December 2014 Archive
Is This Man Responsible for the Murders of 5 American Nuns?
In an interview with ProPublica, Christopher Vambo, a former lieutenant to Charles Taylor, acknowledged that the brutal 1992 killings might have happened under his command.
Behind New Jersey's Tobacco Bond Bailout, A Hedge Fund's $100 Million Payday
When New Jersey decided to bail out some of its tobacco bonds, the state gave up $400 million in future revenues to pocket $92 million immediately, an arrangement that also helped one savvy investor cash in on a big bet.
U.S. Bishops Take Aim at Sterilization
A toughening of Catholic medical directives could include enforcing a ban on tubal ligations.
High-Level Fed Committee Overruled Carmen Segarra’s Finding on Goldman
New York Fed President Bill Dudley says senior Fed officials did not accept a conclusion that had been endorsed by frontline Fed examiners stationed at some of the nation's largest banks.
Inequality, Products Over People, And A Warlord In The Best Of MuckReads From 2014
Here are some of the best #MuckReads we read this year. Want to receive these by email? <a href="http://www.propublica.org/article/the-best-of-muckreads-from-2014#signup">Sign up</a> to get this briefing delivered to your inbox every weekend.
Feds Bar Companies’ Long-Distance Lawsuits Against Soldiers
In the latest move against companies targeting military customers, federal regulators prohibit two Virginia-based lenders from suing out-of-state debtors in Virginia courts. The companies were featured in a ProPublica story in July.
Answering the Critics of our Deadly Force Story
We respond to arguments levied against our analysis of justified homicides by police officers.
Bankers Brought Rating Agencies ‘To Their Knees’ On Tobacco Bonds
Wall Street pressed S&P, Moody’s and Fitch to assign more favorable credit ratings to their deals and bragged that the raters complied. Now many of the bonds are headed for default.
A National Survey of School Desegregation Orders
Use ProPublica’s reporting to see if your school district is under a court order to end segregation.
New York City Sends $30 Million a Year to School With History of Giving Kids Electric Shocks
New York City kids make up the vast majority of the students at Massachusetts’ infamous Judge Rotenberg Center, and keep getting sent there despite repeated evidence of abuse.
In Alabama, A Public Hospital Serves the Poor — with Lawsuits
Public hospitals can be among the most aggressive in collecting debts from poor patients, not only garnishing their wages, but cleaning out their bank accounts. “It makes me sick,” said one legal aid attorney.
In 2008 Mumbai Attacks, Piles of Spy Data, But an Uncompleted Puzzle
Indian and British intelligence agencies monitored the online activities of a key plotter but couldn’t connect the dots.
The Billion-Dollar Industry You’re Probably Not Thinking About 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-billion-dollar-industry-youre-probably-not-thinking-about-and-more-in-m#signup">Sign up</a> to get this briefing delivered to your inbox every weekend.
How Do You Experience Segregation? Tell Us What #SegregationIs Where You Live
We're working with The New York Times to expose the injustice of segregation and explore what segregation looks and feels like in America today. What does it look like where you live? Share your experience with #SegregationIs.
School Segregation, the Continuing Tragedy of Ferguson
Michael Brown beat the odds by graduating from high school before his death — odds that remain stacked against black students in St. Louis and the rest of the country.
From the E.R. to the Courtroom: How Nonprofit Hospitals Are Seizing Patients' Wages
One Missouri hospital has sued thousands of uninsured patients who couldn't pay for their care, then grabbed a hefty portion of their paychecks to cover the bills. "We will be paying them off until we die," one debtor said.
In a Rare Sanction, Top Track Coach Gets Eight-Year Suspension
An arbitration panel handed prominent track coach Jon Drummond a lengthy ban after deciding he transported prohibited substances and encouraged top sprinter Tyson Gay to use them.
