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 "political connections" ...
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Truthout on the Border
The true intent of United States Foreign Policy in regards to the war on drugs in Mexico and Latin America is hidden behind many pantallas (screens in Spanish). In ten installments, posted in the first half of 2012, the Truthout on the Mexican Border series exposed the unofficial intentions of the US war on drugs in Latin America and its deadly impact. By connecting the dots in ten successively posted articles, the war on drugs appears to be a screen behind which goals of US military and economic hegemony can more easily be achieved in Latin American nations. Many Mexicans know that when it comes to corruption, drugs and crime in their nation, las pantallas usually prevent them from knowing the truth. The same is true of the US war on drugs, which has resulted in deaths and disappearances that are estimated to reach between 60,000 – 120,000 in the six year rule of Mexican President Felipe Calderón (ending on November 30, 2012). Truthout regularly covers US foreign policy and its impact in Latin America. The Truthout on the Mexican Border series was written to create a comprehensive understanding of what is behind the diplomatic and political screens – weaving in such seemingly diverse topics as US immigration and gun policies to understand the dark underside of US hemispheric intentions in Mexico and Latin America.
Tags: U.S.; foreign policy; Mexico; Latin America; drug war; corruption; crime
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Inside Track
The Wall Street Journal staff exposed how new ways of insider trading have corrupted the U.S. financial, corporate, and political worlds, having enormous impact in the process. The article shows how well-connected investors managed to gain an advantage by getting early clues to the Federal Reserve's forthcoming policy moves, as well as to important legislation from Washington lawmakers.
Tags: Wall Street; insider trading; washington; lawmaker; federal reserve
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Land Flips Sting Taxpayers
The Gwinett County school district is not only Georgia's largest, but arguably its most highly regarded after winning a prestigious award as the nation's top urban district. However, while the district celebrated its national acclaim, the Journal-Constitution began scrutinizing its unusually secretive land-purchasing program. After analyzing all the district's land purchases over the past 12 years, the Journal-Constitution focused on 11 mullti-million dollar transactions, many of them involving prominent and politically connected real estate developers.
Tags: Gwinett County; Georgia; School District; Land Purchasing; Sweetheart Deals
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Center: Policy or Politics?
This story examined the political connections between former Colo. Giv. Bill Ritter and the funding of the Center for New Energy Economy, which he is the director of. A web of connections between the center, Ritter, and the Colo. Democratic Party were found that shows that Ritter's role at CSU could be a polarizing, political one and could align CSU- a public university- in controversial Democratic politics.
Tags: Colorado Democratic Party; Bill Ritter; New Energy Efconomy; Colorado State University
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Green Energy: Contracts, Connections and the Collapse of Solyndra
Beginning in March, the Center's Ronnie Greene and ABC's Matthew Mosk and Brian Ross exposed flaws in the Department of Energy's billion-dollar spending spree, revealed deep links between Obama campaign bundlers and energy contracts and foreshadowed the financial and political storm that later engulfed Solyndra. Our reporting for "Green Energy: Contracts, Connections and the Collapse of Solyndra" broke ground before Solyndra's meltdown, and went well beyond the company in revealing a web of connections entangling a department lauded for its innovation. Working as full-reporting partners, our stories tied major Obama donors to lucrative green energy contracts for everything from electric cars to diesel substitutes. After over a year of reporting, we produced 50,000 words for the Center's website, thousands more on ABC's site and broadcasts on World News Tonight, Good Morning America and Nightline. Our stories, built from FOIA requests that yielded thousands of contract, financial and ethics documents, served as a template for national media reports that followed.
Tags: contracts; green energy; Obama; green energy; spending
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King High Charter Controversy
The King Charter stories reveal that two public officials- Dwight Evans, a state legislator, and Robert Archie, chair of the city's school governance board- collaborated on a secret campaign to steer a lucrative charter school contract to a politically connected private contractor.
Tags: Charter Schools
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Center: Policy or Politics?
The story was about former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter and his journey to Colorado State University where he is the director of the Center for the New Energy Economy. The story examined the political connections that led Ritter to CSU and provided the funding for the new center, and it explored the implications those ties may have for the public university.
Tags: Gov. Bill Ritter; Colorado: Center for the New Energy Economy; CSU
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Prison Profiting: Behind Arizona's Immigration Law
NPR's report shows that private prison corporations helped to write Arizona 1070, its controversial immigration law. The story examines "the private prison companies' handin getting the law written and passed, beginning with a private meeting at the Hyatt in washington D.C and ending with extensive campaign contributions and political connections to lawmakers and the governor of Arizona."
Tags: immigration; private prisons; lobbying; Arizona 1070; illegal immigrant; illegal immigration; criminal justice
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Mr. Big Stuff
An investigation of the Housing Authority executive director in Phoenix proved he hired family members, used the agency's credit card to pay for travel and meals, and channeled federal stimulus work to developers with political connections.
Tags: Housing Authority; nepotism; politics; neophyte
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"An Agency where Patronage is Job One - A Boston Globe Spotlight Team"
The Spotlight Team looked into rumors that the Massachusetts Probation Department was a "political patronage machine." The team revealed that at least 250 employees had political or personal connections to "state legislators or judges," including the commissioner.
Tags: John J. O'Brien; Massachusetts Probation Department; probation; Thomas M. Petrolati; West Roxbury; Thomas M. Finneran