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 "abuse of power" ...
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NewsChannel 5 Investigates: UCDD
This months-long investigation exposed rampant misspending and abuse of power within a little-known government agency that’s supposed to create jobs and help the poor in some of Tennessee’s most economically challenged counties. It led to the ouster of the agency's top two officials and sparked a state/federal criminal investigation.
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Councilmen on Tourism
The RBS-TV news crew followed city council members from seven Brazilian states as they attended 6 training courses over 40 days. They found that many of them enjoyed tourist day trips instead of the courses they were supposed to be attending. They also found that the politicians could purchase certificates of completion even when they did not attend the courses.
Tags: Brazil; city government; city council; fraud; tax dollars; abuse of power;
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"Local Sheriff Abusing His Power?"
This investigation reveals that the Middlesex County sheriff had been accepting money from his employees who were interested in staying in his "good graces." The corruption also benefited the sheriff's "political future." When the accusation of corruption was exposed by WFXT, the Mass. Attorney General launched its own investigation. Less than a week later, the sheriff committed suicide, and WFXT-TV received criticism for their reporting of the incident. Critics eventually determined the story was fairly investigated and reported.
Tags: Middlesex County; sheriff; James Dipaola; Office of Campaign and Political Finance; Attorney General
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Ohio Corrections Connections
This series found “one of the largest state agencies involved in a pattern of apparent abuse of state tax dollars and power”. This series revealed a number of things, including expensive parties at the taxpayers’ expense while employees were being laid off, friends of officials buying state-made furniture for less than state agencies were paying for it, and firing workers for a number of violations and then hiring them back within weeks or months.
Tags: corrections officials; Capital; governor; Governor Strickland; corruption; funds; state; economy; government; Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections
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"Arpaio Investigation"
An investigation by KPHO-TV found that Sheriff Joe Arpaio often used his popularity as a means to "retaliate" when claims were made against him. The retaliation was often in the form of "SWAT raids" or "full-blown criminal investigations." Some of his victims included the mayor of Phoenix, Supreme Court judges and local police chiefs. KPHO found the FBI was also investigating the sheriff for "abuse of power."
Tags: Joe Arpaio; Mesa Police Chief; Mesa City Hall; Sheriff Arpaio; Department of Justice; Maricopa County
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Abuse of Power
This series is an investigation into former CSUPD Chief Dexter Yarbrough. Before the investigation began, he had been placed on paid administrative leave and this raised suspicion from J. David McSwane. After much research and interviewing, David revealed a number of cases of misconduct by Yarbrough. These cases of misconduct included sexual harassment and other illegal behaviors. After everything was revealed, Yarbrough resigned and now hiring of university officials and police personnel is highly assessed.
Tags: Colorado State University (CSU); law enforcement; education; college; universities; police officer; Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity(OEOD)
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"Dodik/RS Development Bank"
CIN reporters investigated a Bosnia-Herzegovina SIPA report that accused Republika Sprska Prime Minister Milorad Dodik of abusing his power by awarding financial "tenders" to friends. The CIN found flaws in the initial SIPA report. Reporters also reveal Dodik's control of the Investment-Development Bank of RS and detail their questionable loan distributions.
Tags: Bosnia-Herzegovina; SIPA; State Investigation and Protection Agency; Milorad Dodik; Investment-Development Bank of RS; Republika Sprska Prime Minister
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Above the Law
"Despite that no one wanted this information revealed, our stories document a disturbing pattern of abuse of power, ethical misconduct and corruption by the Chief Federal Judge of the U.S. District Court of Colorado."
Tags: witness tampering; perjury; U.S. district court; Colorado; judge; abuse of power; corruption; misconduct; ethics; FOIA
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Ohio Attorney General: Price of Corruption
WBNS-TV (Columbus, Ohio) revealed a pattern of corruption inside the state's highest law enforcement office including cronyism, misuse of state funds and property, improper use of campaign funds, ethics violations and cover-up. The reporters found that the Attorney General had used campaign funds to rent a condominium for two of his friends/employees that was later tied to sexual harassment,alleged crimes involving state vehicles and the hub for cronyism. Their reporting revealed that the Attorney General created a "transition fund" as an unregulated 501 c4 non-profit account. Through law enforcement, the station learned that this fund funneled at least $2,000 in inappropriate payments to the Attorney General's friend/employee/condo-mate.
Tags: Ohio Attorney General's Office; corruption; 501 c4 non-profit; cronyism; abuse of public funds; misappropriation of funds; abuse of power
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Limbo
A Times investigation into the military's system of justice for foreign terror suspects reveals "new information about the physical and legal treatment of the detainees." Among the major stories the Times broke were: "the use of harsh methods to break a series of hunger strikes at Guantanamo; the largely secret evolution of the military detention facility at Bagram, Afghanistan into another Guantanamo-type facility; the reasons for the collapse of an ambitious two-year effort to prosecute military personnel for abuses at Bagram; the obstacles to American government efforts to repatriate many of the Guantanamo prisoners and the story of attempts by senior Bush Administration officials to press for sweeping changes in the detention system." The Times also reported on the power struggle between military officials and detainees for control of Guantanamo, a situation the military denied.
Tags: Guantanamo; terror suspects; terror detainees; prisoners; Bagram, Afghanistan