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 "growth" ...
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Buying the Election
“Never Mind the Super PACs: How Big Business Is Buying the Election” investigates previously unreported ways that businesses have taken advantage of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling, which overturned a century of campaign finance law and allowed corporations to spend directly on behalf of candidates. The piece debunks a common misperception that businesses have taken advantage of their new political spending powers primarily through so-called Super PACs. In fact, most Super PAC donations have come from extremely wealthy individuals, not corporations. The investigation shows how corporations have instead used a variety of 501(c) nonprofits, primarily 501(c)(6) “trade associations,” to direct substantial corporate money on federal elections. As one prominent advisor to GOP candidates as well as corporations points out, "many corporations will not risk running ads on their own," for fear of the reputational damage, but the trade groups make these ad buys nearly anonymous. In 2010, 501(c)(6) trade associations and 501(c)(4) issue-advocacy groups outspent Super PACs $141 million to $65 million. The investigation shows that the growth of trade association political spending has had a number of significant ramifications, such as increased leverage during beltway lobbying campaigns. Most troublingly, legal loopholes allow foreign interests to use trade associations to directly influence American elections. One of the most significant revelations in the piece was that the American Petroleum Institute, a trade association for the oil and gas industry, had funneled corporate cash to groups that had run hard-hitting campaign ads while being led in part by a lobbyist for the Saudi Arabian government, Tofiq Al-Gabsani. As an API board member, Al-Gabsani was part of the team that directed these efforts, which helped defeat candidates who supported legislation that would move American energy policy away from its focus on fossil fuels. Federal law prevents Al-Gabsani, as a foreign national, from leading a political action committee, or PAC. But nothing in the law stopped him from leading a trade group that made campaign expenditures just as a PAC would.
Tags: Elections; campaign finance; corporations; Super PACs
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Frac sand mining booms in Wisconsin
An ongoing series looking at the recent growth in Wisconsin’s sand mining industry to meet the increased demand from oil and gas drillers. The frac sand industry has created jobs and economic development in Western Wisconsin, but many residents worry that the industry is not properly regulated. Concerns remain about the impact of the mining on human and environmental health, transportation, and land use.
Tags: Sand mining; oil; gas; human health; environment; transportation; land use
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Prognosis: Profits
In their quest for growth and profits, large nonprofit hospitals in North Carolina have pushed up healthcare costs, paid executives millions and left thousands with bills they struggle to pay. In a joint investigation, the Charlotte Observer and the News & Observer of Raleigh found that urban hospitals in North Carolina have generated some of the nation’s largest profit margins and have amassed billions of dollars in reserves. Hospitals in the Charlotte area have sued thousands of needy patients they could afford to help, frequently putting liens on their homes and damaging their credit. Raleigh-Durham hospitals, meanwhile, have sent collection agencies after thousands of patients, ruining the credit ratings of many in the process.
Tags: Healthcare; nonprofit hospitals; patients
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Wal-Mart Abroad: How a Retail Giant Fueled Growth With Bribes
Part One revealed how Wal-Mart’s highest executives shut down an internal investigation that had uncovered strong evidence of systemic bribery by Wal-Mart’s largest foreign subsidiary, Wal-Mart de Mexico. As a result, authorities were never notified and no one was punished. Instead, the executive identified as the driving force behind years of bribery was promoted to vice chairman of Wal-Mart. Part Two offered an in depth examination of precisely how Wal-Mart de Mexico used bribes to accelerate its growth. The article described Wal-Mart as “an aggressive and creative corruptor” in Mexico, and it focused on how Wal-Mart paid more than $200,000 in bribes to build a single supermarket in the town of Teotihuacán, not far from two ancient pyramids.
Tags: Wal-Mart; bribery; corruption
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Selling Saint Louis
Investigation of how the Saint Louis region's power brokers are selling Saint Louis to the world, focusing on the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association and its misappropriation of funds. KMOV-TV also uncovered a $360 million taxpayer funded proposal to create China Hub at Lambert International Airport.
Tags: China Hub
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Selling the Fountain of Youth
The book takes readers inside the modern anti-aging industry, where doctors prescribe human growth hormone (HGH), "bio-identical" estrogen and progesterone, and an infinite medicine chest of herbal supplements such as resveratrol and acai.
Tags: anti-aging; supplements; drugs
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Dairyland Diversity
Wisconsin's dairy industry has seen an influx of immigrant laborers in recent years. While the workers have contributed to growth in the industry, they have also put the farmers in potential legal peril.
Tags: farmer; dairy; immigrant; illegal; immigration; rural; Wisconsin
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Gambling on Growth
For years, St. Cloud-area cities have used public financing to pay upfront for improving roads and extending water and sewer utilities to new housing developments. Developers were supposed to pay off the debt through assessments, but many are falling behind on payments, leaving cities to bear the cost.
Tags: Developers; Finance; City Budget; Utilities; Housing; Roads; Funding; Loans; Debt
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Strong at Any Cost
The investigation examines the use of anabolic steroids and human growth hormone prescribed to law enforcement officers and firefighters in New Jersey. The authors discovered how easy it was for hundreds of law enforcement officers in New Jersey to obtain the drugs and found that in most cases they were paying for the drugs under their government health plans.
Tags: law enforcement; steroids; human growth hormone; drugs; perscription drugs
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"Medicare and Home Health Care"
The Wall Street Journal investigated the home health care industry, which has seen increased growth during the last few years. After studying the data found in "millions of Medicare files," reporters found evidence of fraudulent behavior. Several home health companies including one of the largest - Amedisys Inc. - are "taking advantage of the Medicare reimbursement system" by finding ways to pay themselves more.
Tags: Amedisys Inc.; Medicare; home health; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; MedPAC; William Borne; LHC Group; Gentiva Health Services; Almost Family