Chasing a phantom to Cincinnati
Carrie Levine is typical of the Money & Politics team’s approach — dogged, determined and leaving no stone unturned. Her work also speaks to one of Chuck Lewis’ original missions for the Center: exposing the impact of money in politics.
Carrie tracked one of the most influential conduits for money in politics to an ordinary suburban address outside Cincinnati. It’s the home to a little known law firm behind $22 million spent by shadowy conservative groups to influence ballot initiatives and state elections. He wasn’t pleased when Carrie turned up at his door: “You’re not welcome here,” he said, calling approaching him at his home “unbelievably unprofessional.”
Importantly, the Carrie story, was a good example of the partnership strategies being developed by our communications expert William Gray. The Phantom story was beautifully presented on Politico and more conservatively in the Columbus Dispatch.
Also on the Money & Politics beat, managing editor Alison Fitzgerald marked the passing of former Attorney General Eric Holder’s deadline for prosecutions arising from the 2008 financial crisis. Answer: none.
The Chicago Sun-Times ran a version of our piece on transparency and corruption in Illinois on its Op Ed page. And check out the lovely headline on the Jeff Kelly Lowenstein piece for us which kicked it off: Illinois and integrity: a strange tale and curious mix.
HSBC Swiss Leaks and Lux Leaks roll on
There’s more to this story. Click here to read the rest at the Center for Public Integrity.
This story is part of Inside Publici. Stories we’re working on, the impact of our investigations, news about our fundraising efforts, and other issues that shape our work. Click here to read more stories in this topic.
Copyright 2014 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.
