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 "financial disclosure laws" ...
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Bosnia-Herzegovina Politicians' Assets
By law, Bosnian politicians are required to disclose their assets. When the Center for Investigative Reporting in Sarajevo explored financial records of individual politicians, small unreported private fortunes were uncovered. Corporate kickbacks from special interests were found as well.
Tags: Bosnia; Herzegovina; assets; politicians; disclosure; finances; officials; officeholders; private business;
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Series on Congressman Jerry Weller
Congressman Jerry Weller (R-Ill.) is married to a foreign government official, Zury Rios Sosa, daughter of former Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt. Weller is a member of a committee "whose main focus is Latin America," and "has been silent about Guatemalan problems that affect the U.S., particularly drug smuggling." The investigation also found that Weller failed to report on his congressional disclosure form the amount of beachfront property he owns in Nicaragua, putting him in "violation of house ethics rules and U.S. law."
Tags: Jerry Weller; Zury Rios Sosa; Efrain Rios Montt; Guatemala; political conflicts of interest; politicians' financial disclosure forms
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Free ride: While schools suffer, hundreds get free city cars and fill-ups
In this ongoing series that exposes mismanagement, incompetence and corruption inside Yonkers City Hall, the newspaper examined the city's car-lease program for employees, questionable ethics among officials, and a handshake deal for garbage service that allowed businesses to pay their bills in cash. The investigation found the city spent more than $820,000 on 54 car leases -- far more than similarly sized cities -- including leases for SUVs and other expensive cars. Council members were awarded lucrative contracts while in office, and they had failed to file financial disclosure forms for five years as required by law. The garbage deal defied a city code and cost taxpayers $175,000 annually.
Tags: ethics; government leases; contracts; Freedom of Information; computer-assisted reporting; CAR; car-lease program; financial disclosure laws; trash service; city government
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Escambia County Commission
The News-Journals investigates bribery and Sunshine Law violations at the Escambia county government. The stories reveal that the county commissioners voted for the purchase of a dilapidated soccer complex "real-estate agent Joe Elliott, a buddy of then Commission Chairman W.D. Childers, the former Dean of the Florida senate." The county later proceeded with a second purchase from Elliott, a defunct car dealership. The land purchases totalled $6.2 million, at a time of tight budget and halt of major county projects. As a result of the publications, the Attorney General of Florida started an investigation that ended with indictments of four of the five county commissioners.
Tags: bribes; land transactions; money laundering; secrecy; reals estate; elected officials; financial disclosure statements; Willie Junior; public office
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Judicial Junkets
ABC News investigates "big money lobbying of federal judges ... through the use of free junkets." Large corporations and foundations with interests in cases that come before the federal courts often invite the judges on all-expense paid trips. The main finding is that "one in ten judges, nearly 300 members of the federal bench, including two U.S. Supreme Court justices, have accepted the controversial free trips to one or several privately funded luxury "seminars" held at golf resorts, dude ranches and luxury hotels."
Tags: TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; ethics; financial disclosure; money and politics; hidden camera; undercover footage; business; right wing; justice; law
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California Utilities' Donations Shed Light on Blackout Crisis
In an effort to find a fresh angle to the California energy crisis, the Center for Public Integrity discovers that the major utilities in the troubled state have spent tens of millions of dollars toward political activities since 1994. Pacific Gas & Electric Corp., Edison International and Sempra Energy in an all-out effort put a total of $39 million in 1998 "to defeat Proposition 9, a statewide referendum that would have overturned parts of the 1996 deregulation law." The moneys were spent on campaign contributions to "a handful of select lawmakers," lobbying activities, gifts, travel and other compensation, including those from industry-backed non-profit organizations.
Tags: utilities; energy; Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); personal financial disclosure reports; consumer advocacy; deregulation; CAR
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Money Trouble
The Legal Times reports on proposed changes to financial disclosure in the executive branch. "The tiny agency that serves as the financial disclouse gatekeeper for many senior officials is asking Congress to 'streamline' the process," the Times reported. "The ethics law proposal likely to draw the most attention would reduce the amount of detail that appointees need to disclose about their income and various assests and liabilities," the Times reported.
Tags: 1978 Disclouse Law; Office of Government Ethics; Ethics In Government Act
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Land Deals Help County Commissioner Freeman
This Orlando Sentinel investigation delves into the "tangled financial dealings" of Orange County Commissioner Bob Freeman. Among the major findings are the commissioner's failure to pay taxes on his new home and his financial interlacing with "two key backers who also have needed commission approval for projects during Freeman's tenure." The reporters reveal the participation of the commissioner in questionable real-estate transactions. The story questions Florida's ethics laws for making it "almost impossible to hold politicians accountable for ethical problems - or even just sloppy record keeping."
Tags: land development; real estate; taxes; IRS; conflict of interest; financial disclosure; fund raising; Orange County; Florida
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Coverage of West Virginia's Second Congressional District Race
The series investigated the financial status of the two main candidates. The reporter found out that the Democratic candidate "relied on enormous personal wealth and contributions from fellow trial lawyers". The law firm of the candidate and the major contributors have something in common: they handle "massive lawsuits targeting such hazards as asbestos and tobacco." The reporter revealed that the Republican 'benefited from her national party's strong support and the legacy of her father, an once-important but tarnished political figure." The series also followed the race's ads to find out that the truth and context are "the frequent casualties."
Tags: diskette; PACs; race; contributions; fund raising; disclosure; back taxes; lawsuits; asbestos; tobacco; advertisement; database mapping project
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"On their honor: Judges and their assets"
The Kansas City Star takes a look at the ethical conflicts among federal-trial court judges. A sampling of judges across the country shows that judges routinely casually violate conflict of interest laws, including company stock holding issues.
Tags: litigants; stockholders; illegal orders; financial disclosure reports; judges