Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 20h

How to Fight Your Health Insurance Denial With an External Appeal, by @deldeib.bsky.social

This Little-Known Appeal Could Force Your Insurer to Pay for Lifesaving Care. Here’s How to File It.

When a health insurer refuses to pay for your treatment, you may have the right to have the denial reviewed — and potentially overturned — by an independent provider. Here are six steps experts sugges...

www.propublica.org

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 1d

He Drops Trump Jr.’s Name in Pursuit of Billion-Dollar Deals. It’s Getting Awkward.

Gentry Beach, a college friend of the president’s firstborn, has left a trail of confusion abroad as he courts foreign officials and business leaders to lock up investments in mining, oil pipelines an...

www.wsj.com

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 1d

The Superintendent’s Bio Seemed Too Good to Be True. It Was. via @nytimes.com

The Superintendent’s Bio Seemed Too Good to Be True. It Was.

www.nytimes.com

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 1d

Early last year, Seattle signed a $2.7 million lease extension to continue using a hotel’s rooms as shelter space for homeless people. Yet despite committing to pay the rent, the city stopped sending people there. @ashleyhiruko.bsky.social @kuow.org

Seattle Spent Millions on Hotel Rooms to Shelter Unhoused People. Then It Stopped Filling Them.

Early last year, the city signed a $2.7 million lease extension to continue using a hotel’s rooms as shelter space. Yet despite committing to pay the rent, the city stopped sending people there.

www.propublica.org

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 1d

NEW: Seattle Spent Millions on Hotel Rooms to Shelter Unhoused People. Then It Stopped Filling Them. by @ashleyhiruko.bsky.social @kuow.org

Seattle Spent Millions on Hotel Rooms to Shelter Unhoused People. Then It Stopped Filling Them.

Early last year, the city signed a $2.7 million lease extension to continue using a hotel’s rooms as shelter space. Yet despite committing to pay the rent, the city stopped sending people there.

www.propublica.org

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 2d

Three weeks after a leading scientist at the National Institutes of Health filed a whistle-blower complaint against the Trump administration, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy fired her. @nytimes.com

Kennedy Fires N.I.H. Scientist Who Filed Whistle-Blower Complaint

www.nytimes.com

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 4d

Among President Trump's canceled food aid:
* 2,300 gallons of 2% milk to the Heart Of Alabama Food Bank
* 19,000 pounds of pork chops to the Palm Beach County Food Bank in Florida
And so much more.

Trump Canceled 94 Million Pounds of Food Aid. Here’s What Never Arrived.

ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the administration’s cut...

projects.propublica.org

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Reposted by Charles Ornstein

ProPublica @propublica.org · 4d

NEW: ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the Trump administration’s cuts to an aid program.

Trump Canceled 94 Million Pounds of Food Aid. Here’s What Never Arrived.

ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the administration’s cut...

projects.propublica.org

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 4d

Um. MAGA’s Top “Voter Fraud” Watchdog Votes in a Swing State. He Doesn’t Live There. @slate.com

MAGA’s “Voter Fraud” Watchdog Votes in a Swing State. He Doesn’t Live There.

A long paper trail shows that Jack Posobiec casts a ballot in one state and lives in another.

slate.com

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Reposted by Charles Ornstein

Ken Schwencke @schwanksta.com · 4d

In the spring, Trump cut $500 million from aid to food banks.

But they had already ordered 94 million pounds of food from the program — all abruptly canceled.

People at food banks noticed. The cuts meant less meat and lighter pickups.

We visualized it:

projects.propublica.org/trump-food-c...

Trump Canceled 94 Million Pounds of Food Aid. Here’s What Never Arrived.

ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the administration’s cut...

projects.propublica.org

7 150 320

Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 4d

Eye-opening data visualization and story: Trump Canceled 94 Million Pounds of Food Aid. Here’s What Never Arrived, by Ruth Talbot and @nicolesantacruz.bsky.social

Trump Canceled 94 Million Pounds of Food Aid. Here’s What Never Arrived.

ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the administration’s cut...

projects.propublica.org

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 4d

“The money used to buy the Portland Trail Blazers is money that was built on predatory lending,” Mark Williams, a former Federal Reserve regulator who teaches finance at Boston University, said of buyer Tom Dundon. @opb.org

Portland Trail Blazers Buyer Tom Dundon Built His Fortune on Subprime Loans

In 2020, the state sued Santander Consumer USA for allegedly preying on Oregonians through high-interest car loans they couldn’t afford in a case involving more than 265,000 borrowers nationwide.

www.propublica.org

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 4d

Before Tom Dundon Agreed to Buy the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Accused the Company He Created of Predatory Lending, by @opb.org

Portland Trail Blazers Buyer Tom Dundon Built His Fortune on Subprime Loans

In 2020, the state sued Santander Consumer USA for allegedly preying on Oregonians through high-interest car loans they couldn’t afford in a case involving more than 265,000 borrowers nationwide.

www.propublica.org

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 5d

Chicago Cop Who Blamed an Ex-Girlfriend for Traffic Tickets Pleads Guilty @jsmithrichards.bsky.social @jodiscohen.bsky.social

Chicago Cop Who Falsely Blamed an Ex-Girlfriend for Dozens of Traffic Tickets Pleads Guilty but Avoids Prison

Retired officer Jeffrey Kriv acknowledged repeatedly lying under oath to avoid paying dozens of speeding and other traffic tickets. Prosecutors have dropped at least 92 cases in which Kriv was a key w...

www.propublica.org

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Reposted by Charles Ornstein

Anna Clark @annaleighclark.bsky.social · 6d

Bloomington, Indiana -- home to Indiana University -- has been "without consistently fluoridated tap water for nearly six years, a fact that’s not been publicized despite impacts to public health."

Bloomington goes over five years without fluoridated water – and doesn't tell residents

The CBU said it withheld on sending out an alert about fluoride as it didn't affect the safety of the drinking water.

www.tmnews.com

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 6d

A Pennsylvania businessman who had Tom Homan on his payroll led companies to believe his connections to the future border czar could help advance their bids for government work, industry executives said.

Trading on Tom Homan: Inside the Push to Cash in on the Trump Administration’s Deportation Campaign

A Pennsylvania businessman who had Tom Homan on his payroll led companies to believe his connections to the future border czar could help advance their bids for government work, industry executives sa...

www.propublica.org

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 6d

NEW: Inside the push to cash in on the Trump administration’s deportation campaign, by Avi Asher-Schapiro @jeffernsthausen.bsky.social @micarosenberg.bsky.social

Trading on Tom Homan: Inside the Push to Cash in on the Trump Administration’s Deportation Campaign

A Pennsylvania businessman who had Tom Homan on his payroll led companies to believe his connections to the future border czar could help advance their bids for government work, industry executives sa...

www.propublica.org

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Reposted by Charles Ornstein

Till Eckert @tilleckert.com · 7d

1/ DEVELOPING: A journalist was rushed to New York-Presbyterian Hospital following another incident with an ICE agent at 26 Federal Plaza, an immigration court in NYC. The last I heard, he was getting X-rays for his lower back.

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 7d

So many congrats to @davidarmstrongx.bsky.social and Robin Fields for taking the Gold in the Barlett and Steele Awards for their outstanding stories on drug prices.

Public-health focused investigations take top awards in the 19th annual Barlett and Steele Awards | The Reynolds Center

Promoting the importance of business journalism among journalism students, giving journalists tools to improve their business coverage, and helping

businessjournalism.org

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 7d

@kff.org finds a stark reality if ACA enhanced premium tax credits are allowed to expire. Premium payments will more than double next year.

ACA Marketplace Premium Payments Would More than Double on Average Next Year if Enhanced Premium Tax Credits Expire | KFF

KFF estimates that, if Congress allows the enhanced premium tax credits to expire at the end of this year, ACA Marketplace enrollees on average would see their premium payments more than double next y...

www.kff.org

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 7d

Introducing TrumpRx

The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · 7d

Exclusive: President Trump to announce a direct-to-consumer government website, dubbed TrumpRx, for Americans to buy medication.

White House to Announce ‘TrumpRx’ Drug-Buying Website, and Deal With Pfizer

President Trump is expected to unveil the measures with Pfizer’s CEO on Tuesday

on.wsj.com

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 7d

NEW: How a U.S. Ambassador Allegedly Shielded El Salvador President Nayib Bukele From Law Enforcement

The Trump-Appointed Diplomat Accused of Shielding El Salvador’s President From Law Enforcement

A previously undisclosed State Department report and interviews reveal accusations that U.S. Ambassador Ronald D. Johnson shielded Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele from U.S. and Salvadoran law enforc...

www.propublica.org

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 8d

“Bots or likely bots authored 44.5% of X posts mentioning Cracker Barrel in the 24 hours after the new logo gained attention on Aug. 20, according to research for ⁦‪@WSJ‬⁩ by PeakMetrics. That number rose to 49% among posts calling for a boycott.”

Bot Networks Are Helping Drag Consumer Brands Into the Culture Wars

AI tools have made coordinated attacks targeting corporations much more common, researchers say.

www.wsj.com

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Reposted by Charles Ornstein

Chris Morran @themorrancave.bsky.social · 8d

NEW: One proposed rule would strip aid from families where a member is in the U.S. illegally.

Families could keep their assistance IF the ineligible member moves out.

But HUD expects many families to give up assistance out of “fear of the family being separated.”

By @jessecoburn.bsky.social

Millions Could Lose Housing Aid Under Trump Plan

Drafts of unpublished rules obtained by ProPublica detail plans that would open the door to full-time work requirements, two-year limits on living in federally supported housing and stripping aid from...

www.propublica.org

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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 8d

SCOOP: Millions Could Lose Housing Aid Under Trump Plan @jessecoburn.bsky.social

Millions Could Lose Housing Aid Under Trump Plan

Drafts of unpublished rules obtained by ProPublica detail plans that would open the door to full-time work requirements, two-year limits on living in federally supported housing and stripping aid from...

www.propublica.org

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