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 "postal service" ...
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Your Government At Work: Post Office Mansion
"The investigation discovered the U.S. Postal Service was buying million dollar homes of employees who relocated at a time when the agency was cutting services and experiencing record losses. They found that the Postal Service had no limit on the amount it would pay for the homes."
Tags: postmaster; mail; FOIA; real estate; housing; market; Congress; federal government; Cartus Relocation; inspector general; funds
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Hey, Mr. Mailman!
KDFW-TV in Dallas investigates registered sex offenders working for the U.S. Postal Service. The USPS admitted it "does not have a clear policy on offenders who become registered sex offenders." As a result, Postal officals in both Washington, D.C. and Dallas said "Fox 4 News found a weakness in their system" and began to investigate.
Tags: Sex offenders; U.S. Postal Service; mail carriers; federal government
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Federal Tax Cheats
This investigation found tens of thousands of employees of the federal government did not pay their taxes. This accounts for $2 billion in unpaid taxes. Employees worked for the house of representatives, the senate, the department of veterans affairs, the department of homeland security and even in the white house. 32 thousand employees of the U.S. Postal Service alone owed more than $200 million.
Tags: TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; FOIA; taxes; federal employee; house of representatives; senate; department of veterans affairs; department of homeland security; white house; tax evasion; postal service
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The Killer Strain: Anthrax and a Government Exposed
Thompson's book investigates the U.S. government's failures and incompetencies during 2001's series of Anthrax attacks. The attacks killed five people and left thousands of Americans in fear. The investigation looks at how a number of government agencies from the CDC to the FBI have controlled information under the Bush Administration. "The Killer Strain is the definitive account of the year in which bioterrorism became a reality in the United States, exposing failures in judgement and a flawed understanding of the anthrax bacteria's capacity to kill."
Tags: BOOK; Anthrax attacks; U.S. Postal Service; Center for Disease Control; National Security Council; USAMRIID; FOIA
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Steroid Dealers Use Ruse to Sell Wares on eBay
This investigation revealed that those interested in purchasing steroids could obtain them from eBay. Drugs were listed under the guise of books, pamphlets or pictures about steroids and therefore got past eBay site security. This was of special concern because of the availability to teenagers. This story resulted in eBay cracking down on steroid peddlers and them referring some cases to the law enforcement.
Tags: ebay; internet; auction; steroids; illegal drugs; pharmacy; the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy; NABP; web site; Drug Enforcement Administration; anabolics; postal service
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Irradiating the mail
The Roll Call reports on the U.S. Postal Service's practice of irradiating the mail following the delivery of Anthrax to politicians via the mail in late 2001. "To combat the presence of the deadly white powder, the postal service started to irradiate the mail sent to Capitol Hill offices." The practice drew complains from federal employees. The mail was "brittle, yellow, smelly and powdery. Employees reported that handling the mail caused various illnesses including headaches, skin and eye irritation and bleeding from the ears. The major complaints lasted for three months as the postal service tinkered with the radiation dosage used to cleanse the mail. By April, the number of illnesses logged over several weeks decreased from 131 to fewer than 10 cases. During this time, the radiation dosage decreased by 20 percent.
Tags: Anthrax; mail; irradiation; Sept. 11; Capitol Hill; politicians
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Observations Under Fire
A Dispatch/Sunday News investigation reveals "how York City was using its postal permit to help distribute a newsletter that contained political advertising as well as city sponsored news." The story exposes campaign-finance ties between the publisher of the newsletter, called Observations, and city officials. The series' last part reports on the closing of the newsletter, as the Postal Service intervened to prevent the city from using its bulk-mail postal permit to send out political advertising.
Tags: FOIA; city council members; contributions; municipal finance
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Local moves for 2 postal officials cost $248,128
The Post reports that the U.S. Postal Service paid relocation benefits to two of its executives, even though they moved less than the required 50 miles that would qualify them for the payout and still went to work at the same location.
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The Check's Not In the Mail
Fox News/Fox Files reports an "Undercover investigation and sting of individual(s) selling federal income tax refund checks on the streets of Los Angeles. Investigation took place over three months and our team was offered over quarter million dollars worth of refund checks. ... checks were most likely stolen in bundles suggesting that they never got to the local post office for their specific zip codes..."
Tags: TAPE TRANSCRIPT US Postal Service Postal Inspector theft
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Broken Dreams
The Union-News, Sunday Republican reports "American Inventors Corp. billed itself as an inventions promotion company - a resourceful corporate friend to basement visionaries and backyard tinkerers eager to see their brainchildren patented and borne into the marketplace.... Federal officials say that Russell resident Ronald Boulerice and others created an elaborate money-making machine that preyed on the dreams, sweat and money of more than 34,000 inventors, swindling them out of as much as $100 million since the company's founding in 1975. All without generating a single dime of legitimate profit to any customer who used their services. Last May, Boulerice and nine others associated with American Inventors and two of its corporate spin-offs were indicted on charges of mail fraud, money laundering and tax evasion...."