Biofuel Waiver in the Air

EPA misses deadline on renewable fuel standard waivers
EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) failed to meet its deadline Tuesday to decide on whether or not to issue waivers for its Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) requirement.

I Survived the MSNBC Experience

FEATURE: WFB Reporter Journeys to Democracy Plaza, Feels Thrill Up Leg
Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, Chris Matthews / AP

“Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times,” read the words over the entrance to 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the home of NBC. If only MSNBC anchors followed suit.

McCain: No Carmona in ‘Zona

Arizona senator repudiates ad touting ‘endorsement’ of Az. Dem
AP Images

In a Friday conference call, Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) continued to push back against an ad by Democratic Arizona Senate candidate Richard Carmona touting McCain’s endorsement of Carmona a decade ago.

Casey at Bat for Philly Housing Authority

Millions in stimulus spending went to ‘shoddy and unsafe’ low-income housing, auditors found
Sen. Bob Casey / AP

Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.) was instrumental in securing millions of dollars in stimulus funds for the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA)—money that federal auditors later found was used for shoddy and unsafe work at low-income housing units.

Scary Harry

Dem Senate candidates refuse to back Harry Reid
AP Images

Several Democratic candidates in recent months have been hesitant to voice support for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.), who, if Democrats retain control of the Senate, must be reelected majority leader when Congress begins a new session next year.

Brand WASTE

Report: Taxpayer-funded tourism board filled with waste, cronyism
Brand USA logo

The federal government’s latest taxpayer-funded effort to promote U.S. tourism is dogged by lavish spending, cronyism, and questionable accounting, according to a report released Thursday by two U.S. Senators.

Even More FOIA Follies

EPA execs use secret email addresses to skirt FOIA, suit alleges
EPA logo

Environmental Protection Agency senior executives used secret email addresses to skirt freedom of information laws, a lawsuit by a free-market think tank alleges.

Taxes Without Borders

World Health Organization mulling global cigarette tax
WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) is considering a global excise tax of up to 70 percent on cigarettes at an upcoming November conference, leading to concerns from free market tax policy analysts about fiscal sovereignty and bureaucratic mission creep.

Moyers, Inc.

Liberal icon funnels $1.3 million to liberal nonprofits who appear on his show
Bill Moyers / AP

Veteran journalist Bill Moyers heads a foundation that has provided more than $1 million in grants to liberal groups which then provide guests for Moyers’ television show, a potential conflict of interest according to one watchdog group.

Recovery.dud

Transparency website is rather opaque
Recovery.gov

The website launched to track spending tied to the stimulus bill is riddled with incomplete data and excludes companies that have become politically inconvenient for the Obama Administration.