If you have solid tips, news or documents on potential ethical violations or abuses of power, we want to know. Send us your suggestions. 
Unfortunately I believe that we are limited in what we can focus on. I think that if we proceed with the partisan sideshow of prosecuting Bush admin. officials, healthcare will get lost in the brouhaha.
The Washington Post's permanent investigative unit was set up in 1982 under Bob Woodward.
Missing Criminals, Miami Mortgage Fraud and the Military's $7.6M Powder
The editors at Post Investigations have scoured the nation's top in-depth and investigative reports and selected their most interesting finds for this week. Drumrolls, please:
Earmarks Force Military To Buy Inferior Protection Against Chemical Weapons » Congressional leaders have pushed through $7.6 million worth of earmarks to buy a powder that's supposed to save the lives of soldiers exposed to chemical weapons. The problem is that scientists have discovered a better decontamination agent, a lotion, while the military has been forced to buy the inferior product for the past two years. — The Seattle Times
Cohort in Massive Fraud Case Still Selling Mortgages » When Orson Benn, a vice president at one of the nation's largest subprime mortgage lenders, needed help getting loans approved during the housing boom in Florida, he called Yvette Valdes. Benn and several associates have since been convicted of racketeering, while Valdes still sells mortgages from a nondescript storefront. — Miami Herald
Analysis: Nearly 14,000 Criminals Missing in North Carolina » Since the start of 2000, 580 criminals have committed killings in North Carolina while on probation. Meanwhile, probation officials stretched thin by vacancies and a "sloppy bureaucracy" can't find nearly 14,000 others, according to data obtained from the North Carolina prison and court systems. Despite pleas for help, little action has been taken, according to the three-part series, "Losing Track." — Raleigh (N.C.) News & Observer
Best of the Rest
» Industrial Pollution Found At Hundreds of Schools (USA Today)
» North Dakota, Not lllinois, Is Most Corrupt State (USA Today)
By Derek Kravitz |
December 12, 2008; 1:29 PM ET
Top Picks
Previous: Senate Kills Auto Bailout, Jackson Supporters Sought Cash for Blago, Senators Blame Rumsfeld for Detainee Abuse |
Next: Zell 'Point Man' Identified as Blago Contact
We encourage users to analyze, comment on and even challenge washingtonpost.com's articles, blogs, reviews and multimedia features.
User reviews and comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions.