About

Extra! Extra! is a blog devoted to current examples of investigative reporting, including in-depth projects, enterprise and breaking news with impact, use of public documents and Freedom of Information laws, use of data or computer-assisted reporting tools, and other examples of watchdog journalism from all media.

Email your story suggestions to Please include a working URL for the story; you may also include an optional synopsis of 100 words or less.

The blog will link to past featured stories until they are available through IRE's Resource Center. Please be aware that some links to older stories may have changed or be otherwise unavailable. Some stories are available to members from the IRE Resource Center's collection. Search the story database. If your story is included in Extra! Extra! and you would like to add a copy to the Resource Center, Click Here to download a form to mail with your story.

The Favor Factory 2008

10/13/08 Posted in CAR, Campaign Finance, Government (federal/state/local)

An investigation by The Seattle Times shows that Congressional earmarks remain a problem despite efforts in ethics reform.  A Times analysis of the 2008 defense bill found $3.5 in hidden earmarks, and used this to point out flaws in efforts to curb these favors. Members of the House violated laws mandating disclosure of earmarks 110 times within the defense bill.  Included in the package is an online database denoting the earmarks attached to the defense bill, including who received them, which lawmakers doled them out, and campaign donations linked to the earmarks.

Share on Facebook

book mark The Favor Factory 2008 in del.icio.us
 
 

Back to the CAR, Campaign Finance, Government (federal/state/local) category index

Back to the Extra! Extra! homepage

« Chicago Housing Authority falling behind goals
DNA exonerations highlight flaws in eyewitness identifications »