November 2011 Archive
Florida Sanctions Top Medicaid Prescribers — But Only After A Shove
Medicaid programs have long had evidence that a few physicians prescribed risky drugs in excess, but it wasn’t until Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, demanded to know the top prescribers that states began to investigate.
In Minn. Redistricting Battle, Powerful Players Clash — With Citizens on Sidelines
An unfolding legal fight shows how difficult it is for anyone outside of political parties to have an impact on redistricting
TSA Puts Off Safety Study of X-ray Body Scanners
After promising an independent evaluation of X-ray body scanners, the head of the TSA now says he’ll put it off pending an inspector general report on the machines.
Dodd-Frank’s Derivatives Reforms: Clear as Mud
The financial reform law’s fixes for the derivatives market may work. But they may not. Nobody really knows.
Europe Bans X-Ray Body Scanners Used at U.S. Airports
The European Union has prohibited the use of X-ray body scanners, which emit low levels of a type of radiation shown to cause cancer.
Just How Much Can the State Restrict a Peaceful Protest?
If the First Amendment guarantees the right to peaceful protest, why do peaceful protesters get arrested — and sometimes pepper-sprayed and beaten up? We take a look at the legal precedents.
Pfizer’s Latest Twist on ‘Pay for Delay'
Pfizer is adding yet another twist to its efforts to delay generic competitors. As The New York Times reports, the company seems to have struck a deal with certain pharmacy benefit managers — the middlemen in the pharmaceutical industry — to block generic versions of Lipitor.
FDA Responds to ProPublica Story on X-Ray Body Scanners
Editor’s Note: This week, the Food and Drug Administration sent us a letter, which we have posted below, taking issue with several passages in our story about airport body scanners. The letter generally takes semantic issue with how we presented specific facts. It does not, in our judgment, raise any issues of substance.
Top Muckreads: Ashes of Troops Tossed to Landfills, Fake Honey at Your Grocer
Here are this week's top must-read stories from #MuckReads, ProPublica's ongoing collection of the best watchdog journalism. Anyone can contribute by tweeting a link to a story and just including the hashtag #MuckReads
Energy Dept. Panel Warns of Environmental Toll of Current Gas Drilling Practices
A report from a federal panel on shale gas said that without urgent action to improve drilling practices, regulators and the energy industry risk a public backlash that could slow development.
EPA Finds Compound Used in Fracking in Wyoming Aquifer
After years of complaints from residents about foul water and health concerns, government investigators have found chemical compounds consistent with those used in natural gas fracking.
How Complaints From a Single Doctor Caused the Gov’t to Take Down a Public Database
Documents give a behind-the-scenes look at why a government agency restricted public access to a medical-malpractice database.
In Nevada, Opaque Groups Square Off Over Redistricting
Who funded the legal battles over Nevada’s redistricting? Voters may never know.
FEC Data Show Big Jump in Spending by Super PACs and Outside Groups
More money is coming into U.S. politics, and much of it is flowing in through new and barely regulated groups.
Flat Taxes Are Big in the Former USSR. Have They Worked?
Herman Cain, Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich have all introduced flat-tax proposals. What other countries have implemented flat taxes, and how has it gone for them?
Is Partisan Gerrymandering Unconstitutional?
A quick look at the Supreme Court’s divided record on redistricting for political gain.
As Political Groups Push Envelope, FEC Gridlock Gives ‘De Facto Green Light’
In a new age of more dollars and less disclosure, the FEC’s ongoing stalemate over key areas of campaign finance gives more aggressive political players a chance to push the limits.
