower lawsuits and other regulatory actions, according to government records reviewed by the Investigative Reporting Workshop.
DeParle, who ran the Medicare program in the last years of the Clinton administration made more than $6.6 million in directors' fees and stock transactions between 2001 and March of this year, Securities and Exchange Commission filings revealed.
Thyroid cancer report
May 4, 2009
Thyroid cancer is the fastest increasing type of cancer in the nation, and medical researchers don't know why. The increase comes as the rates for most cancers have been declining.
