October 2013 Archive
Meet our New OpenNews Fellow
We’re excited to announce that Brian Jacobs will be ProPublica’s OpenNews fellow in 2014.
Is Healthcare.gov the Future? We Ask a Health Futurist
“The metaphor is the Wright Brothers, not the Indianapolis 500,” says Ian Morrison. “Let’s just get this sucker up in the air before we declare that flying is a bad idea.”
Don't Worry, Jamie, Lloyd's Shown the Way
As Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein has shown, an executive can preside over the reputational collapse of his firm and still come out golden.
Claim on “Attacks Thwarted” by NSA Spreads Despite Lack of Evidence
The agency, President Obama, and members of Congress have all said NSA spying programs have thwarted more than 50 terrorist plots. But there’s no evidence the claim is true.
How the NSA’s Claim on Thwarted Terrorist Plots Has Spread
In the months since revelations about NSA surveillance began, intelligence officials and members of Congress have claimed that the agency's efforts have thwarted 54 terrorist attacks. But a review of official statements shows the NSA has been inconsistent about how many plots have actually been thwarted and what the role the spying programs played. Despite a lack of evidence, Congress and the media have rushed to repeat the most extreme version of the NSA’s claims.
George Washington University Has for Years Claimed to be 'Need-Blind.' It’s Not.
After years of repeatedly claiming to practice “need-blind” admissions, administrators at George Washington University now acknowledge that the school has long given an edge to wealthier students.
For Transgender Patients, a Growing Fight Over Health Coverage
One transgender woman’s effort to get a mammogram highlights larger confusion over care.
How the New Yorker’s Ryan Lizza Became a Mistaken Poster Boy for Obamacare
“It was the Twitter equivalent of blurbing a book using the one positive line from a review that actually trashed the book,” the Washington correspondent says.
A Tale of Two Obamacares: Which Is Right?
Critics of the Affordable Care Act rollout say its technology problems are overwhelming. Defenders point to the states, where the health insurance marketplaces seem to be working.
Is Healthcare.gov Turning the Corner? Not So Fast
Beyond problems consumers have had logging in to the new federal insurance marketplace website, insurers report major problems with the back-end system for actually enrolling people.
SEC Files Charges in Magnetar Deal
The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged an asset manager with fraud for its role in one of the most notorious groups of mortgage securities deals behind the financial crisis.
Drone Makers Gather to Defend Their Much-Maligned Machines
At a recent conference on drones, manufacturers argue that drones don’t kill; the people ordering them around do.
Catholic Hospitals Grow, and With Them Questions of Care
Women and gays in Washington state are bracing for limits on care, and calling for public debate.
Report: Homes for Indigent Addicts Have Poor Conditions, Unsavory Ties to Drug Clinics
A new study finds that New York’s three-quarter houses are dangerous and unsanitary and residents say they are compelled to use drug clinics that pay kickbacks to landlords.
Huge Differences by Region in Prescribing to Elderly, Study Finds
Researchers find that a higher proportion of seniors are prescribed antidepressants, dementia drugs and other medications in some parts of the country than others.
Dark Money Operative Sees Hope for Meth House Documents Go Up in Smoke
In a sharply worded ruling, a federal judge in Montana ruled that documents found inside a Colorado meth house pointing to possible election law violations will not be returned to the couple claiming the papers were stolen from one of their cars. Instead, they'll remain with a grand jury.
Here’s Why Healthcare.gov Broke Down
Federal officials have pointed to overwhelming demand to explain the site's problems. But web developers, other experts and journalists have uncovered more fundamental issues with the design and functioning of the site.
Documents to Remain Open in Examiner’s Lawsuit Against Fed
A federal judge rejected the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s plea to seal documents in a wrongful termination lawsuit filed by a former bank examiner who claims she was fired for doing her job.
What Happened After Congress Passed a Climate Change Law? Very Little
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has failed to set up a body that would make recommendations on how to deal with rising seas.
