February 2012 Archive
The Best, Most Revealing Reporting on the Foreclosure Crisis
The housing crisis in the U.S. has been going on nearly five years, with still regular revelations about misdeeds by banks and others. Here’s our roundup of standout reporting on the crisis.
How Citibank Dumped Lousy Mortgages on the Government
A lawsuit, which Citibank just settled for $158 million, reveals how the bank pushed risky loans onto the government's books.
Federal Rules to Disclose Fracking Chemicals Could Come with Exceptions
New proposed federal regulations would require drillers to disclose the names and concentrations of the chemicals they use, but would allow exemptions for substances deemed trade secrets.
California Congresswoman’s Redistricting Shenanigans Catch Eye of Ethics Committee
Per Politico, Rep. Laura Richardson used taxpayer-funded staff and resources in her campaign to manipulate California’s independent redistricting commission.
Obama Housing Plans vs. Reality
Will anything come of the Obama administration’s plan for homeowners?
CPAC Tips: How to Win Friends and Influence
Panels and parties at last week's Conservative Political Action Conference provided a window into how the pros are raising unlimited, undisclosed money this election cycle.
New Arrests in Murdoch Bribery Scandal Raise Question of U.S. Charges
The U.S. bans companies from bribing foreign officials. As a U.K. bribery investigation expands, will News Corp. ultimately face charges here?
Updated Recovery Tracker
Once again, we’ve taken all the data used on the government’s stimulus Web site, Recovery.gov, spiffed it up and added thousands of other recovery spending records — the law doesn't require all recipients to report to Recovery.gov.
How (and How Not) to Jumpstart an Economy
The author of a new book about the stimulus, <em>Money Well Spent?</em>, draws lessons for what the government can do now to create jobs.
Top MuckReads: Mosque Surveillance and Bain’s Political Preferences
The top investigative or accountability journalism from Feb. 3-10.
Will Mortgage Settlement Avoid Repeating Obama’s Foreclosure Failures?
Yesterday's mortgage settlement aims to avoid the pitfalls of the administration's floundering foreclosure program, but enforcement is again a question.
Colorado Redistricting Had Inside Help
Hired guns paid by anonymous donors played pivotal role as hopes of bi-partisan deal slipped away.
Senators Slam Freddie on Bets Against Homeowners
There is increasing scrutiny in Washington on Freddie's risky investments.
Why Millions Won't Get Help From Big Mortgage Settlement
Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae's opposition to principal reductions on mortgages means about half of homeowners in the U.S. couldn't qualify for the most significant help from banks' settlement today with states.
Komen's Contortions: a Timeline of the Charity’s Shifting Story on Planned Parenthood
The Komen foundation's decision to cut funding to Planned Parenthood set off such an uproar that the charity quickly gave it back. We trace how their explanations changed along the way.
