2012-02-22T16:36:57-05:00 http://www.iwatchnews.org/rss http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8221

In collaboration with the Center for Public Integrity's iWatch News, KQED Public Radio’s California Report has taken a look at the debate over a daytime curfew law before the Los Angeles City Council today, Wednesday, Feb.

2012-02-22T15:34:50-05:00 2012-02-22T15:27:25-05:00 Susan Ferriss http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/susan-ferriss http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8219

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has called the Supreme Court decision that created super PACs “wrong” and in need of fixing, but that didn't stop him from sending money to one of these new groups.On Jan. 25, just days after the two-year anniversary of the controversial Citizens United v.

2012-02-22T12:52:30-05:00 2012-02-22T12:34:36-05:00 <p>Massachusetts Gov.&nbsp;Deval&nbsp;Patrick, center, greets legislators and guests as he enters the House Chamber at the Statehouse in Boston.</p> Michael Beckel http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/michael-beckel http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8218

Rick Santorum incorrectly claimed that “one of three children drop out of school” in the United States. The 2009 dropout rate was 8.1 percent — slightly higher than it was in 2008, but down significantly from the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and even early 2000s, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.It’s true that a higher percentage of students in the U.S. fail to graduate on time — about 23 percent in the 2009-10 school year.

2012-02-22T11:02:25-05:00 2012-02-22T11:02:04-05:00 <p>Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick&nbsp;Santorum&nbsp;speaks during a rally in Muskegon, Mich.&nbsp;</p> FactCheck.Org http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/factcheckorg http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8207

It seemed simple enough at the time. In 2009, John Harrison, a 63–year-old oil industry sales manager in Mission, Texas, had surgery to repair the rotator cuff in his right shoulder, a routine procedure that usually requires at most a single night’s stay in the hospital, followed by physical therapy.

2012-02-22T14:26:52-05:00 2012-02-22T07:00:00-05:00 Joe Eaton http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/joe-eaton http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8211

Thanks to a small number of wealthy individuals, the outside spending groups known as “super PACs” that are working to put the four leading GOP candidates in the White House collectively raised more than the candidates themselves in January.Candidates Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul raised a combined $21.1 million for the month, according to Federal Election Commission records, while the four primary super PACs backing them raised $22.1 million.Donors to candidates number

2012-02-22T13:18:00-05:00 2012-02-21T15:09:19-05:00 <p>From left: William J. Doré, Sheldon Adelson, Foster Friess and Harold Simmons</p> John Dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/john-dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8210

Would you pay $5 as a penalty for your kid neglecting to have shoelaces tied at school?Chicago is buzzing over a controversial practice aimed at forcing inner-city school kids to follow rules.

2012-02-21T14:35:48-05:00 2012-02-21T13:52:29-05:00 Susan Ferriss http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/susan-ferriss http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8205

Mitt Romney says, “If you want a fiscal conservative, you can’t vote for Rick Santorum, because he’s not.” Really?

2012-02-21T12:59:00-05:00 2012-02-21T12:45:46-05:00 <p>Republican presidential candidates former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt&nbsp;Romney, right, reaches out to former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick&nbsp;Santorum&nbsp;during a Republican presidential debate.</p> FactCheck.Org http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/factcheckorg http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8202

A Louisiana energy executive has made a $1 million contribution to a super PAC supporting the surging campaign of Rick Santorum, according to disclosure records released Monday.The donation came from William J. Dore of Louisiana, president of Dore Energy Corp.

2012-02-21T08:59:58-05:00 2012-02-20T20:56:33-05:00 <p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(254, 254, 254); ">Foster Friess speaking at the Tea Party Patriots American Policy Summit in Phoenix, Arizona.</span></p> John Dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/john-dunbar Peter H. Stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/peter-h-stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8200

Casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson and his family have pumped $11 million into the pro-Newt Gingrich super PAC “Winning Our Future,” about 84 percent of the $13.1 million the group has raised so far.And that doesn’t include the additional $10 million sources say the multibillionaire is expected to kick in to help his political ally and friend Gingrich become competitive again. Gingrich has fallen behind the two frontrunners, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and ex-Pennsylvania Sen.

2012-02-22T11:48:51-05:00 2012-02-20T18:33:01-05:00 <p>Sheldon and Miriam Adelson</p> Peter H. Stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/peter-h-stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8199

The super PAC that has played a pivotal role in keeping Mitt Romney's presidential campaign going raised an impressive $6.6 million in January, bumping its total haul to $36.8 million since its founding last year."Restore our Future" has raised six- and seven-figure donations from a relatively small number of wealthy donors, including a large contingent of hedge fund managers and executives from private equity companies such as Bain Capital, Romney's former employer.There were no seven-figure do

2012-02-21T18:10:10-05:00 2012-02-20T13:01:39-05:00 <p>Republican presidential candidate former Massachusetts Gov.&nbsp;Mitt&nbsp;Romney</p> John Dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/john-dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8196

Texas congressman Ron Paul may be running in fourth place in the most recent national polls for the Republican presidential nomination, but he's first in the heart of PayPal founder and hedge fund manager Peter Thiel.With a $1.7 million donation in January added to the $900,000 he's already given, Thiel is responsible for 76 percent of Endorse Liberty's $3.4 million in total receipts, according to Federal Election Commission disclosure records released Monday.In 1998, Thiel was a co-founder of P

2012-02-21T17:57:40-05:00 2012-02-20T11:06:32-05:00 <p>Peter Thiel</p> John Dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/john-dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8194

The biggest applause line Senator Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) got at a gathering of Democratic Party activists last week came when she endorsed a ballot initiative to give the California Insurance Commissioner power to reject excessive health insurance rate increases.Consumer advocates there decided to go the ballot initiative route after the insurance industry’s friends in the legislature blocked a bill last year that would do the same thing.

2012-02-21T16:01:17-05:00 2012-02-20T06:00:00-05:00 <p>President Obama speaks at a rally for health care reform at the University of Maryland in College Park, Md.</p> Wendell Potter http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/wendell-potter http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8193

Another $10 million donation is expected to arrive within days from casino owner Sheldon Adelson to the outside group that’s provided life support to Newt Gingrich’s beleaguered presidential campaign, say fundraisers with ties to the multibillionaire.The $10 million infusion from Adelson would bring total donations from Adelson and family to the pro-Gingrich super PAC “Winning Our Future” to a stunning $21 million, far more than any super PAC donor has given to date.The funds are expected to arr

2012-02-20T09:54:08-05:00 2012-02-17T17:53:08-05:00 <p>&nbsp;</p><p> <meta charset="utf-8"> Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO&nbsp;Sheldon&nbsp;Adelson&nbsp;and his wife Miriam Ochsorn</p> Peter H. Stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/peter-h-stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8192

The Center for Public Integrity's iWatch News is offering a variety of ways to follow the money this election cycle, particularly the flood of funds that have come in the wake of the Supreme Court's Citizen United decision. Get breaking news from iWatch staff on Twitter at @iWatch and follow politics reporters Michael Beckel at @mjbeckel, Aaron Mehta at @AaronMehta, and engagement editor Cole Goins at @colegoins. Check out our Tumblr blog, maintained with the Center for

2012-02-22T09:29:59-05:00 2012-02-17T15:23:01-05:00 Michael Beckel http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/michael-beckel http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8190

Members of the Animal Party asked the Dutch government Wednesday to ban catches of threatened jack mackerel that vessels from the Netherlands and other European countries have overfished in the South Pacific."For years there have been meetings to bring to a halt the activities of big floating fish factories in whose nets whole soccer stadiums could fit," MP Anja Hazekamp of the Animal Party, said, according to the Dutch daily Trouw.

2012-02-21T18:04:46-05:00 2012-02-17T11:51:03-05:00 <p>The Willem van der Zwan is one of 25 EU-flagged vessels represented by the Dutch-based Pelagic Freezer-trawler Association. Ships like this catch fish with nets that measure up to 82 feet by 262 feet at the opening.</p> Marina Walker Guevara http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/marina-walker-guevara http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8187

Pro-Romney forces are looking beyond Michigan, hammering Rick Santorum in four other states with a new TV ad making some misleading claims.The ad claims Mitt Romney turned around Massachusetts’ finances without raising taxes, when in fact he raised hundreds of millions in new government “fees” when he was governor. It also rehashes a boast that Romney issued 800 vetoes, but fails to mention that more than 700 were overridden. It attacks former Sen.

2012-02-20T09:52:04-05:00 2012-02-17T08:15:06-05:00 <p>&nbsp;</p><div><div><div><div><div id="node-8184">Screen grab from Restore Our Future ad, 'Right Experience.'</div></div></div></div></div><div itemprop="description"><div><div>&nbsp;</div></div></div><p>&nbsp;</p> FactCheck.Org http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/factcheckorg http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8186

With the GOP presidential nomination heading full bore toward the convention and key Democratic operatives scrambling to herd high-dollar donations to their super PACs, the race for outside money is all systems go.At iWatch News, reporters for our Consider the Source series have been keeping a watchful eye on the names behind the checks, and will continue to closely monitor how outside groups and their generous benefactors are working to influence the 2012 election — and why.In an ongoing e

2012-02-17T07:56:51-05:00 2012-02-17T07:00:00-05:00 Cole Goins http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/cole-goins http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8179

With Rick Santorum polling well in Mitt Romney’s birth state, a high-stakes TV shootout has broken out in Michigan. But some shots are off the mark.An amusing Santorum ad features a Romney look-alike machine-gunning mud at a cardboard cutout of Santorum. But the ad slings a little mud of its own, claiming Romney is hiding his “support for cap-and trade.” In fact, for years Romney has been a consistent opponent of any national cap-and-trade plan.

2012-02-21T08:32:32-05:00 2012-02-16T14:32:53-05:00 <p>Screen grab from Santorum for President ad, 'Rombo'</p> FactCheck.Org http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/factcheckorg http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8178

State CorruptionCrooked politics is a state government specialty. Just look at Illinois. But what about the other 49 states? We’re undertaking an unprecedented look at transparency and accountability in the upcoming State Integrity Investigation.Unlike previous rankings, the investigation does not rely on the number of scandals or a tally of recent officials sent to prison for graft.

2012-02-16T13:16:04-05:00 2012-02-16T13:10:19-05:00 Randy Barrett http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/randy-barrett