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 "public figures" ...
-
WSJ China's Troubled Transition
During his years in China, British businessman Neil Heywood cut a rather eccentric figure, cruising around Beijing in a silver Jaguar with “007” license plates and boasting implausibly about his connections to senior Communist Party officials. When he was found dead in a second-rate provincial hotel room in November 2011—of “excessive alcohol consumption,” according to local authorities—he was immediately cremated and seemingly just as quickly forgotten. Forgotten, that is, until Wall Street Journal reporter Jeremy Page began digging into the case. Using his wide network of local and foreign contacts, the Beijing correspondent discovered that this was much more than a sad case of expat overindulgence. It turned out that Mr. Heywood was in fact very close to the wife of Bo Xilai, a Communist Party rising star—and that he had told friends he feared she might do him harm. The investigation lifted the lid on the extravagant, and often lawless, private lives of the country's elite—a forbidden topic for Chinese media, and one rarely touched on by the foreign press. Mr. Page’s reports, devoured by China’s vast population of Internet users, sparked massive public debate and may even have altered the course of China’s once-a-decade leadership transition.
Tags: Bo Xilai; China; Communist Party; death
-
Public Service Journalism Via Apps and Interactives
The Texas Tribune uses government records lawmakers, agency chiefs, educators and influential state figures would rather not be public. Projects include a campaign finance database offers a comprehensive, searchable tool to see who's bankrolling their representatives. The public schools database provides extensive access to comparative data on all of Texas' school districts.
Tags: data; government; statistics
-
A Gold-Plated Gravy Train
School districts and other local governments falsely reported private consultants as public employees so the consultants could get public pensions and health benefits, at a cost of millions of dollars to the taxpayers. In addition, scores of school administrations retired with six-figure pensions, only to return to work in so-called interim school jobs. That enabled them to collect six-figure salaries on top of their already rich pensions and health benefits. Both practices were done under the radar, known only to a club of insiders who reaped the benefits.
Tags: school districts; pensions; private consultants; consulting; education; retirement benefits
-
Overtime Overflow
"The story focused on the Rochester Police Department's overtime spending, which had spiked 46 percent in five years. Reporting showed retiring officers were using overtime to inflate not only their salaries, but also their pensions. The highest earners were also the top-paid city employees, pulling down six figure salaries working the department's front desk or coordinating parades and festivals. The report also uncovered that the city lacked clear policies and oversight of police overtime pay, unlike overtime in other departments."
Tags: police; city payroll records; overtime; corruption; local government; salaries; data analysis; public records
-
The secretive world of Sonics owners; Tax write-off may help ease owners' losses
Howard Schultz of Starbucks is the most public figure of the Seattle Supersonics' ownership but there are actually 58 others who also own the team. This group, The Basketball Club of Seattle, has been seeking a favorable arena lease and a taxpayer-funded $220 million expansion of Key Arena, yet its membership remains mysterous. This story provides the most complete roster of Sonics owners and their connections within the Seattle business world.
Tags: basketball; Seattle; Seattle Supersonics; ownership; tax break; tax; The Basketball Club of Seattle
-
Politicians on the Payroll
This investigation found that some of the most powerful Indiana state legislators are also administrators of a state-funded community college. Three of the four legislators have six figure salaries but do little work, and the fourth earns closer to $65,000 per year. The lawmakers sometimes vote on major college issues despite their conflict of interest.
Tags: community college; state legislature; conflict of interest; politicians; public employees
-
The 30-Year Secret
Willamette Week's two-month investigation revealed allegations that legendary Oregon public figure Neil Goldschmidt had sex with a 14-year-old babysitter over a three-year period. The story examines the crime, cover-up and the effect the 30-year secret had on Oregon.
Tags: public officials; Neil Goldschmidt; Portland; Oregon; rape
-
Licensed to Carry
This CAR investigation looks into how many people possess gun permits in Allen County, IN. The article exposed several public figures who had gun permits, including those who were major advocates for gun safety and protecting the youth from violence. The investigation also went on to outline the current gun permit laws, and create profiles of permit holders--based on race, gender, and political affiliation.
Tags: gun permits; NRA
-
Public Pensions, Private Jackpots
This investigation started when the staff of the Free Press noticed several key public figures bringing in substantial pension checks. After sampling other local cities and counties, they were able to analyze pension calculations and noticed that many other government employees were enjoying the perks of early retirement and large pensions. This new-found wealth comes at the expense of large tax increases and potential burdens on future taxpayers.
Tags: public employee pensions; police; firefighter pensions; Wayne County
-
New pluralism emerges in state
This two-day series by Lewis based on newly released Census figures examines the fact that four of California's five largest cities no longer have an ethnic majority. Pluralities of whites, Hispanics, Asians and blacks have replaced majorities. A sidebar by Hazle discusses the expected increase in political clout for Hispanics and Asians. A sidebar by Johnson describes the complaints of an advocacy group that says despite Asian Americans being the state's fastest growing group, public services have failed to accommodate them.
Tags: Census; demographics; minorities