Sunshine Week: Iowa officials gave their companies millions

By   /  March 11, 2013  /  National, News  /  1 Comment

GovernmentTransparency

When it came to giving away money to businesses, the Iowa Economic Development Authority had a record-breaking year in 2012, just a year after it was formed at Republican Gov. Terry Branstad’s request.

Read More →

Sunshine Week: Missouri’s serial moochers

By   /  March 12, 2013  /  Missouri, National, News  /  No Comments

HUMMEL: Missouri should get its slice of the federal Medicaid pie.

ST. LOUIS – Ethics reforms were all the rage among Missouri lawmakers after the November elections.

Both Democrats and Republicans revealed plans to push bills that would clean up the political system, from requiring political nonprofits that to disclose their donors to imposing greater restrictions on former legislators now serving as lobbyists.

Read More →

Sunshine Week: Persistence and public records pay off in tracking double-dipping school chiefs

By   /  March 13, 2013  /  National, News  /  No Comments

NJ-doubledip-FEATURED

A recent New Jersey Watchdog investigation revealed 45 “retired” school chiefs had returned to the public payroll, double-dipping millions of dollars a year from pension funds and local education budgets.

Read More →

Sunshine Week: Data forms the framework, old-fashioned reporting makes the story

By   /  March 14, 2013  /  National, News  /  1 Comment

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: Whose been to the White House>

Some in the Watchdog.org family might take Earl Glynn for granted having been for so long ably, reliably and genially assisted by him.

Not me.

Read More →

Sunshine Week: A little math + a lot of persistence = successful investigation into jobs claims

By   /  March 15, 2013  /  National, News  /  No Comments

Harper

Governors like to tout the number of jobs their business incentive programs have created, but vetting those numbers can be difficult.

Read More →