, When Shontel Brown was running for her seat on Cuyahoga County Council in 2014, she responded to questions about her links to the family of a major contractor by promising to “recuse herself from county contracts with ties to Mark Perkins as necessary.” Perkins, Brown’s partner, has longstanding ties to the Cleveland-based general contractor Perk.On February 28, 2017, Brown deemed recusal unnecessary and voted with her colleagues to give a nearly  to Perk. Ten weeks later, one of the firm’s owners helped organize a fundraiser that bankrolled a significant portion of her reelection...…, When Shontel Brown was running for her seat on Cuyahoga County Council in 2014, she responded to questions about her links to the family of a major contractor by promising to “recuse herself from county contracts with ties to Mark Perkins as necessary.” Perkins, Brown’s partner, has longstanding ties to the Cleveland-based general contractor Perk.On February 28, 2017, Brown deemed recusal unnecessary and voted with her colleagues to give a nearly  to Perk. Ten weeks later, one of the firm’s owners helped organize a fundraiser that bankrolled a significant portion of her reelection...WW…

Over the past two months, two scandals have subsumed the administration of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo: the state’s gross mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic, especially in the state’s nursing homes, and the governor’s reported harassment of several women around him. But the state attorney general has launched a formal investigation into only one of those scandals.In January, New Yorkers were shocked to learn that the actual Covid-19 death tolls in the state’s nursing homes were as much as 50 percent higher than what had previously been disclosed. The misreporting, which was...…Over the past two months, two scandals have subsumed the administration of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo: the state’s gross mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic, especially in the state’s nursing homes, and the governor’s reported harassment of several women around him. But the state attorney general has launched a formal investigation into only one of those scandals.In January, New Yorkers were shocked to learn that the actual Covid-19 death tolls in the state’s nursing homes were as much as 50 percent higher than what had previously been disclosed. The misreporting, which was...WW…

The storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6 has brought to the fore a host of activists on the extreme right whose violent rhetoric helped to create the conditions for an assault that left five dead. One of the most prominent of those activists is Arizona Republican Party Chair Kelli Ward.On December 19, Ward fired off a urging President Donald Trump to “cross the Rubicon,” referring to the historical event that led to Julius Caesar declaring a dictatorship in ancient Rome. The tweet was shared by former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn. On January 4, Ward’s Arizona...…The storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6 has brought to the fore a host of activists on the extreme right whose violent rhetoric helped to create the conditions for an assault that left five dead. One of the most prominent of those activists is Arizona Republican Party Chair Kelli Ward.On December 19, Ward fired off a urging President Donald Trump to “cross the Rubicon,” referring to the historical event that led to Julius Caesar declaring a dictatorship in ancient Rome. The tweet was shared by former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn. On January 4, Ward’s Arizona...WW…

In 2006, Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx had healthier patients, just enough nursing staff to take care of them, and a CEO who was earning $2 million a year, a senior nurse and union leader told The Intercept. Fifteen years later, its patients are sicker than ever before, its staffing levels are inadequate, and, as of 2018, its new CEO is earning $13 million per year.The nonprofit hospital, like hundreds of others across the nation, has been cutting costs, progressively going leaner on staffing and supplies over the years. This accelerated approach has meant that the...…In 2006, Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx had healthier patients, just enough nursing staff to take care of them, and a CEO who was earning $2 million a year, a senior nurse and union leader told The Intercept. Fifteen years later, its patients are sicker than ever before, its staffing levels are inadequate, and, as of 2018, its new CEO is earning $13 million per year.The nonprofit hospital, like hundreds of others across the nation, has been cutting costs, progressively going leaner on staffing and supplies over the years. This accelerated approach has meant that the...WW…

Beginning in 2017, the Trump administration began to discuss creating a new federal worker classification, called Schedule F. It was finally implemented by executive order on October 21. The new classification would allow Trump’s deputies to effectively hire and fire at will. At the end of every administration, some appointees attempt to “burrow in”: government-speak for converting their appointed roles into a career category, allowing them to stay despite the new regime. The changes under Schedule F could make that process much easier by removing requirements for individuals applying for...…Beginning in 2017, the Trump administration began to discuss creating a new federal worker classification, called Schedule F. It was finally implemented by executive order on October 21. The new classification would allow Trump’s deputies to effectively hire and fire at will. At the end of every administration, some appointees attempt to “burrow in”: government-speak for converting their appointed roles into a career category, allowing them to stay despite the new regime. The changes under Schedule F could make that process much easier by removing requirements for individuals applying for...WW…

One in six Covid-19 deaths in Vermont have come from a single nursing home, owned by a troubled for-profit chain, Genesis HealthCare.The novel coronavirus began to spread like wildfire in Burlington Health and Rehab in March, leading to 12 deaths in the first wave of the virus. The pandemic arrived just a few weeks after the state’s attorney general, T.J. Donovan, a Democrat, had settled an investigation into the facility for “allegations of neglect that resulted in serious injury to three residents and the death of a fourth.” The nursing home has about 90 residents.Federal nursing home...…One in six Covid-19 deaths in Vermont have come from a single nursing home, owned by a troubled for-profit chain, Genesis HealthCare.The novel coronavirus began to spread like wildfire in Burlington Health and Rehab in March, leading to 12 deaths in the first wave of the virus. The pandemic arrived just a few weeks after the state’s attorney general, T.J. Donovan, a Democrat, had settled an investigation into the facility for “allegations of neglect that resulted in serious injury to three residents and the death of a fourth.” The nursing home has about 90 residents.Federal nursing home...WW…

Georgia Sen. David Perdue claims in his official biography that during his time as CEO of Dollar General from 2003 to 2007, “he created thousands of quality jobs and helped working families make it from payday to payday.”During that time, Dollar General opened up over 100 new stores in Georgia, bringing the total to 464 in the state. While Perdue earned over $50 million in total compensation from the company, the employees holding those allegedly quality jobs launched multiple lawsuits claiming that Perdue’s generous executive compensation was the product of wage theft and systemic...…Georgia Sen. David Perdue claims in his official biography that during his time as CEO of Dollar General from 2003 to 2007, “he created thousands of quality jobs and helped working families make it from payday to payday.”During that time, Dollar General opened up over 100 new stores in Georgia, bringing the total to 464 in the state. While Perdue earned over $50 million in total compensation from the company, the employees holding those allegedly quality jobs launched multiple lawsuits claiming that Perdue’s generous executive compensation was the product of wage theft and systemic...WW…

The results of the nation’s only competitive governor’s race this election will likely have stark consequences for Montana residents. Republican Rep. Greg Gianforte pulled off a victory in a competitive race against Democratic Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney, with 51.4 percent of the vote on Tuesday night to Cooney’s 44.9 percent. Gianforte, who as of 2018 was the richest member of the House, gained fame in his 2017 campaign for Congress when he shoved a reporter covering his campaign.Republicans currently control the state legislature and are expected to retain control after the...…The results of the nation’s only competitive governor’s race this election will likely have stark consequences for Montana residents. Republican Rep. Greg Gianforte pulled off a victory in a competitive race against Democratic Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney, with 51.4 percent of the vote on Tuesday night to Cooney’s 44.9 percent. Gianforte, who as of 2018 was the richest member of the House, gained fame in his 2017 campaign for Congress when he shoved a reporter covering his campaign.Republicans currently control the state legislature and are expected to retain control after the...WW…

HCA Healthcare had brought in a phalanx of union-busting firms to intimidate nurses into voting no.In a dramatic victory for the beleaguered American labor movement, 1,800 nurses at Asheville, North Carolina-based Mission Hospital will now be represented by a union, National Nurses United, as officials finished counting votes early Thursday morning. The victory is the largest at a nonunion hospital in the South since 1975, and is the first private sector hospital union win ever in North Carolina.The hospital is owned by the largest hospital corporation in the country, Tennessee-based HCA...…HCA Healthcare had brought in a phalanx of union-busting firms to intimidate nurses into voting no.In a dramatic victory for the beleaguered American labor movement, 1,800 nurses at Asheville, North Carolina-based Mission Hospital will now be represented by a union, National Nurses United, as officials finished counting votes early Thursday morning. The victory is the largest at a nonunion hospital in the South since 1975, and is the first private sector hospital union win ever in North Carolina.The hospital is owned by the largest hospital corporation in the country, Tennessee-based HCA...WW…