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Lynn Dombek

@lynndom.bsky.social
11K followers 243 following 114 posts

Research editor at www.propublica.org. Formerly led research teams at FirstLookMedia, the AP and Time Inc.

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Reposted by Lynn Dombek
ProPublica @propublica.org · 7h
ProPublica-Texas Tribune reporter Zach Despart will take questions live from the r/politics Reddit community about his investigations on GOP senate candidate Ken Paxton. Join the conversation today at 2 p.m. CT: www.reddit.com/r/politics/c...
Reddit AMA: Ken Paxton's U.S. Senate bid. Ask reporter Zach Despart anything in r/politics. Our reporting shows that the Texas attorney general may have violated federal ethics and state election laws. Image: A bearded man wearing a green plaid shirt smiles as he holds up a sheet of paper that reads: AMA re: Ken Paxton. His U.S. Senate bid. Sept. 30, 2 p.m. CT. r/politics
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Lisa Song @lisalsong.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
The proposed rule is from OMB, the office run by Russell Vought -- who has a history of opposing government efforts to expand access to voting.
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Ken Schwencke @schwanksta.com · 28/09/2026
ICYMI: @propublica.org has a Chrome and Firefox plugin that allows you to grab your data from FanDuel and DraftKings. If you use it, you can upload your data to us to help us to continue investigating how these sites induce people to keep betting. projects.propublica.org/sports-betti...
projects.propublica.org
Help ProPublica Report on Sports Betting by Sending Us Your App Data
If you’ve bet on sports with FanDuel or DraftKings, you can help ProPublica understand how these apps respond to their users’ betting behavior. Use our browser extension to download your betting histo...
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Lynn Dombek @lynndom.bsky.social · 21h
As a basketball fan myself, appreciate people following the women’s game. Jack Smith Testifies, a Senator’s Accusation of Perjury Falters www.nytimes.com/2026/09/29/u...
nytimes.com
Jack Smith Defends Trump Charges as Senator’s Perjury Claim Falters
A Republican eager to prove the former special counsel was dishonest appeared to instead demonstrate his own confusion over basic facts.
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Reposted by Lynn Dombek
ProPublica @propublica.org · 29/09/2026
According to several people involved, the Trump administration initially floated an idea that would have virtually shut down mail voting: requiring all ballots to be delivered exclusively through certified mail.
propublica.org
The Untold Origins of Trump’s Plan to Sharply Restrict Mail-In Voting
ProPublica’s reporting reveals for the first time the extent of the White House’s role in trying to dictate how mail-in ballots are processed, spurring behind-the-scenes drama that played out for near...
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Joe Lawlor @joelawlorph.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Deeper dive into the topic of rural maternity wards closing in Maine and across the nation. Great photos by @pressherald.com Brianna Soukup @nationalpress.bsky.social www.pressherald.com?p=7728790&uu...
pressherald.com
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Reposted by Lynn Dombek
ProPublica @propublica.org · 26/09/2026
NEW: ProPublica’s Jake Pearson lost $10,000 mimicking the betting patterns of a problem gambler on DraftKings to test the company’s “responsible gaming” safeguards. One week in, he was invited to become a VIP — and faced little pushback as he spiraled.
propublica.org
I Deliberately Bet Like a Problem Gambler. DraftKings Made Me a VIP.
Amid growing public health concerns, operators like DraftKings have touted “responsible gaming” tools and prompts. But as I went off the deep end, I found they were no match for the incentives and pro...
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 26/09/2026
In response to our reporting, Susan Collins has mustered a defense that is full of incorrect and misleading claims. We’ve reviewed FBI evidence, examined thousands of pages of records and interviewed dozens of people. Here are the receipts.
propublica.org
ProPublica Debunks Susan Collins’ Claims About FBI Anti-Corruption Probe
ProPublica revealed that the FBI was circling Sen. Collins over a defense contractor’s donations — until President Trump gutted the unit in charge. Collins has since mustered a defense with a series o...
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Portland Press Herald @pressherald.com · 24/09/2026
Will a weekend nor’easter be enough to bust the drought? Keith Carson explores
pressherald.com
Will a weekend nor’easter be enough to bust the drought? Keith Carson explores
All of Maine is in at least a moderate drought, with some coastal areas in severe drought. How much rain will it take to make dry conditions better?
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Reposted by Lynn Dombek
ProPublica @propublica.org · 23/09/2026
NEW: ProPublica revealed that the FBI was circling Sen. Collins over a defense contractor’s donations — until Trump gutted the unit in charge. Collins has since mustered a defense with a series of incorrect and misleading claims.
propublica.org
ProPublica Debunks Susan Collins’ Claims About FBI Anti-Corruption Probe
ProPublica revealed that the FBI was circling Sen. Collins over a defense contractor’s donations — until President Trump gutted the unit in charge. Collins has since mustered a defense with a series o...
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Lynn Dombek @lynndom.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
www.propublica.org/article/debu...
propublica.org
ProPublica Debunks Susan Collins’ Claims About FBI Anti-Corruption Probe
ProPublica revealed that the FBI was circling Sen. Collins over a defense contractor’s donations — until President Trump gutted the unit in charge. Collins has since mustered a defense with a series o...
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Reposted by Lynn Dombek
ProPublica @propublica.org · 23/09/2026
Vought holds one of the most powerful jobs in D.C., and he’s used his position to wage a quiet war to change the shape of the entire U.S. government. Here's what you should know about Trump’s shadow president. (Published Oct. 2025)
propublica.org
What You Should Know About Russ Vought, Trump’s Shadow President
Vought is the architect of President Trump’s broader plan to fire civil servants, freeze government programs and dismantle entire agencies. Here are some key things to know about the D.C. insider who ...
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Reposted by Lynn Dombek
ProPublica @propublica.org · 23/09/2026
Have Your SNAP Benefits Ever Been Stolen? Help ProPublica Investigate. We need your help to report on EBT theft. Please share our flyer or this link with others in your community who’ve found their SNAP benefits disappeared: propub.li/3TH6xoa
Flyer titled "Were your SNAP benefits stolen?" Text reads: Have your SNAP benefits ever gone missing? You may have been a victim of EBT theft. ProPublica, an investigative newsroom, is reporting on the widespread issue of electronic benefit transfer theft. We want to know: How did this affect you? Did you report the issue and, if so, was anything done? What questions do you have about EBT theft? Share your experience. Fill out the form at propublica dot org slash ebt theft. Email reporters at safety net at propublica dot org. Background illustration shows a hand and a shadow hand below it reaching for a green grocery bag labeled SNAP.
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Lynn Dombek @lynndom.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Smart interview by @mainepublic.org 's @stevemistler.bsky.social with @mtredden.bsky.social on @propublica.org investigation into FBI's anti-corruption squad. www.mainepublic.org/politics/202...
mainepublic.org
ProPublica reporter shares key takeaways from investigative story involving Susan Collins
A new investigation is out today from the news site ProPublica about an ex-defense contractor’s allegations that he won millions in federal contracts by bankrolling the campaigns of powerful politicia...
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Reposted by Lynn Dombek
Josh Kaplan @josh-kaplan.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Blockbuster story about Susan Collins — a shocking, detailed window into the dark side of money in politics.
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Lynn Dombek @lynndom.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
A careful and exacting reporting team at @propublica uncovered new details on this FBI investigation. www.propublica.org/article/fbi-...
propublica.org
The FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins — Until Trump Got in the Way
After the FBI caught a defense contractor’s CEO making illegal campaign contributions, it sought to launch a sweeping political bribery probe involving Collins and others. Then the second Trump admini...
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Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
NYT has now independently corroborated all the major allegations against Susan Collins in the ProPublica report, including that investigators were prepared to move against her and then Trump intervened to shut it down. This put Trump in a position of exceptional and extortionate leverage over her.
nytimes.com
F.B.I. Shut Down Inquiry Into Top Ally of Senator Susan Collins
The inquiry was closed last year because senior bureau officials questioned the veracity of a campaign donor’s account, according to current and former officials.
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Matthew Gertz @mattgertz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Rough day for Susan Collins in the local Maine press, where ProPublica's bombshell story is the lead story.
Screengrab from WNTWScreengrab from Maine PublicScreengrab from Portland Press HeraldScreengrab from Bangor Daily News
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Dr. Heather Hinam 🍁 🇨🇦 @secondnaturemb.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Sunrise song. You'll want the volume up for this one, but not too high. Every coyote within a half kilometre radius decided to make themselves known this morning while I was enjoying the sunrise from the kayak. A truly magical moment. #mammals 🌿
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Molly Redden @mtredden.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
“You’ve seen me deliver.” That’s what Collins told Kao, he said, as her staff pressured him to up his donations. Kao wound up giving the Collins super PAC $150,000 in late 2019. Weeks later, according to an email, Collins’ office agreed to support $32m in new Navatek projects.
A photocopy of a hand-written check made out to 1820 PAC, the Susan Collins super PAC, for $150,000.
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Molly Redden @mtredden.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
ProPublica is revealing the existence of the case for the first time. These are the kinds of corruption claims Trump’s DOJ ignores. So we did our own investigation—knocking on doors as far away as Hawaii, looking at thousands of records that got the FBI to take Kao seriously
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Molly Redden @mtredden.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Exclusive: In late 2024, FBI agents were looking at Sen. Susan Collins’ role in a massive illegal bribery scheme alleged by a former federal contractor. Then Trump gutted the FBI and DOJ, leaving no one to carry on the investigation – it’s dead. 🧵
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Jesse Eisinger @jeisinger.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
NEW: In ‘24, the FBI sought to launch a sweeping bribery probe that could ensnare top lawmakers, including Sen. Susan Collins. Then Trump eviscerated the FBI & DOJ public corruption teams. ProPublica unearthed the investigation and you can read it 👇 www.propublica.org/article/fbi-...
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Reposted by Lynn Dombek
ProPublica @propublica.org · 22/09/2026
11/ Even Navatek’s executives were surprised at how far their money went in D.C. “It was eye-opening for me, frankly. ‘Oh my God, all of it is for sale. It’s all for sale,’” former executive Eric Schiff said.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 22/09/2026
Sen. Susan Collins helped steer millions in federal defense contracts to Navatek, whose CEO illegally funneled thousands of dollars to her campaign. The FBI sought to launch a probe and was eyeing Collins and other lawmakers. Then Trump gutted the unit in charge. THREAD 🧵
Martin Kao, CEO of defense contractor Navatek, poses next to Sen. Susan Collins for a photo. Collins is holding a model of a boat in her hands. Behind them is a large sign with the Navatek logo.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 22/09/2026
NEW: In late 2024, FBI investigators had enough evidence to launch a sweeping bribery probe that could ensnare top lawmakers, including Sen. Susan Collins. Then Trump was reelected and eviscerated the FBI and DOJ teams handling public corruption probes.
propublica.org
The FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins — Until Trump Got in the Way
After the FBI caught a defense contractor’s CEO making illegal campaign contributions, it sought to launch a sweeping political bribery probe involving Collins and others. Then the second Trump admini...
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Reposted by Lynn Dombek
ProPublica @propublica.org · 21/09/2026
Trump’s Arctic adviser has a social feed filled with foreign news accounts, sometimes from outlets sympathetic to Putin. In May, he reposted a video of Putin taken by Russian state media, an action a policy expert later called “super-loaded.”
propublica.org
How a MAGA Influencer With Ties to Russia Became Trump’s Arctic Adviser
As head of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, Thomas Dans has backed a takeover of Greenland and other items on President Donald Trump’s list. But it’s not always clear where the administration’s ag...
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Reposted by Lynn Dombek
Scott Nover @scottnover.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
BREAKING: TV pool will not be providing coverage of presidential events until further notice b/c of CNN's ban, pool chair and FOX News Washington Bureau Chief Bryan Boughton said. It's effectively a boycott by the fellow members — ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX: www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 20/09/2026
The Supreme Court struck down the Trump administration’s recent efforts to impose new rules on mail-in voting ahead of the 2026 midterms. Use our guide to catch up on what happened and what you need to know if you plan to vote by mail 👇
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Ambassador Ken Fairfax (ret) @portlandken.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
The accounting is in: In Oregon there are 111 data centers. The TOTAL number of people employed at data centers is just 2,630, or 0.1% of the labor force. Those 100 data centers consumer 23% of all electricity used in Oregon. Meanwhile, electricity rates skyrocket as more centers are built.
opb.org
Oregon data centers by the numbers: 111 facilities consume nearly one-quarter of state’s power, according to new report
A first-of-its-kind report details the footprint of the controversial facilities.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 18/09/2026
NEW: Sports reporting is shrinking. But at ProPublica, we’re diving in. We won’t cover the games, but we’ll be keeping score — of which powerful people are winning, of who’s being hurt and of which systems can be held accountable.
propublica.org
Why ProPublica Is Leaning Into Sports Investigations
Sports is a wealthy, powerful industry. We’ll cover the system instead of the games. We’ll ask who’s responsible for some of its biggest problems and who’s preventing them from being fixed.
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The Bee Guy @thebeeguy.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
#theBeeAt3 Basic bee facts every day at 3pm. 39. Bumblebees have four wings. The two back wings are smaller and are usually attached to the bigger front wings by a row of hooks. This can sometimes lead to the mistaken impression that they only have two wings. #bees #bumblebees #nature #science
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 15/09/2026
NEW on “Paper Trail”: You may have heard that President Trump did not attend his eldest son’s wedding. But you know who did? A Russian oligarch with close ties to Putin. And he didn’t just attend the wedding — he bankrolled it. 🎧 Listen to how we found out:
propublica.org
The Russian Benefactor Who Funded Donald Trump Jr.’s Wedding
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 15/09/2026
NEW: Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, has launched an investigation into Donald Trump Jr.’s relationship with a Russian oligarch who paid for much of the president’s son’s Bahamas wedding earlier this year.
propublica.org
Top Oversight Dem Opens Investigation of Donald Trump Jr.’s Russian Oligarch-Funded Wedding
Rep. Robert Garcia said the revelations that Umar Kremlev had bankrolled the wedding raise “serious national security and public corruption concerns” and requested the president’s son provide financia...
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 16/09/2026
When a team of ProPublica reporters first heard that a Putin-linked oligarch named Umar Kremlev attended Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding, they couldn’t believe it. Then they found the proof in an Instagram group photo. Listen to this excerpt from our “Paper Trail” podcast:
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 15/09/2026
NEW: As ice caps melt and new shipping lanes open in the north, the U.S. Arctic Research Commission has arguably never been more important. Its new leader is a MAGA influencer with close ties to Russia.
propublica.org
How a MAGA Influencer With Ties to Russia Became Trump’s Arctic Adviser
As head of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, Thomas Dans has backed a takeover of Greenland and other items on President Donald Trump’s list. But it’s not always clear where the administration’s ag...
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 12/09/2026
Roger Shoffstall spent three years in prison for evading income taxes. It hasn’t stopped the FCC from sending him $1 million a year to sell obsolete internet service in Alaska. The money comes from a special government subsidy program. You help pay for it. (Published May w/ @adn.com)
propublica.org
This Convicted Felon Gets $1 Million a Year to Sell Obsolete Internet Service. You Pay for It.
Roger Shoffstall spent three years in prison for tax evasion. Still, each year the federal government pays his Alaska company, Summit Telephone, for internet service that’s slower than in most of the ...
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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
“School choice” means few, if any, choices for parents of disabled students. In Florida, home to the nation’s largest voucher programs, we found that more than half of private schools say they do not serve students with any type of disabilities.
propublica.org
Vouchers Promise Students With Disabilities a Path to Private School. Parents Say That’s Not the Reality.
To give voucher programs a toehold in state legislatures, politicians touted how students with disabilities would gain access to private education. But those students’ families often have the hardest ...
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Ariana Tobin @arianatobin.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
ProPublica is officially, formally open for tips in Spanish! We have dozens of excellent reporters with eyes on this line. www.propublica.org/tips/es/ Want to see the best of what we do? Read the Dominican Baseball stories we just dropped in Spanish or English: www.propublica.org/series/la-fa...
propublica.org
Cómo contactar con ProPublica o enviar una pista de forma segura — ProPublica
Nuestro trabajo es hacer rendir cuentas a las personas y a las instituciones. Para hacerlo, necesitamos pruebas.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 10/09/2026
NEW on “Paper Trail”: We uncovered how the MLB enabled a shadow industry in the Dominican Republic. This is the story of a supernaturally talented child set to receive a $1.8 million signing bonus — only for him and his family to lose almost all of it. 🔊 Listen to the full episode:
propublica.org
The Predatory Industry Behind MLB’s Dominican Superstar Pipeline
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Lynn Dombek @lynndom.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Heartbreaking and astonishing reporting from a @propublica.org team, led by @ggarciaroberts.bsky.social www.propublica.org/article/how-...
propublica.org
How the Dominican Baseball Factory Traps Young Players and Their Families With False Promises
Teams make handshake deals with players as young as 11 while moneylenders prey on their families. The industry is corrupt, but Major League Baseball and the players union have done little about it.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 09/09/2026
The U.S. has the most expensive military in the world, and decisions in Washington have great consequences for soldiers deployed across the globe. Help the public understand what’s at stake here.
propublica.org
Do You Know About U.S. Military Spending? Help ProPublica Understand Where the Money Goes.
Many Pentagon projects face delays, budget increases and performance issues. The causes of these problems are often opaque to the taxpayers who foot the bill. Help point us to the most important stori...
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 05/09/2026
When 3M scientist Kris Hansen discovered that a chemical the company produced was in the blood of the general public, her bosses questioned her work. Yet all along, some people inside the company had known the same thing. Listen to this excerpt:
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 03/09/2026
NEW: Over the “strongest possible” objections of a federal prosecutor handling the case, Trump DOJ officials quashed plans to bring civil rights charges against an ICE agent accused of shooting a Venezuelan immigrant and then lying about it.
propublica.org
Trump’s DOJ Blocked Serious ICE Shooting Charge Over Federal Prosecutor’s “Strongest Possible” Objections
A prosecutor planned to file civil rights charges — similar to those brought against the officers who killed George Floyd — against an ICE agent. In an email we exclusively obtained, he reveals that T...
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PBS News @pbsnews.org · 31/08/2026
Science correspondent Miles O’Brien just wrapped up his series on how climate change is reshaping Antarctica. Watch his reports and share your thoughts on the series in a brief, 4-question survey here: to.pbs.org/45vzaal
to.pbs.org
Tipping Point: Antarctica
Miles O’Brien explores how climate change is reshaping the the frozen continent
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Lynn Dombek @lynndom.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
An enormous and well deserved honor to a truly wonderful leader. Congratulations, Steve!
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 28/08/2026
We’re excited to announce that our editor in chief and founding managing editor, @sengelberg.bsky.social, is receiving the 2026 Loeb Lifetime Achievement Award! Under his leadership, we’ve won 9 Pulitzers and grown into the largest investigative newsroom in the country: bit.ly/4d5l1EG
Stephen Engelberg, editor in chief of ProPublica, wears brown glasses and a dark suit with a collared blue shirt. He has gray hair, a mustache and a beard.
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Elizabeth Kolbert @elizkolbert.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Trump administration's cancellation of off-shore wind contracts results in a) higher GHG emissions b) huge windfall for Trump donor. Rinse and repeat.
washingtonpost.com
How wind projects got replaced by a $900 million payday to a Trump donor’s firm
The Trump administration’s latest deal to abandon an offshore wind project and redirect investment into fossil fuels stands to deliver a windfall to one of President Donald Trump’s major donors.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 25/08/2026
What do you do if you’re making over $1B/year from short-term trading but want to avoid taxes? If you're the head of one of the most profitable firms on Wall Street, you find creative ways to transform the "wrong" sort of income into the right kind. From the ProPublica archives:
propublica.org
Ten Ways Billionaires Avoid Taxes on an Epic Scale
After a year of reporting on the tax machinations of the ultrawealthy, ProPublica spotlights the top tax-avoidance techniques that provide massive benefits to billionaires.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 25/08/2026
Read this thread 👇
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