The Center for Public Integrity
@publicintegrity
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One of America's oldest, Pulitzer-winning nonprofit newsrooms. Donate to support journalism that drives change: https://t.co/Cvwki2t74a
Washington, D.C.
Joined January 2009
NEW: 40 acres and a mule is largely known as a broken promise. What’s less known is that hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of former slaves did receive land grants—only to have them seized back.
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Shoutout for public service journalism from @RepJasonCrow for the #UkraineDocs we sued to get which showed— despite many redactions— serious concerns among WH staff re: legality of military holdup. “Let’s see the documents and let’s see them now”.
Rep. Jason Crow, an impeachment manager and veteran, comments on the freeze of Ukraine military aid: "I remember what it feels like to not have the equipment you need when you need it. Real people's lives are at stake. That's why this matters."
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@RollingStone: To put the CDC’s $10 million climate budget in perspective, Trump’s travel to Mar-a-Lago has cost U.S. taxpayers more than $64 million.
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As the House Judiciary Committee was voting on articles of impeachment against Donald Trump, @publicintegrity received documents related to Trump’s decision to withhold military aid from Ukraine. Every substantive exchange between officials was blacked out. #UkraineDocs
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We received a second round of documents related to Trump’s decision to withhold military aid from Ukraine. For the second time, many of the substantive passages between officials were blacked out.
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Donald Trump says he will “always support” law enforcement. But his campaign won’t pay police bills cities send him for his MAGA rallies.
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We said it before and we'll say it again – the public has a right to know the contents of emails between the DOD and OMB about Trump's private decision to halt military aid to Ukraine. #Ukrainedocs
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.@Schwarzenegger to Muscogee County poll workers:“never in my wildest dreams did I ever think when I came to America more than 50 years ago that one day I would be financing or giving money to open polling places in Georgia.”
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Curious how Mercer, Bannon and Trump are all connected? @zubakskees has the perfect visual for you.
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A PAC that claimed to 'Put Vets First!' spent almost all of the money it raised on telemarketing, salaries and overhead. Over the weekend, it shut down.
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Over 150 members of Congress are calling on Attorney General Barr to condemn the wave of #COVID19 anti-Asian bias. The joint letter cited our poll with Ipsos that found 30% of Americans have witnessed someone blaming Asian people for the pandemic.
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We received heavily redacted documents after winning a FOIA lawsuit for documents related to Trump’s dealings with Ukraine. We’re fighting the redactions in court— and we’re keeping our subscribers updated with our newsletter.
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EXCLUSIVE: On a private call White House Coronavirus Task Force leader Dr. Deborah Birx warned state and local leaders in a private phone call Wednesday that 11 major cities should take "aggressive" action.
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Our newsroom is among the nation’s media leaders in filing FOIA requests – and we just won a big one – copies of documents related to Trump’s decision to halt military aid and security assistance to Ukraine.
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Trump’s private decision to temporarily halt assistance to Ukraine ignited increasingly strident protests from officials who said in emails it was illegal and Congress should be notified, newly disclosed documents reveal. #UkraineDocs.
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In an unprecedented move, our Board of Directors has decided to issue a statement speaking out against the president's hostile rhetoric towards the news media. #freepress .
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Our friends @ProPublica have collected 5 instances of Trump cabinet members making false statements to Congress:
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Why did @Schwarzenegger surprise poll worker trainees in Muscogee County, Georgia over Zoom earlier this month?. To announce he was giving the county a grant to cover hazard pay for poll workers and other election expenses.
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A July 25 email to the Pentagon from shows how quickly OMB acted to block the aid – within 91 minutes – of the end of call between Trump Zelensky that morning. #UkraineDocs
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We’re teaming up with @voxdotcom for a new series on the Trump administration’s deregulatory efforts. We’re excited to combine strengths: Our data-driven investigative journalism, and Vox's explanatory journalism and policy expertise.
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So, no – this isn’t the end. We’re getting a second batch of documents on December 20th. As journalists, we demand the information that the public needs. We’re ready to take on another legal battle.
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While the Senate isn’t pushing for new evidence in impeachment, thanks to our work, the public knows about the emails showing Trump’s thinking on Ukraine. AND we’re still fighting to get unredacted version. #UkraineDocs #PublicServiceJournalism #WeNeedFOIA
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Update: Since we reported on Wilbur Ross's conflict of interest, he has now sold his shipping investment
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.@PublicIntegrity CEO @Susaneaudroa: "We are deeply disappointed that the public won’t have access to this important information at the heart of the impeachment process. But we will continue to fight to ensure that the documents see the light of day."
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How did so much government money end up in the pockets of corporations and rich Americans under Trump? That’s what our new podcast is all about. And to celebrate, we’re giving away some cool and unusual prizes. Enter our contest with @MuckRock today.
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Trump's pick to lead EPA chemical safety has deep ties to chemical manufacturers, big tobacco. Our 2014 story:
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Find something interesting in the Trump officials' personal financial disclosures? Let us know with #CitizenSleuth
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The government has a secret ventilator stockpile. But it only has 16,600 –– nowhere near the number needed to help people suffering from coronavirus.
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A lengthy email exchange between Elaine McCusker, deputy comptroller at the Defense Department and Michael Duffey, a political appointee and the associate director at OMB, and OMB General Counsel Mark Paoletta was also blacked out.
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Paul Cheung (@pcheung630), a veteran journalist and leading advocate for innovative change in media, has been named CEO of the Center for Public Integrity. He will lead Public Integrity in its mission of investigative reporting about inequality.
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Trump's company rented to Iranian bank that helped send at least $100M to a military unit that sponsored terrorism:
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EXCLUSIVE: Unpublicized White House document shows 18 states are in the “red zone” for coronavirus cases, recommends that residents limit social gatherings to 10 people, wear masks, close bars and gyms.
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When @publici called the WH press office w/ Qs about Steve Bannon, the WH didn’t call back. This woman did.
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Trump said he would provide “whatever is needed” to help El Paso recover from a mass shooting Saturday that killed 22 people. His campaign still owes the city hundreds of thousands in safety bills for a MAGA rally he held there in Feb.
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.@publicintegrity's managing editor for national security has more details about our second batch of #UkraineDocs 👇.
Here's what we learned from new Ukraine documents given to us this evening by the Pentagon and OMB under a court order. None were provided to Congress before we got them. Thread to follow:.
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Here's a list of some of the biggest profitable companies not paying federal taxes. In many cases, American taxpayers are subsidizing THEM.
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These companies took $1.8 billion in federal aid to save jobs. They laid off 90,000 workers anyway.
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We investigated how the tax bill was rushed to passage, leading to flawed legislation. In part 2 of "Trump's Tax Cuts: The Rich Get Richer," we look into why it was rushed: Did big donors pay off GOP lawmakers to pass the bill?
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Former lobbyist with for-profit colleges quits Department of Education after @ProPublica story
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We’ve challenged the redactions by taking the fight to court. Keep up with the latest developments by signing up for our newsletter. #UkraineDocs
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McCusker did email Duffey to say: “the funds go into the system today to initiate transactions and obligate,” which set off more emails from Duffey and Paoletta. The e-mails carried on to the next day when McCusker suggested they hop on a call.
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PG&E swapped safety upgrades and investments in aging infrastructure for lavish shareholder rewards and political influence. (via @theintercept).
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Why won't @realDonaldTrump's campaign pay police bills sent to it by cities across the nation?. Reporter @SarahBurris at @RawStory notes our reporting on the matter:
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#Hydroxychloroquine not the 1st time POTUS talked up an unproven, controversial drug. Last year our reporter @PeterACary reported how Trump fast-tracked an anti-depressant drug for veterans, linked to Mar-A-Largo associates. #Spravato #COVID19.
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A president cannot simply ignore Congress’s direction. Funds cannot be secretly withheld or shifted elsewhere. Congress must approve.
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Donald Trump inauguration bankrolled by corporate giants
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CDC officials have warned members of President-elect Biden's team that a COVID-19 tracker used by @HHSGov isn't accurate. The tracker was created by Palantir, a data-mining firm created by Peter Thiel — a close Trump ally. (via @thedailybeast)
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The Payment Protection Program provided loans to small businesses hurt by #COVID19. Millions went to Trump's friends and family, including a lettuce farm backed by Trump’s son, Kushner companies, and a dentist who golfs with Trump. (via @propublica)
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We wouldn’t know much about Ukraine aid #WithoutFOIA. We *still* don’t know much— that's why we're highlighting things we wouldn't know without access to state & federal public records. Your health, your money and more depend on it. Join us & tag your posts #WithoutFOIA.
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#PanamaPapers wins a Pulitzer Prize in a win for collaborative journalism, transparency and accountability.
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COVID-19 has led to a reduction in U.S. life expectancy in 2020. And the decline is greater among Black and Latino populations.
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@RollingStone article was referring to our report, produced with @columbiajourn documenting how a decade of neglect and politics undermined the CDC’s fight against climate change.
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The Pruitt emails shed light on the new EPA chief's long history with major oil and gas producers, via @nytimes :
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We sued to get full names of recipients of $700b in PPP loans and we’re getting that info, in latest ruling.
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That law, known as the Impoundment Control Act, says that once Congress appropriates funds – like the Ukraine assistance – and the president signs the relevant spending bill, the executive branch MUST spend those funds.
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NEW: Our reporting has found that schools refer tens of thousands of students to law enforcement every year. And the consequences of school policing fall on students with disabilities, Black children, and in some states, Native American & Latino children.
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IBM told the IRS it made $500 million pre-tax in the US last year. Then it paid no fed taxes. In fact, it took $342 million from US taxpayers as a "rebate.".Imagine, paying no taxes—& demanding the government pay you 68 percent of your salary as a refund.
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Exclusive: New CDC data shows nursing home workers are refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, crushing hopes of in-person visits.
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News organizations and journalists' advocates are battling restrictive new rules for those covering impeachment. The new rules prevent press members from reaching many senators.(via @npr)
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Bernie Sanders voluntarily e-files his campaign finance reports. Making them easier to access. http://t.co/viyZCsCxNX
http://t.co/kX7XKuCXFv.
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Robert Mueller’s greatly anticipated testimony before Congress happens on Wednesday. Earlier this year, former CIA officer @alexzfinley wrote on how the Trump team’s lies about their connections w/ Russia created a counterintelligence challenge:
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THE HEIST: @AmericanAir received billions of dollars during the #coronavirus pandemic — the biggest payout of stimulus money among major US airlines. But the airline furloughed about 20,000 workers at the beginning of October. Where did the money go?.
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Remember: Public statements and congressional testimony show officials at key institutions were worried the halt may violate a law written to keep presidents from ignoring the will of Congress.
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Was there something you wanted to know about the documents? Let us know and we’ll see if our next document drop will have that information.
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.@Schwarzenegger to Muscogee County poll workers: “never in my wildest dreams did I ever think when I came to America more than 50 years ago that one day I would be financing or giving money to open polling places in Georgia.”
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New York Rep. Chris Collins was arrested and charged with insider trading about a year after @JerryZremski broke the story. Today, Collins resigned and plead guilty. We spoke to Jerry about the total lack of cooperation from Collins and his people.
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Combined, these companies raked in $79 BILLION in pre-tax US income last year. Combined, they paid NOTHING in taxes. Combined, they TOOK $4.3 billion from American taxpayers as tax "rebates". The list:
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If you want to stay in the loop, sign up for our watchdog newsletter. We’ll keep you posted here:
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🎉 We’re excited to welcome @mattderienzo, an award-winning newsroom veteran with over 25 years of experience, as our new editor in chief! .
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Most Americans favor a cut in defense spending. That includes Republicans and Democrats.
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Why has the old U.S. Senate campaign of @FoxNews personality @JudgeJeanine been operating in violation of federal election law? . @DavidEdwards of @Rawstory notes @publici's reporting on the matter:
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Ty and Charlene Bollinger got their start by questioning mainstream cancer treatments such as chemotherapy. But the Tennessee couple’s latest target is COVID-19 vaccines, and they’re cashing in on misinformation.
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8 nurses at the lone hospital in a rural Oklahoma town now double as the cleaning crew. They stabilize patients with life-threatening conditions, mop floors and scrub toilets.(via @propublica).
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Workers who cleared asbestos from the federal GSA building are some of the many victims of wage theft.
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Treasury Sec Steven Mnuchin said SBA won't disclose recipients of the $700 billion PPP bailout package. So we're suing to get the info. These are your taxpayer dollars. You deserve to know.
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“In the past, the threat that you would go public with something as the director of the Office of Government Ethics was enough to keep people in line," @waltshaub said at #TribFest18
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Searchable and sortable financial disclosures reveal the political connections and wealth behind Trump aides.
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It takes A LOT of resources to obtain some public documents, but we’re proud our small newsroom is one of the biggest news oufits filing FOIA requests. Journalism in the public interest. It’s what we do. #UkraineDocs #FOIAFighters #Transparency.
These emails were obtained via a #FOIA lawsuit filed vs. the @DeptofDefense by @publicintegrity. It's unfortunate that it often requires litigation to force gov't agencies to produce PUBLIC records illuminating matters of pressing public interest, as demonstrated by these emails.
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Some numbers: In December 2015, Republicans in Congress rejected a proposal to boost spending on the CDC program to $18 million. The increase would have more than doubled its size. It was the last time the White House would ask Congress to expand the program. #ClimateChange.
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The PPP program is the largest bailout program for small businesses in modern U.S. history. It was supposed to save jobs during the pandemic slowdown. Yet our analysis shows 900 companies took $1.8 billion of this aid—and still laid off 90,000 workers.
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Just now: Judge orders #Trump border officials to let doctors and other health experts into border camps housing migrant kids to determine if the kids are being treated safely and in sanitary conditions.
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DOJ records show Jack Abramoff spent months trying to schedule a meeting b/t Trump and the Congolese president
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Felonious former lobbyist Jack Abramoff is officially a lobbyist again.
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“There is aggressive, rapid, and expanding community spread across the country, reaching over 2,000 counties,” the White House coronavirus task force told states Nov. 22.
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While the public has been fixated on Scott Pruitt’s travel habits, we’ve been following how the EPA chief is making it easier for power plants to pollute.
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Center for Public Integrity wins Pulitzer Prize for ‘Panama Papers’
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Schumer says "explosive" new emails obtained by us underscore need for White House witnesses in Senate impeachment trial
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President Trump’s June 22 proclamation barred the entry of most immigrants on work visas. Now, hospitals are finding themselves short-staffed as hundreds of immigrant young doctors were unable to start their residencies on time. (via @propublica) .
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“If you’re so against undocumented immigrants, then just stop eating 50% of what’s on your plate, right now,” said Erik Nicholson, former VP of the California-based @UFWupdates.
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New unredacted emails confirm that OMB was fully in the loop about the Pentagon’s concerns over Trump’s Ukraine aid halt and took steps to bury them. They also show how far OMB misled @USGAO— and that OMB even lied to them, too. (via @just_security) .
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Remember those veterans charities @sarahkleiner9 wrote about last month that are giving the majority of their funds to telemarketers? . @CharityNav is now warning donors about two of those groups.
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The Trump administration kept the “red zone” coronavirus reports secret. Now, we @publicintegrity are making them public. Check out what we have so far:
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Ethics experts say Trump administration far from normal
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Beyond the Koch brothers: we go back more than 40 years to reveal the donors and decisions behind the unraveling of U.S. campaign finance regulation
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🚨 Big news: we’re joining forces with @voxdotcom for a 6-month reporting project on the Trump administration’s moves to slash federal agencies' regulatory powers. It’s called System Failure and we're kicking it off with three (yes, three!) new stories.
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Watchdog group asks feds to investigate WH strategist Steve Bannon for using a private public relations executive
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