April 30, 2014

VIDEO: Heartland Institute Reluctantly Stands by Denial of Cigarette Smoking Risks

bast1

Before the Heartland Institute became famous for its leading role in climate change denial, the group spent many years working to defend the tobacco industry. Just as the group is now known for its over the top attacks on climate scientists, Heartland once played a large role in criticizing public health experts and others calling
Continue Reading >>>

April 28, 2014

For-Profit College Offers Students Pizza To Lobby Against Obama Regulation

Screen Shot 2014-04-26 at 8.19.42 PM

While it storms government offices with high-priced lobbyists, the for-profit college industry also is aiming to flood Washington with cards and letters from their students and staff opposing President Obama’s gainful employment rule. This proposed regulation would, sensibly, cut off federal aid to career education programs that consistently leave students with debts they cannot repay.
Continue Reading >>>

April 28, 2014

For-Profit Colleges Spend Big On Lobbyists to Fight Obama Regulation

Screen Shot 2014-04-26 at 8.13.10 PM

With the May 27 deadline approaching to submit comments to the U.S. Department of Education, big for-profit colleges are pulling out all the stops to gut the Obama Administration’s proposed “gainful employment” rule, which is aimed at curbing predatory career training programs.  Taking some of the $33 billion a year they’ve been getting from taxpayers,
Continue Reading >>>

April 25, 2014

VIDEO: Chief Coal Industry Lobbyist Won’t Say If Coal Causes Climate Change

mduncan

Does burning coal, one of the most carbon-intensive fuel sources on the planet, contribute to climate change? That simple question stumped the industry’s most prominent advocate, Robert “Mike” Duncan, at a Colorado mining conference last week. Asked twice by Republic Report, Duncan first said that a “lot of people believe” that coal causes climate change,
Continue Reading >>>

April 23, 2014

New Trove of Federal Reviews of College Financial Aid Compliance

The U.S. Department of Education has this week posted online reports from its program reviews of colleges receiving federal student aid, including major schools like Georgetown University and the University of Arizona, as well as of controversial for-profit colleges. The purpose of these regular reviews, where Department officials randomly sample student files and other records and meet
Continue Reading >>>

April 17, 2014

Last Remaining Populist House Republican Faces K Street’s Own Wolf of Wall Street

Rep. Walter Jones and Taylor Griffin [/caption]Congressman Walter Jones, a Republican who represents a wide swath of eastern North Carolina, might not strike you as a populist. But as a lawmaker, the veteran politician with a slow Southern drawl has become a gadfly in his own party for thumbing his nose at powerful political interests.
Continue Reading >>>

April 16, 2014

Sen. Manchin Defends Law Firm Accused of Concealing Black Lung Medical Evidence

Sen. Joe Manchin

Only one day after the Center for Public Integrity’s reporting series on denials of black lung benefits to coal miners was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) defended the controversial law firm at the center of the investigation. As he stepped to the podium of the National Western Mining Convention in Denver on
Continue Reading >>>

April 9, 2014

Law Enforcement Investigations and Actions Regarding For-Profit Colleges

bridgepoint-ceo-clark

Pending and past federal and state government investigations and actions regarding for-profit colleges Compiled by David Halperin, Attorney, Washington DC       UPDATED 05-01-25 This is a list of pending and past significant federal and state civil and criminal law enforcement investigations of, and actions against, for-profit colleges. It also includes some major investigations
Continue Reading >>>