MuckReads: Abusive Doctors, Domestic Violence and More

Austin American-Statesman

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New laws, same old cycle, Austin American-Statesman

 

Busted, ProPublica/New York Times Magazine

Photo published for Police, Prosecutors and Judges Rely on a Flawed $2 Drug Test That Puts Innocent People Behind Bars
Police, Prosecutors and Judges Rely on a Flawed $2 Drug Test That Puts Innocent People Behind Bars

Tens of thousands of people every year are sent to jail based on the results of a $2 roadside drug test. Widespread evidence shows that these tests routinely produce false positives.

Inside the Deadly World of Private Prison Transport, The Marshall Project

Inside the Deadly World of Private Prisoner Transport

Tens of thousands of people every year are packed into vans run by for-profit companies with almost no oversight. themarshallproject.org

The lobbying reform that enriched Congress, POLITICO

Photo published for The lobbying reform that enriched Congress
The lobbying reform that enriched Congress

Nine years after Congress tried to halt the revolving door, the influence industry is larger and filled with former members. This wasn’t an accident.politico.com

The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 was enacted following the arrest of “super lobbyist” Jack Abramoff. It was billed as a historic breakthrough that Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) said would, “[restore] the people’s trust by reforming ethics and lobbying rules.” But it didn’t. In fact, this investigation found that it’s created a shadow class of political influencers that are increasingly difficult to monitor — and punishing those behaving badly is even harder.

Doctors & Sex Abuse, Atlanta Journal Constitution

Doctors & Sex Abuse: How doctors who abuse patients keep practicing, 50-state investigation finds

Doctors & Sex Abuse is a national investigation that exposes a culture of power and secrecy that forgives sexually abusive doctors in every statedoctors.ajc.com

How common is sex abuse by doctors? Very, according to this investigation. A review of public records from all 50 states found “more than 3,100 doctors accused of sexual misconduct,” since 1999, and more than 2,000 of those cases “clearly involved patients.” But that’s only a fraction of the problem – and the full extent of the problem is unknowable.

New Jersey’s Student Loan Program is ‘State-Sanctioned Loan-Sharking’, ProPublica/New York Times

Photo published for New Jersey’s Student Loan Program is ‘State-Sanctioned Loan-Sharking’
New Jersey’s Student Loan Program is ‘State-Sanctioned Loan-Sharking’

The loans have extraordinarily stringent rules, aggressive collections and few reprieves, even for borrowers who’ve died. The head of the loan agency was appointed by Gov. Chris Christie.propublica.org

 When Marcia DeOliveira-Longinetti’s son was murdered, the federal government forgave his student loans, which she was a co-signer on. New Jersey sent a letter offering condolences but reaffirming her duty to pay back the borrowed money. One bankruptcy lawyer referred to New Jersey’s student loan program as “state-sanctioned loan sharking” for its aggressive debt collection tactics. The agency filed more than 1,600 lawsuits against borrowers in 2015 – up from less than 100 in 2010.

#MuckReads Local

Yarber campaign finance: missing donations, miscalculations, The Clarion-Ledger

Photo published for Yarber campaign finance: missing donations, miscalculations
Yarber campaign finance: missing donations, miscalculations

Mayor Tony Yarber’s campaign finance filings raised eyebrows during the 2014 election and still do two years later.clarionledger.com

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