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 controversy" ...
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Local officials are likely to profit from fracking in Southern Tier
Local government officials have been lobbying the state to the controversial oil and gas extraction process known as fracking. But when they spoke at public hearings and pushed in other forums, were they just representing their communities, or did they have more at stake? In a four-month investigation, SUNY New Paltz students reviewed thousands of public records in two states. The investigation found more than 30 locally elected officials who have been outspoken proponents for fracking. Public records and additional examinations identified about 20 percent of those with more than political philosophy at stake — the chance to gain personally and financially. To open government advocates such as Common Cause, these instances raise concerns about transparency and conflicts of interest among locally elected officials. About six months after publication, and after further moves by local officials to press the state to approve fracking, the state attorney general has launched inquiries into whether local officials have violated conflicts of interest.
Tags: Oil; gas; oil and gas extraction; fracking
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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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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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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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Palace Revolt
This investigation, "tells the definitive story of how a small coterie of conservative Bush appointees led a quietly effective rebellion against the administration’s most controversial polices in the war on terror. Principally residing in the Justice Department, relying on the law and their conscience, these brave public servants took on powerful hardliners in the office of Vice President Dick Cheney, the Defense Department, and elsewhere.
Tags: politicians; politics; federal government; War on Terror; Iraq; Afghanistan
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Corrupting Congress
The AP reporters revealed that lawmakers of both parties used frequent flier miles for airline tickets bought by lobbyists to pad their own mileage totals and to secure free travel. They exposed Bill Frist's controversial stock transaction, which prompted the SEC's insider trading probe and scrutiny of how the GOP Senate leaderused an AIDS charity to enrich his inner political circle. They also documented how Tom DeLay and his successor as House Majority Leader, Roy Blunt, orchestrated a carousel of donations that enriched their personal causes. Furthermore, they showed how DeLay underwrote more than a million dollars in luxury travel to Caribbean resorts, five-star restaurants and exclusive golf courses with political donations. Finally, they revealed that nearly five-dozen lawmakers in both parties wrote letters, sponsored legislation and made other official acts for Jack Abramoff's clients while simultaneously collecting money from them.
Tags: government; fraud
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Strom: The Complicated Personal and Political Life of Strom Thurmond
20 years of research and reporting on Strom Thurmond led to the creation of this book. The book is the "definitive life story" of this controversial politician. It covers his political evolution across the political spectrum, and also examines his complex relationship with his illegitimate daughter.
Tags: politicians; U.S. congress; U.S. Senate; senator; political controversy; scandal; political parties; courthouse research; illegitimate children; families
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The Politics of Petroleum
In recent times U.S. search for oil outside the volatile Middle East has led them to Kazakhstan and other countries around the Caspian Sea. This story looks at the government in Kazakhstan and the regime which has a controversial record of human rights violation corruption. As this story reveals, millions of dollars paid as fees by American firms goes to offshore accounts controlled by top Kazakh officials.
Tags: oil; petroleum; Kazakhstan; U.S. search for oil outside the Middle East; Caspian sea; oil prices
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Raising a Stink: The Struggle over Factory Hog Farms in Nebraska
This book explores the environmental, cultural, political and economic themes surrounding the controversy over factory hog farms in Nebraska. It traces the history of hog production and analyzes the effects of factory farms.
Tags: BOOK
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Burning Questions
President Bush pushed for the passage of the "Clear Skies Act" and wanted to develop an emissions - trading program to replace some of the regulations of the Clean Air Act. Kriz examines the politics behind the decision and questions its effectiveness. The article also examines the controversy over coal - fired power plants.
Tags: Clean Air Act; EPA; emissions; pollution; coal; power plants