The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "Bush's lobbyists" ...
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Who's in the Driver's Seat at Motor Vehicles
The online traffic school, lowestpricetrafficschool.com, had exclusive advertisement in Florida's Official Driver's Handbook through the Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles department. The traffic school was also in charge of printing the booklet, offering it free on line but charging taxpayers for shipping. WTVT found that Fred Dickinson's, the executive director of the DHSMV, wife was a lobbyist for the National Safety Commission which operates the traffic school. She later resigned her position when Gov. Jeb Bush criticized the Dickinsons for the conflict of interest.
Tags: motor vehicles; conflict of interest; state government; National Safety Commission; Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles; traffic schools; lobbying; Fred Dickinson; Sherry Dickinson; driver's handbook
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Expressway Authority Investigation
This series investigated the Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority, which prompted an investigation by Governor Jeb Bush's office, an investigation by the Florida Legislature's Auditor General and an ongoing investigation by the FBI.
Tags: transportation; highway; political scandal; politicians; lobbyists; special interests; state government; Hillsborough County Florida
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The Pimping of the Presidency
This story details the Washington scandal of Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff using access to George W. Bush to swing Indian gaming money to Grover Norquist. According to the investigation, Abramoff essentially "sold access" to the White House to the Alabama Coushatta nation.
Tags: Jack Abramoff; Indian gaming; FOIA; tribal council; Alabama Coushatta Nation; Bush administration
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Erasing the rules; (Mostly) White House
This Newsday investigation finds nearly half of the Bush administration appointees come from corporations, law or lobbyists. This put them in a position where they could use the system to pass laws that helped their industries and in turn help their businesses. One of the instances that this story talks about is the regulations regarding pollution have been eased by the Bush administration. The administration turned over the federal environmental agencies to lobbyists that launched an effort to rewrite pollutions rules, ease curbs on the development of natural areas, and allow more drilling.
Tags: George Bush; Bush administration; Bush's lobbyists; corporations linked to George W. Bush; pollution laws; FDA regulations; control of reactive chemicals; walnuts; Boeing Co.; White House; FOIA
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How a Bill Becomes a Law
Big power companies in Texas benefitted from being grandfathered out of the 1971 Texas Clean Air Act. This exemption continued thanks to Gov. George W. Bush's efforts. How this occured is detailed in this article from Blakeslee.
Tags: politics; environment; lobbyist
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The Investors
The Wall Street Journal examines "the influence of money and political connections on policy decisions during the first year of the Bush administration." The series finds that Republicans owe a "great debt," and that "industries that backed Bush are now seeking return on investment." The investigation includes a list of the top ten industries that contributed the most to the Bush campaign and GOP for 1999-2000 election year. Airlines score first, followed by oil and gas companies, and banks and credit card industry. One of the stories in the series reveals that the Chamber of Commerce attempted to influence judicial elections. Another article sheds light on Enron's contributions to the Bush campaign, and the company's political ties in light of its bankruptcy filing.
Tags: money and politics; FOIA; FOI requests; fund-raising; PACs; Congress; GOP; lobbying; lobbyists; gambling; tobacco; pharmaceuticals
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Drug Dealer
The American Prospect looks at a conflict-of-interest case involving Representative Bill Thomas, "the California Republican who currently chairs the House Ways and Means Committee" and the giant pharmaceutical company Ely Lilly. The story examines the circumstances at which Thomas wrote his bill on Medicare and a proposed prescription-drug benefit, which favor the big pharmaceutical companies. The major findings are that Ely Lilly was Thomas' number-one contributor in the last elections, and that the politician has been involved in a romantic relationship with Deborah Steelman, the new vice president for corporate affairs for Ely Lilly and former best-connected health care lobbyist. "How the House Republicans, Senate Democrats and President Bush handle the issue could easily sway the outcome of the 2002 elections," the analysis finds.
Tags: pharmaceuticals; drug makers; fund-raising; contributions; PACs; medicines; health insurers; Republican; Democrats; politics
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Hands Out: Bush Tax Cuts Send Corporate lobbyists Into a Feeding Frenzy
The Wall Street Journal examines the competition that the announced tax cuts have kindled among lobbyists in Washington. The reporters find that, "eager to enlarge their share, competing business blocs nay set off bidding war." The story sheds light on the effort of some of the biggest U.S. companies to "unify around one or two big cuts to get the largest possible share," and finds that "unity among disparate corporate interests is so far proving harder than business leaders would like." The story includes a sidebar with information about the top five donors to the House Ways and Means Committee members, as well as to the Senate Finance Committee members.
Tags: PACs; donors; finance; taxation; business; research-and-development tax credit; New Economy; high-tech firms; industries
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Block Those Regs!
National Journal looks at the fight of the business community against the "midnight regulations" and executive orders issued at the end of the Clinton Administration." The report describes how "corporate angst over ergonomics sparks an intense lobbying war," as "the ergonomics regulation affects more than 100 million workers who tap on keyboards and perform other routine tasks." The story points to an OSHA estimate that the first-year cost of the new ergonomics regulation would total $4.5 billion. The investigation details the specific demands of different business sectors. It reveals that "top corporate lobbyists aren't shy about voicing hope that the Bush Administration will jettison or modify unwanted regulations," while at the same time the administration is "also weighing concrete steps that could placate business."
Tags: business; politics; Republicans; manufacturers; OSHA; labor unions; legislature; Congress; refiners; oil producers; trucking industry; food-store chains