Lobbyists Bidding to Block Government Regs Set Sights on Secretive White House Office

When Washington lobbyists fail to derail regulations proposed by federal agencies, they often find a receptive ear within the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, an arm of the White House Office of Management and Budget that conducts much of its business in secret.

Does Valeant’s Cost-Cutting Go Too Far?

Report Criticizes EPA Oversight of Injection Wells

The Government Accountability Office says environmental regulators are failing to adequately enforce rules for wells used to dispose of toxic waste from drilling.

Campus Sexual Assault: What Are Colleges Doing Wrong?

We’ve rounded up cases and coverage that show the persistence of sexual violence at colleges.

USA Discounters Responds to ProPublica Article

The company says ProPublica “inaccurately” portrayed its policies regarding military customers, but cites no errors.

The Catholic Church's Bogus Healer and More in MuckReads Weekly

Some of the best #MuckReads we read this week. Want to receive these by email? <a href="http://www.propublica.org/article/the-catholic-churchs-bogus-healer-and-more-in-muckreads-weekly#mc_embed_signup">Sign up</a> to get this briefing delivered to your inbox every weekend.

For Lenders, Gaps in Federal Law Make Suing Soldiers Easy

Courts are required to appoint attorneys for service members if they are sued and can’t appear. But the law says little about what those lawyers must do. Some companies have taken advantage.

Thank You for Your Service: How One Company Sues Soldiers Worldwide

With stores near military bases across the country, the retailer USA Discounters offers easy credit to service members. But when those loans go bad, the company uses the local courts near its Virginia headquarters to file suits by the thousands.

Insta-Loophole: In Florida, High-Cost Lender Skirts the Law

Despite a ban on high-interest car title loans, the nation’s largest title lender has opened 26 Instaloan stores in Florida, offering a refashioned version of the loans that effectively charge the same sky-high rates the law was designed to stop.

Are Patient Privacy Laws Being Misused to Protect Medical Centers?

A 1996 law known as HIPAA has been cited to scold a mom taking a picture of her son in a hospital, to keep information away from police investigating a possible rape at a nursing home, and to threaten VA whistleblowers.

Under Water: The EPA’s Struggle to Combat Pollution

Frustration and inaction color efforts to enforce the Clean Water Act.

Even After Open Enrollment, Activity Remains Unexpectedly High on Federal Health Insurance Exchange

New federal data, obtained by ProPublica under the Freedom of Information Act, shows nearly 1 million insurance transactions since mid-April.

What We Learned Investigating Unpaid Internships

Though the intern economy remains opaque, dialogue about the role of interns in the labor force – and protections they deserve – is beginning to take shape.

A Brutal Loss, but an Enduring Conviction

Rita Bender, 22 when her husband Michael Schwerner was killed by the Klan in Mississippi in 1964, says challenges remain in the fight for racial justice.

New York State of Fracking: A ProPublica Explainer

Court cases. A governor’s moratorium. Pending health study. A quick guide to the state of fracking in New York.

Meet the Online Tracking Device That is Virtually Impossible to Block

A new kind of tracking tool, canvas fingerprinting, is being used to follow visitors to thousands of top websites, from WhiteHouse.gov to YouPorn.

Error: You Have No Payments from Pharma

Doctors checking a soon-to-be-unveiled federal website that will publicly list drug company payments are encountering error messages if they have not accepted industry money.

Sex Assault on Campus, Prisoner Abuse at Rikers and Dark Money Rising (MuckReads Weekly)

Some of the best #MuckReads we read this week. Want to receive these by email? <a href="http://www.propublica.org/article/sex-assault-on-campus-prisoner-abuse-at-rikers-and-dark-money-rising-muckre#mc_embed_signup">Sign up</a> to get this briefing delivered to your inbox every weekend.