The Dallas Morning News published a two-day installment in its ongoing investigation into allegations of Medicare billing fraud and poor patient care at one of the nation’s leading medical schools and its teaching hospital in Dallas. Among The News‘ findings: Faculty at UT Southwestern were letting resident doctors-in-training treat the hospital’s mostly poor, minority patients with little…
Read MoreBy Jaimi Dowdell, IRE training director Tap in to practical training from your home or office with IRE’s online sessions. This fall we’re rolling out a series of webinars led by experienced journalists and IRE trainers. Topics include Broadcast investigations, Twitter for journalists, Doing great work with limited resources and Corral and analyze text with…
Read MoreBe inspired by the greats who heralded in a new breed of watchdog journalism. “The New Muckrakers,” with an updated forward by author Leonard Downie, Jr., is now available from IRE. Downie’s classic examines a crucial era in the rich history of investigative reporting in America. His exploration of the “new muckrakers” includes insider anecdotes…
Read MoreAn investigation by David Andreatta of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, N.Y.) found hundreds of vacant, boarded-up homes in Rochester are accruing huge water bills because the city Water Bureau does not turn off the water at many homes, and continues to bill the homes based on estimated water use when it does turn off the…
Read MoreBy Jaimi Dowdell, IRE training director If you’ve ever been involved in an investigative story or in-depth project, you understand how important chronology can be. I’ve often sketched timelines on notebooks, napkins or white boards. For trickier tasks or more data, I’ve turned to Excel, but I’ve never been completely satisfied with how it works.…
Read MoreAn investigation by David Evans of Bloomberg found that Prudential Insurance has been profiting on life insurance policies of deceased veterans. The funds are held in “Prudential’s general corporate account, earning investment income for the insurer.” According to regulatory filings from 2008, survivors were being paid 1 percent interest on their Alliance Accounts, while Prudential…
Read MoreA report by Mike McGraw of The Kansas City Star shines a light on “a loophole in America’s whistleblower protection laws.” Whistleblowers have nowhere to turn when they face retaliation for their actions. McGraw’s story focuses on George Sarris, an Air Force employee whose security clearance was suspended after he pointed out life-threatening maintenance problems…
Read MoreA story by Paula Lavigne, of ESPN, reveals some unappetizing realities about food service at the 107 stadiums used by the MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL across the country. Through a review of inspection records from local health departments, Lavigne revealed that at “30 of the venues (28 percent), more than half of the concession…
Read MoreBy Doug Haddix IRE training director Time management can be a reporter’s biggest challenge when it comes to watchdog stories. During a recent Better Watchdog Workshop in Denver, two seasoned investigative journalists shared tips and tricks they’ve learned to make time for the big story. Advice and tips came from Raquel Rutledge of the Milwaukee…
Read MoreAn investigation by The Dallas Morning News found evidence that Gov. Rick Perry’s biggest real estate score was enhanced by a series of professional courtesies, and personal favors from friends, campaign donors, and the head of a Texas family with a rich history of political power-brokering. Together, they may have enriched Perry by almost $500,000,…
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