Author Archive
Oversight
She’s Supposed to Protect Americans From Toxic Chemicals. First, She Just Has to Fix Trump’s Mess and Decades of Neglect.
Biden promised to prioritize people over polluters. His pick to deliver that, Michal Freedhoff, is facing a bare-bones budget, demoralized staff and increasingly angry advocates.
Management
They Promised Quick and Easy PPP Loans. Often, They Only Delivered Hassle and Heartache.
More than a million government-approved loans ended up being canceled, including some that would have gone to people who needed the loans and applied just as they were told.
Oversight
This Scientist Created a Rapid Test Just Weeks Into the Pandemic. Here’s Why You Still Can’t Get It.
Irene Bosch developed a quick, inexpensive COVID-19 test in early 2020. The Harvard-trained scientist already had a factory set up. But she was stymied by an FDA process experts say made no sense.
Management
Capitol Rioters Planned for Weeks in Plain Sight. The Police Weren’t Ready.
Insurrectionists made no effort to hide their intentions, but law enforcement protecting Congress was caught flat-footed.
Oversight
The Trump Administration’s Final Push to Make It Easier for Religious Employers to Discriminate
Last-minute policies on religious freedom clear the way for employers to hire on the basis of faith. Some of the changes won't be easy for Biden to undo.
Workforce
How Dozens of Trump’s Political Appointees Will Stay in Government After Biden Takes Over
Documents show that officials appointed by Trump who’d otherwise lose their jobs under Biden have been approved for permanent positions in federal agencies.
Oversight
Judge Orders the Release of Data on Emergency Loans for Small Businesses
A consortium of news organizations, including ProPublica, has won a legal fight against the Small Business Administration. It will now have to publicly release the names of borrowers who got government pandemic loans.
Management
This Treasury Official Is Running the Bailout. It’s Been Great for His Family.
Deputy Treasury Secretary Justin Muzinich has an increasingly prominent role. He still has ties to his family’s investment firm, which is a major beneficiary of the Treasury’s bailout actions.
Management
The FDA Is Forcing the CDC to Waste Time Double Testing Some Coronavirus Cases
The FDA’s strict guidance on test confirmations is one of several obstacles that has slowed the federal government’s response to COVID-19. The FDA could change its rules to speed things up, but hasn’t.
