Alcohol Industry Bankrolls Fight Against Legal Pot in Battle of the Buzz
Alcohol and painkiller manufacturers, terrified that they might lose market share, are major players in the fight against pot-legalization ballot initiatives.
Lee Fang
Lee Fang is a journalist with a longstanding interest in how public policy is influenced by organized interest groups and money. He was the first to uncover and detail the role of the billionaire Koch brothers in financing the tea party movement. His interviews and research on the Koch brothers have been featured on HBO's "The Newsroom," the documentaries "Merchants of Doubt" and "Citizen Koch," as well as in multiple media outlets. He was an investigative blogger for ThinkProgress from 2009 to 2011, and then a fellow at the Investigative Fund of the Nation Institute and contributing writer for The Nation.
In 2012, he co-founded RepublicReport.org, a blog to cover political corruption that syndicates content with TheNation.com, Salon, National Memo, BillMoyers.com, TruthOut, and other media outlets. His work has been published by VICE, The Baffler, the Boston Globe, the San Francisco Chronicle, The Progressive, NPR, In These Times, and the Huffington Post. His first book, "The Machine: A Field Guide to the Resurgent Right," published by the New Press, explores how the conservative right rebuilt the Republican Party and its political clout in the aftermath of Barack Obama's 2008 election victory. He is based in San Francisco.
In 2012, he co-founded RepublicReport.org, a blog to cover political corruption that syndicates content with TheNation.com, Salon, National Memo, BillMoyers.com, TruthOut, and other media outlets. His work has been published by VICE, The Baffler, the Boston Globe, the San Francisco Chronicle, The Progressive, NPR, In These Times, and the Huffington Post. His first book, "The Machine: A Field Guide to the Resurgent Right," published by the New Press, explores how the conservative right rebuilt the Republican Party and its political clout in the aftermath of Barack Obama's 2008 election victory. He is based in San Francisco.
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Colin Powell Urged Hillary Clinton’s Team Not to Scapegoat Him for Her Private Server, Leaked Emails Reveal
“HRC could have killed this two years ago by merely telling everyone honestly what she had done and not tie me to it,” Powell wrote in emails leaked by the website DCLeaks.com.
Pharma Company Funding Anti-Pot Fight Worried About Losing Business, Filings Show
Insys Therapeutics tells reporters it's motivated by concern for children — but tells investors that legalized pot would significantly reduce sales.
Though Promised for Domestic Use, Dakota Access Pipeline May Fuel Oil Exports
Proponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline claim the controversial project will enhance energy independence. But a portion of the oil may end up as exports to foreign markets.
Private Prison Involved in Immigrant Detention Funds Donald Trump and His Super PAC
The GEO Group provided $50,000 through its political action committee to Rebuilding America Now, the Super PAC backing Donald Trump.
Democratic Pundits Downplay Serious Ethical Issues Raised by the Clinton Foundation
Sympathetic pundits claim there is no evidence that well-heeled backers of the Clinton Foundation received favorable treatment from the State Department. The evidence says otherwise.
Consultant Raised Cash for Hillary Clinton, Used Access to Seek Meeting for Coal Giant, Emails Reveal
Emails released by Judicial Watch from email accounts associated with Clinton's private server provide a window into exchanges that appear to show Clinton donors seeking favorable treatment.
U.S. Defense Contractors Tell Investors Russian Threat Is Great for Business
When the Cold War ended, "all defense budgets went south," says one contractor hoping to turn that around.
FEC Commissioner, Citing The Intercept, Calls for Ban on Foreign Money in Politics
FEC Commissioner Ann Ravel said this week that, based on the Intercept's recent reporting, Citizens United has allowed foreign money to flow into U.S. elections.
Foreign Influence
Gary Locke, While Obama’s Ambassador to China, Got a Chinese Tycoon to Buy His House
The revelation of a substantial financial transaction between an American diplomat and a prominent citizen of the host country in which he was serving raises ethical flags.