June 26, 2015

Are Utility Companies Changing Their Strategy To Fight Obama Power Plan?

In a letter sent to President Obama this week, Indiana Governor Mike Pence said that the State of Indiana “will not comply” with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan unless the plan is “demonstrably and significantly improved.” Gov. Pence also stated that Indiana will “reserve the right to use any legal means available to
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June 10, 2015

Arne Duncan Transcript: Some For-Profit Colleges have “the ethics of payday lending”

arneduncan3

On Monday, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Under Secretary Ted Mitchell had a conference call for reporters to announce the Department’s plans to offer debt relief for students from the now-collapsed, predatory Corinthian Colleges. I offered some analysis that day about the announcement, but here’s the whole transcript. It contains some of the most
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June 10, 2015

Edison Electric Institute Elects New Leaders But Policymakers Are Unlikely To See Innovative Ideas

Nick Akins

Nick Akins, president and CEO of American Electric Power, was announced as the elected chairman of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) yesterday at the association’s annual meeting in New Orleans.  EEI is the national trade association representing investor-owned electric utility companies. Joining Akins on EEI’s leadership team as vice chairmen will be these four industry
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June 8, 2015

Unveiling Student Debt Relief, Duncan Hits For-Profit College Industry and Its Friends in Congress

arneduncan

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan just announced a debt relief package for students who attended schools run by now-bankrupt Corinthian Colleges. In doing so, Duncan sharply attacked for-profit colleges that have engaged in fraudulent acts, and he criticized members of Congress who have blocked reforms to hold the industry accountable. Duncan said on a 2
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May 29, 2015

Scholarship Started by Donald Graham Sends Donor Money To Graham’s For-Profit College

Donald Graham

The New York Post today reports on an astounding fact that has been in plain sight for more than a year: Washington business scion Donald Graham has co-founded a scholarship program for young immigrants that is sending some of its students, and donor dollars, to colleges owned by Donald Graham’s own for-profit company. When I read
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May 27, 2015

Electric Utility Industry Created Their Own Air Pollution Permits, Held Private Meetings With Texas Regulators

Texas Coal Plant Hourly Particulate Matter Emission Limits

Emails obtained and released today by the Environmental Integrity Project show that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) worked behind closed doors with the state’s electric power trade association and utility companies to weaken standards for air pollution control permits. The emails and documents reveal that Association of Electric Companies of Texas (AECT) and utility employees held private meetings with
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May 26, 2015

Corinthian CEO Led For-Profit College Industry PAC

jackmassimino

An email newsletter obtained by Republic Report reveals that the political action committee of APSCU, the main lobbying group of for-profit colleges, was headed in 2012 by Jack Massimino, CEO of the now disgraced, bankrupt Corinthian Colleges. The newsletter also highlights the active involvement in APSCUPAC of other for-profit college executives whose companies are now under
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May 20, 2015

In Court, For-Profit Colleges Demand End to Gainful Employment Rule

Steve-Gunderson-President-CEO-APSCU

The big for-profit colleges were back in court in Washington again this morning, arguing to a federal judge that the Obama Administration did not have the power to subject them to even the most minimal standards of accountability for leaving their students with overwhelming debt. Despite the mountain of evidence that many for-profit colleges have engaged in predatory behavior
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