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Computer Industry, Unions Big Donors to Immigration Bill Supporters

The 27 senators who voted against an immigration overhaul bill amendment, which strengthens border security but is also a step towards passing the overall immigration package, on average received very little money from the computer industry, human rights groups and labor unions, but did receive heavy support from donors in the agribusiness industry, according to…

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U.S. Border Patrol wins Inaugural Golden Padlock Award

The Golden Padlock Award. Photo: Travis Hartman. Investigative Reporters and Editors has named the U.S. Border Patrol as the winner of its first annual Golden Padlock Award recognizing a U.S. government agency or individual for unrelenting commitment to undermining the public’s right to know. The country’s largest law-enforcement agency was chosen among dozens of nominations…

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Day three of the IRE Conference, in pictures

Day three of the IRE Conference was jam-packed with the IRE Awards Luncheon, a full slate of sessions, the IRE membership meeting and Board of Director elections. Six members were elected to the board.  During the IRE Awards luncheon, IRE member Andy Hall detailed the situation in Wisconsin, in which the state government attempted to kick…

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Six members elected to IRE Board

IRE members elected six new directors to the IRE board on Saturday evening at the organization’s annual conference in San Antonio. The newly elected members are: Leonard Downie Jr., the Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University; Matt Goldberg, NBC Bay Area; Ziva Branstetter, Tulsa World; T. Christian Miller, ProPublica; Josh Meyer, Medill National…

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Getting Past “No” when government pushes back

By Kathryn Sharkey “How many people in here have filed federal information requests … and how many of you have been told no?” The room, during the panel “Getting past ‘No’ when government pushes back” on Friday of the IRE Conference, was filled with raised hands and chuckles as Jack Gillum from the Associated Press…

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Day two of the IRE Conference, in pictures

Day two of the IRE Conference in San Antonio featured the event’s showcase panel, “The Government’s War on Leaks”. IRE board member Leonard Downie Jr. moderated a panel featuring Michael Oreskes of the Associated Press, Lucy Dalglish of the Phillip Merrill College of Journalism, author James Bamford, and independent journalist Quinn Norton. The panelists discussed NSA…

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Investigating trafficking across the U.S.-Mexico border

By Kolten Parker and Perla Arellano Keeping a low profile and scavenging online court records are vital when covering drug trafficking across the United States-Mexico border. San Antonio Express-News reporter Jason Buch, Knight International Journalism Fellow Jorge Luis Sierra and Belo Corp. border bureau chief Angela Kocherga discussed tools and strategies they utilize to investigate illegal…

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Online data and tools for environmental investigations

By Gwen Girsdansky Lisa Song of InsideClimate News, Ingrid Lobet of the Houston Chronicle, David Sheppard of the San Antonio Express-News and Jim Morris of the Center for Public Integrity gave suggestions for online resources available for investigating environmental issues on Thursday at the IRE Conference. Lobet mentioned a good tactic is thinking about what…

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Investigating in the aftermath of natural and man-made a disasters

By Gwen Girsdansky Reporters and editors from The Oklahoman, Newsday, CBS News and WFAA shared their secrets for covering disasters Friday at the 2013 IRE Conference.  Paul Monies of The Oklahoman recommended having a “go bag” ready before a disaster strikes. Fill it with items like a full change of clothes for after a night…

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