Zalei Kamaile, who lives in a public housing project, is about 3,500 applicants deep on the waitlist of a homesteading program for Native Hawaiians.A Failed Housing Pledge to Native HawaiiansProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This story was co-published with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, a member of the .Zalei Kamaile dreamed of owning a home.The professional ukulele player worked long hours entertaining tourists on Oahu and saved her tips in a cookie jar. The money went into a modest house fund for her and...…Zalei Kamaile, who lives in a public housing project, is about 3,500 applicants deep on the waitlist of a homesteading program for Native Hawaiians.A Failed Housing Pledge to Native HawaiiansProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This story was co-published with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, a member of the .Zalei Kamaile dreamed of owning a home.The professional ukulele player worked long hours entertaining tourists on Oahu and saved her tips in a cookie jar. The money went into a modest house fund for her and...WW…

Congress Works For You. Here’s How to Be a Better Boss.ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up for , a series of personalized emails that help you understand the upcoming election, from who’s on your ballot to how to cast your vote.There’s an important pitfall to look out for this election season: misinformation. This kind of stuff shows up in the form of Facebook pages impersonating candidates, sketchy digital campaign ads and fabricated news content designed to deceive. Each and every piece of misinformation can have major consequences. Perhaps you’ll...…Congress Works For You. Here’s How to Be a Better Boss.ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up for , a series of personalized emails that help you understand the upcoming election, from who’s on your ballot to how to cast your vote.There’s an important pitfall to look out for this election season: misinformation. This kind of stuff shows up in the form of Facebook pages impersonating candidates, sketchy digital campaign ads and fabricated news content designed to deceive. Each and every piece of misinformation can have major consequences. Perhaps you’ll...WW…

Congress works for you. Learn how to be a better boss with the , a series of personalized emails about what your representatives actually do.“Trumpcare” insurance will “finally fix healthcare,” said an advertisement on Facebook.A Google ad urged people to “Enroll in Trumpcare plans. Healthcare changes are coming.”The problem is, there’s no such thing as “Trumpcare.”Facebook and Google have promised to crack down on lies and misinformation about politics in the run-up to next month’s presidential election, but they have run tens of thousands of ads in the past year containing false claims...…Congress works for you. Learn how to be a better boss with the , a series of personalized emails about what your representatives actually do.“Trumpcare” insurance will “finally fix healthcare,” said an advertisement on Facebook.A Google ad urged people to “Enroll in Trumpcare plans. Healthcare changes are coming.”The problem is, there’s no such thing as “Trumpcare.”Facebook and Google have promised to crack down on lies and misinformation about politics in the run-up to next month’s presidential election, but they have run tens of thousands of ads in the past year containing false claims...WW…

ProPublica Illinois is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to get about our work.This story is a collaboration between ProPublica Illinois and the Chicago Tribune.to — the coronavirus pandemic in Illinois has been costly.As of Oct. 1, state agencies reported spending more than $1.6 billion in federal and state funds on COVID-19, with purchases that range from predictable items like face masks to more unexpected expenditures, such as sliced bread and sporks.In the first comprehensive analysis of the state’s COVID-19 spending, ProPublica Illinois and the Chicago...…ProPublica Illinois is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to get about our work.This story is a collaboration between ProPublica Illinois and the Chicago Tribune.to — the coronavirus pandemic in Illinois has been costly.As of Oct. 1, state agencies reported spending more than $1.6 billion in federal and state funds on COVID-19, with purchases that range from predictable items like face masks to more unexpected expenditures, such as sliced bread and sporks.In the first comprehensive analysis of the state’s COVID-19 spending, ProPublica Illinois and the Chicago...WW…

The Influence of Virginia’s Biggest UtilityProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This article was produced in partnership with the Richmond Times-Dispatch, which is a member of the .When Democrats campaigned for the Virginia legislature last year, they took aim at the state’s largest power broker: Dominion Energy.The electric utility’s clout was legendary in the state Capitol, where it doled out millions in campaign contributions and employed an army of lobbyists who helped write energy policy for decades. The...…The Influence of Virginia’s Biggest UtilityProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This article was produced in partnership with the Richmond Times-Dispatch, which is a member of the .When Democrats campaigned for the Virginia legislature last year, they took aim at the state’s largest power broker: Dominion Energy.The electric utility’s clout was legendary in the state Capitol, where it doled out millions in campaign contributions and employed an army of lobbyists who helped write energy policy for decades. The...WW…

Recently strip mined land at the future site of the Appalachian Wildlife Center, which has promised to bring tourism revenue to Eastern Kentucky.ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This article was produced in partnership with the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting, which is a member of the .Standing at the site of a long-abandoned, multimillion dollar industrial park in November 2016, U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers urged residents in southeastern Kentucky’s Bell County to envision the tourism potential for...…Recently strip mined land at the future site of the Appalachian Wildlife Center, which has promised to bring tourism revenue to Eastern Kentucky.ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This article was produced in partnership with the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting, which is a member of the .Standing at the site of a long-abandoned, multimillion dollar industrial park in November 2016, U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers urged residents in southeastern Kentucky’s Bell County to envision the tourism potential for...WW…

ProPublica’s Electionland project covers problems that prevent eligible voters from casting their ballots during the 2020 elections. Our coalition of newsrooms around the country are investigating issues related to voter registration, pandemic-related changes to voting, the shift to vote-by-mail, cybersecurity, voter education, misinformation, and more.Questions?and 100+ local and national newsrooms.Congress works for you. Here’s how to .See what your representatives in Congress .Do more with ProPublica data and .Thank you for your interest in republishing this story. You are are free to...…ProPublica’s Electionland project covers problems that prevent eligible voters from casting their ballots during the 2020 elections. Our coalition of newsrooms around the country are investigating issues related to voter registration, pandemic-related changes to voting, the shift to vote-by-mail, cybersecurity, voter education, misinformation, and more.Questions?and 100+ local and national newsrooms.Congress works for you. Here’s how to .See what your representatives in Congress .Do more with ProPublica data and .Thank you for your interest in republishing this story. You are are free to...WW…

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This article was co-published with Oregon Public Broadcasting.LACEY, WA — Late summer sunshine bathed a working-class neighborhood in suburban Olympia, Washington, on the first Thursday afternoon in September as Michael Forest Reinoehl left the Tanglewilde Terrace Townhomes, climbed behind the wheel of his silver Volkswagen station wagon and tossed a couple of travel bags onto the passenger seat.It was Reinoehl’s fifth day on the run. Hours earlier, prosecutors in Portland,...…ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This article was co-published with Oregon Public Broadcasting.LACEY, WA — Late summer sunshine bathed a working-class neighborhood in suburban Olympia, Washington, on the first Thursday afternoon in September as Michael Forest Reinoehl left the Tanglewilde Terrace Townhomes, climbed behind the wheel of his silver Volkswagen station wagon and tossed a couple of travel bags onto the passenger seat.It was Reinoehl’s fifth day on the run. Hours earlier, prosecutors in Portland,...WW…

Congress works for you. Learn how to be a better boss with the , a series of personalized emails about what your representatives actually do.This article is co-published by ProPublica, Georgia Public Broadcasting and National Public Radio.Kathy spotted the long line of voters as she pulled into the Christian City Welcome Center about 3:30 p.m., ready to cast her ballot in the June 9 primary election.Hundreds of people were waiting in the heat and rain outside the lush, tree-lined complex in Union City, an Atlanta suburb with 22,400 residents, nearly 88% of them Black. She briefly considered...…Congress works for you. Learn how to be a better boss with the , a series of personalized emails about what your representatives actually do.This article is co-published by ProPublica, Georgia Public Broadcasting and National Public Radio.Kathy spotted the long line of voters as she pulled into the Christian City Welcome Center about 3:30 p.m., ready to cast her ballot in the June 9 primary election.Hundreds of people were waiting in the heat and rain outside the lush, tree-lined complex in Union City, an Atlanta suburb with 22,400 residents, nearly 88% of them Black. She briefly considered...WW…

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This article is co-published with The Philadelphia Inquirer.Pennsylvania, one of the most hotly contested battlegrounds in the presidential election, has rejected 372,000 requests for mail-in ballots, straining election offices and bewildering voters.More than 90% of those applications, or about 336,000, were denied as duplicates, primarily because people who had requested mail-in ballots for the state’s June 2 primary did not realize that they had checked a box to be sent...…ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This article is co-published with The Philadelphia Inquirer.Pennsylvania, one of the most hotly contested battlegrounds in the presidential election, has rejected 372,000 requests for mail-in ballots, straining election offices and bewildering voters.More than 90% of those applications, or about 336,000, were denied as duplicates, primarily because people who had requested mail-in ballots for the state’s June 2 primary did not realize that they had checked a box to be sent...WW…

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.At 7:47 a.m. on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, Dr. Jay Butler pounded out a grim email to colleagues at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.Butler, then the head of the agency’s coronavirus response, and his team had been trying to craft guidance to help Americans return safely to worship amid worries that two of its greatest comforts — the chanting of prayers and singing of hymns — could launch a deadly virus into the air with each breath.The week...…ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.At 7:47 a.m. on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, Dr. Jay Butler pounded out a grim email to colleagues at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.Butler, then the head of the agency’s coronavirus response, and his team had been trying to craft guidance to help Americans return safely to worship amid worries that two of its greatest comforts — the chanting of prayers and singing of hymns — could launch a deadly virus into the air with each breath.The week...WW…

Has your unpaid tuition bill been sent to a collection agency or courthouse? Please share your story with VPM and ProPublica. Our newsrooms are investigating collection practices at colleges and universities in Virginia. In some cases, students are charged 30% in collection fees on top of the initial balance they owe. Some students end up dropping out because of the debt. Others have been sued.Hearing from students will help make our reporting more complete. If you’ve had a tuition bill sent to collections, or know someone who has, please share your story with reporter Megan Pauly by...…Has your unpaid tuition bill been sent to a collection agency or courthouse? Please share your story with VPM and ProPublica. Our newsrooms are investigating collection practices at colleges and universities in Virginia. In some cases, students are charged 30% in collection fees on top of the initial balance they owe. Some students end up dropping out because of the debt. Others have been sued.Hearing from students will help make our reporting more complete. If you’ve had a tuition bill sent to collections, or know someone who has, please share your story with reporter Megan Pauly by...WW…

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.On a spring day in 2017, Robert Lighthizer walked through the doors of the office of the United States Trade Representative to introduce himself to the career staff who had shepherded American trade policy for a generation. After a chaotic few months awaiting Lighthizer’s confirmation, officials were eager for stability; Lighthizer offered deep expertise in a cabinet full of government neophytes. As a Washington operative with years of experience in international trade, he...…ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.On a spring day in 2017, Robert Lighthizer walked through the doors of the office of the United States Trade Representative to introduce himself to the career staff who had shepherded American trade policy for a generation. After a chaotic few months awaiting Lighthizer’s confirmation, officials were eager for stability; Lighthizer offered deep expertise in a cabinet full of government neophytes. As a Washington operative with years of experience in international trade, he...WW…

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.of retirement, marked personal and confidential, was dated July 31, 2020.“It was my life-long ambition to wear a robe and to serve the judicial system faithfully, as well as with objectivity and integrity,” it said. “Having achieved this goal, with the will and guidance of God, I must continue to walk in accordance with his plan for me.”ShawnDya Simpson had been one of the youngest judges to put on robes in New York’s court system when she was elected to the Civil Court in...…ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.of retirement, marked personal and confidential, was dated July 31, 2020.“It was my life-long ambition to wear a robe and to serve the judicial system faithfully, as well as with objectivity and integrity,” it said. “Having achieved this goal, with the will and guidance of God, I must continue to walk in accordance with his plan for me.”ShawnDya Simpson had been one of the youngest judges to put on robes in New York’s court system when she was elected to the Civil Court in...WW…

How Black Families Are Losing Their LandProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.A property law scholar who has helped secure state protections to keep Black families from losing their land won a MacArthur “genius” award this week, a year after ProPublica drew attention to the problem and his significant efforts in a that was published with the New Yorker. , a professor at Texas A&M University School of Law, plans to use the $625,000 grant to create a law center where staff will study reforms to protect the real...…How Black Families Are Losing Their LandProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.A property law scholar who has helped secure state protections to keep Black families from losing their land won a MacArthur “genius” award this week, a year after ProPublica drew attention to the problem and his significant efforts in a that was published with the New Yorker. , a professor at Texas A&M University School of Law, plans to use the $625,000 grant to create a law center where staff will study reforms to protect the real...WW…

The U.S. Response to COVID-19ProPublica Illinois is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to get about our work.This story is a collaboration between ProPublica Illinois and the Chicago Tribune.Nearly two months into the school year, Illinois public health officials said they have verified COVID-19 outbreaks in at least 44 school buildings across the state, but they declined to say where those cases occurred and acknowledged they may not know the full scope of the virus’s spread in schools.Unlike many other states, Illinois doesn’t publish the number of cases...…The U.S. Response to COVID-19ProPublica Illinois is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to get about our work.This story is a collaboration between ProPublica Illinois and the Chicago Tribune.Nearly two months into the school year, Illinois public health officials said they have verified COVID-19 outbreaks in at least 44 school buildings across the state, but they declined to say where those cases occurred and acknowledged they may not know the full scope of the virus’s spread in schools.Unlike many other states, Illinois doesn’t publish the number of cases...WW…

Investigating the Only State Without Public DefendersProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This article was produced in partnership with The Maine Monitor, which is a member of the .This story contains graphic allegations of sexual harassment.In January 2016, attorney Paul Letourneau arranged to meet his newest client one evening at Sea Dog Brewing Co., a local brewpub in southern Maine. She had a drug arrest, a shaky relationship and was struggling to hold onto her nursing license.Letourneau ordered a beer....…Investigating the Only State Without Public DefendersProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This article was produced in partnership with The Maine Monitor, which is a member of the .This story contains graphic allegations of sexual harassment.In January 2016, attorney Paul Letourneau arranged to meet his newest client one evening at Sea Dog Brewing Co., a local brewpub in southern Maine. She had a drug arrest, a shaky relationship and was struggling to hold onto her nursing license.Letourneau ordered a beer....WW…

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.The Department of Justice has weakened its long-standing prohibition against interfering in elections, according to two department officials.Avoiding election interference is the of DOJ policy on voting-related crimes. In place since at least 1980, the policy generally bars prosecutors not only from making any announcement about ongoing investigations close to an election but also from taking public steps — such as an arrest or a raid — before a vote is finalized because the...…ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.The Department of Justice has weakened its long-standing prohibition against interfering in elections, according to two department officials.Avoiding election interference is the of DOJ policy on voting-related crimes. In place since at least 1980, the policy generally bars prosecutors not only from making any announcement about ongoing investigations close to an election but also from taking public steps — such as an arrest or a raid — before a vote is finalized because the...WW…

This article is part of , ProPublica’s collaborative reporting project covering problems that prevent eligible voters from casting their ballots during the 2020 elections. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This article is co-published with the Tampa Bay Times and the Miami Herald, which share a state capital bureau in Tallahassee.Nearly two years after Florida voters approved a landmark constitutional amendment allowing felons to vote, state officials don’t know how many have registered. They also don’t know how many felons on the voter rolls owe court fees, fines or...…This article is part of , ProPublica’s collaborative reporting project covering problems that prevent eligible voters from casting their ballots during the 2020 elections. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This article is co-published with the Tampa Bay Times and the Miami Herald, which share a state capital bureau in Tallahassee.Nearly two years after Florida voters approved a landmark constitutional amendment allowing felons to vote, state officials don’t know how many have registered. They also don’t know how many felons on the voter rolls owe court fees, fines or...WW…

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.When the Justice Department recently publicized an ongoing investigation into potentially improperly discarded Trump ballots, critics accused it of violating long-standing agency policy against interfering in an election.But the unusual decision to publicly detail the Pennsylvania case may also have run afoul of guidelines that Attorney General William Barr himself issued to federal prosecutors this year, according to a memo obtained by ProPublica.In May, to all Justice...…ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.When the Justice Department recently publicized an ongoing investigation into potentially improperly discarded Trump ballots, critics accused it of violating long-standing agency policy against interfering in an election.But the unusual decision to publicly detail the Pennsylvania case may also have run afoul of guidelines that Attorney General William Barr himself issued to federal prosecutors this year, according to a memo obtained by ProPublica.In May, to all Justice...WW…

Investigating the Only State Without Public DefendersProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This article was produced in partnership with The Maine Monitor, which is a member of the .This story contains graphic descriptions of sexual assault and child abuse.The temperature hovered just above freezing as Officer Zachary Harmon drove his patrol car down the Route 1 bypass close to Maine’s border with New Hampshire. It was right after midnight on Feb. 25, 2012. A mix of snow and rain had fallen throughout the night,...…Investigating the Only State Without Public DefendersProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This article was produced in partnership with The Maine Monitor, which is a member of the .This story contains graphic descriptions of sexual assault and child abuse.The temperature hovered just above freezing as Officer Zachary Harmon drove his patrol car down the Route 1 bypass close to Maine’s border with New Hampshire. It was right after midnight on Feb. 25, 2012. A mix of snow and rain had fallen throughout the night,...WW…

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.Earlier this year, the pandemic swept across the country, killing 100,000 Americans by the spring, shuttering businesses and schools, and forcing people into their homes. It was a great time to be a debt collector.In August, Encore Capital, the largest debt buyer in the country, announced that it had doubled its previous record for earnings in a quarter. It primarily had the CARES Act to thank: The bill delivered hundreds of billions of dollars worth of stimulus checks and...…ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.Earlier this year, the pandemic swept across the country, killing 100,000 Americans by the spring, shuttering businesses and schools, and forcing people into their homes. It was a great time to be a debt collector.In August, Encore Capital, the largest debt buyer in the country, announced that it had doubled its previous record for earnings in a quarter. It primarily had the CARES Act to thank: The bill delivered hundreds of billions of dollars worth of stimulus checks and...WW…

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This story is co-published with .Airbnb, battered by the pandemic recession, announced in May that it would be laying off a quarter of its workforce. In a post for its empathy and transparency, CEO Brian Chesky , “We will have to part with teammates that we love and value.” He outlined a generous severance package. Departing employees would receive 14 weeks of pay plus an extra week for each year at the company; help from professional recruiters to land new jobs; and 12...…ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.This story is co-published with .Airbnb, battered by the pandemic recession, announced in May that it would be laying off a quarter of its workforce. In a post for its empathy and transparency, CEO Brian Chesky , “We will have to part with teammates that we love and value.” He outlined a generous severance package. Departing employees would receive 14 weeks of pay plus an extra week for each year at the company; help from professional recruiters to land new jobs; and 12...WW…

Exploring the Business of TrumpProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.Stay up to date with about WNYC and ProPublica’s investigations into the president’s business practices.This story is co-published with WNYC.After the news broke in May of last year that government-sponsored lending agency Freddie Mac had agreed to back $786 million in loans to the Kushner Companies, political opponents asked whether the family real estate firm formerly led by the president’s son-in-law and top adviser, Jared Kushner, had...…Exploring the Business of TrumpProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.Stay up to date with about WNYC and ProPublica’s investigations into the president’s business practices.This story is co-published with WNYC.After the news broke in May of last year that government-sponsored lending agency Freddie Mac had agreed to back $786 million in loans to the Kushner Companies, political opponents asked whether the family real estate firm formerly led by the president’s son-in-law and top adviser, Jared Kushner, had...WW…

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.Monday morning, Sept. 28, California woke up sweaty, devastated, even shocked to find the state burning again. But if we’re honest, and to our great shame, no one was surprised. We’d seen this horror movie in this town. Three years ago, wildfire killed 25 people in Sonoma County. Now the Glass Fire was there, again, burning toward Santa Rosa. At 12:30 a.m., a string of seniors stood in line, many in pajamas, waiting to board an evacuation bus from their retirement home. A...…ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive as soon as they’re published.Monday morning, Sept. 28, California woke up sweaty, devastated, even shocked to find the state burning again. But if we’re honest, and to our great shame, no one was surprised. We’d seen this horror movie in this town. Three years ago, wildfire killed 25 people in Sonoma County. Now the Glass Fire was there, again, burning toward Santa Rosa. At 12:30 a.m., a string of seniors stood in line, many in pajamas, waiting to board an evacuation bus from their retirement home. A...WW…