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 "campaign loans" ...
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Profiting from the Auto-Bailout
September, 2012 the Obama campaign launched television ads blasting Romney’s November 2008 New York Times op-ed, “Let Detroit Go Bankrupt.” In an article for The Nation Magazine, funded by The Nation Investigative Fund we discovered that Ann Romney, personally gained at least $15.3 million from the bailout—and a few of Romney’s most important Wall Street donors made more than $4 billion. Their gains, and the Romneys’, were astronomical—more than 3,000 percent on their investment. It all starts with Delphi Automotive, a former General Motors subsidiary whose auto parts remain essential to GM’s production lines. No bailout of GM—or Chrysler, for that matter—could have been successful without saving Delphi. So, in addition to making massive loans to automakers in 2009, the federal government sent, directly or indirectly, more than $12.9 billion to Delphi—and to the hedge funds that had gained control over it. One of the hedge funds profiting from that bailout— $1.28 billion at the time of publication — was Elliott Management, directed by Romney supporter, Paul Singer.
Tags: Bailout; political campaign; Obama; Romney; Paul Singer
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Trapped for Cash
In Utah the "payday loan" industry is flourishing. These payday loan stores intentionally trap and drain those people desperate for cash. The industry is growing exponentially in areas that are poor, heavily Hispanic or near military bases. Utah banks and credit unions' campaign donations keep the legislature from puting limits on interest rates.
Tags: payday loans; interest rates; poverty; Utah; Hispanic; military
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Money and Politics
A year-long investigation into the role of Tennessee campaign contributions in Tennessee politics, and how candidates used these contribution funds. The Times found that candidates filed inaccurate disclosure reports and that there was little to no examination of the documents. They also took a look at Tennessee money in federal elections, and found that local races were not competitive, and that Republicans in particular were funneling contributions to out-of-state candidates.
Tags: campaign finance; campaign contributions; campaign loans; inaccurate disclosure reports; federal elections; state elections; campaign financial filings; questionable campaign practices
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Selling Out Higher - Education Policy
The articles look at the power and influence deep-pocketed interests have on the making of higher-education policy in the nation's capital. The stories revealed that bankers from the student loan industry and for-profit colleges had donated almost $1 million to the members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. The articles also show how those donations ended up being spent strengthening the Republican presence in the House.
Tags: politics; campaign contributions; lobbying; lobbyists
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Loan Ranger: Federal Mortgage Firm Is Facing New Assault To Privileged Status
The Journal reports that "Fannie Mae has clout to counter the agencies that seek to privatize it," a clout that "stems from money, votes and connections ... Like many corporations, Fannie Mae has a political action committee to channel funds to friendly lawmakers. And whenever the status quo seems under fire, it rallies support from friendly groups with influence in every congressional district, such as realtors, mortgage lenders and homebuilders."
Tags: homebuyers; homeowners; mortgages; campaign finance; money and politics; Freddie Mac; housing; finances
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How Capital One Changed State Laws
The Virginian-Pilot examines the influence of Capital One on state legislation that eliminated fee limits on small loans aimed low-income borrowers. Not only did Capital One make campaign contributions to 62 of Virginia's 140 legislators, it has given $56 thousand since 1995, to Governor Jim Gilmore, whose administration lobbied for the bill. The bill's chief sponsor was also the highest recipient of contributions in the senate. E-mails and faxes showed that language drafted by Capital One made it directly into law.
Tags: credit cards; lobbyists; campaign finance; CAR
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Great Escape: How Fannie Mae Gave the Slip to Adversaries Seeking to Rein It In
The Wall Street Journal reports on the critics of Fannie Mae, who say it has "converted its business-buying, packaging and reselling home loans- into a political currency that can be as potent as campaign contributions." In addition, critics question the mortgage company's "privileged, quasiofficial status" saying it gives them unfair advantages. Fannie Mae refutes the argument saying they have "convinced policy makers that the benefits from its rapid expansion-wider home ownership-outweigh any downside." Now legislators have begun to take sides. Kulish and Schlesinger report on this year long debate.
Tags: housing; legislators; Department of Housing and Urban Development; mortgages; Homeownership Alliance; money
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The Fall of Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush
The series "disclosed misconduct on the part of Chuck Quackenbush, California's second elected insurance commissioner." The reporter found out that he "made secret deals with major insurance companies that allowed them to escape fines for mishandling hundreds, perhaps thousands, of claims relating to the devastating 1994 Northridge earthquake." The stories reported that "Quackenbush had ignored recommendations form his legal staff that some of the big insurers in the state be fined hundreds of millions of dollars for mishandling Northridge claims. Instead, Quackenbush and his senior staff bullied insurers into "donating" more than $ 12 million to nonprofit foundations he created." The reporter found confidential documents to prove that the state regulator "used public funds and the power of his office to create a political slush fund, directed by highly paid consultants, to further his quest for higher public office." Quackenbush used some of the money to "repay his wife for personal loans she made to her failed state Senate campaign." After the misconduct had been revealed, the commissioner faced state's and federal probe of corruption and finally resigned. The reporter found out that in his "final days as insurance commissioner, Chuck Quackenbush approved contracts obligating California taxpayers to pay more than $ 1 million in legal fees to lawyers representing his commissioner and his top staff in investigations of wrongdoing."
Tags: politics; campaign; contributions; donations; political finance reports; Department of Insurance; foundations; nonprofit; television advertising; corruption; earthquake; California; impeachment; taxpayers; FBI
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Cycle of Influence
"Through computer-assisted analysis of campaign contributions and lobbyist spending data, 'Cycle of Influence' proved through the numbers what others had suspected -- special interests hold inordinate power over West Virginia's state legislators."
Tags: gambling; election; smokeless tobacco; CAR; lobbying; gas; oil; timber; loans; conflict of interest; grassroots
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No title (id: 12516)
The Examiner published a series of reports on ethical and financial issues in the career of Assembly Speaker Wille Brown. The series described how the speaker had repeatedly mingled the public interest with his own financial concerns. Several stories focussed on aspects of Brown's lucrative legal practice, through which he moonlighted as a lawyer for special interests that had important business before the Assembly. (April 26,-Dec. 20, 1995)