DOE News

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Investigative Reporting

Insiders at the Controls: When Industry Executives Take the Regulatory Wheel

A growing pattern of private-sector executives stepping directly into senior federal positions has raised urgent questions about who, exactly, is governing whom. DOE News examined dozens of appointments across multiple administrations and found a consistent thread: regulators with deep industry ties presiding over the very sectors they once profited from. The consequences for consumers, competitors, and the integrity of federal oversight have been far-reaching.

Jul 30, 2026

Follow the Money

Philanthropy's Political Engine: Tracing the Billions That Foundations Funnel Into America's Policy Wars

Tax-exempt foundations are legally prohibited from engaging in partisan political activity — yet billions of dollars flow annually from major philanthropic organizations into think tanks, advocacy networks, and civic infrastructure that directly shape American policy and electoral politics. A DOE News financial analysis traces the funding chains connecting some of the country's wealthiest foundations to specific legislative outcomes, revealing a system in which the language of charity obscures t

Jul 30, 2026

Investigative Reporting

Cashing Out on Capitol Hill: The Lucrative Second Act Awaiting Departing Members of Congress

When members of Congress leave office, many do not stray far from the corridors of power — they simply switch sides of the negotiating table. A DOE News investigation tracking employment records and federal lobbying disclosures reveals how former legislators are converting decades of institutional relationships into seven-figure salaries on K Street, often within a matter of months.

Jul 30, 2026

Follow the Money

The Invisible Donors: How America's Wealthiest Power Brokers Use Legal Labyrinths to Buy Political Influence Anonymously

Behind every major political donation lies a paper trail — but increasingly, that trail leads not to a person but to a maze of LLCs, nonprofit pass-throughs, and family trusts engineered specifically to obscure the original source of funds. DOE News traced dozens of contribution chains through state incorporation records, FEC filings, and nonprofit tax returns to expose how America's wealthiest political actors are multiplying their influence while remaining effectively invisible.

Jul 30, 2026

Follow the Money

Donors, Dollars, and Dividends: Tracing the Financial Thread Between Campaign Contributions and Candidate Policy Agendas

When presidential candidates unveil their signature policy proposals, the financial beneficiaries are rarely identified by name. DOE News analyzed Federal Election Commission data, donor disclosures, and legislative agendas to map the direct lines connecting major campaign contributors to the specific policies their preferred candidates champion—revealing a pattern of alignment that is too consistent to be coincidental.

Jul 30, 2026

Investigative Reporting

From Watchdog to Hired Gun: The Career Pipeline Draining America's Regulatory Agencies

Across the FDA, EPA, and FTC, a well-worn career path leads former regulators directly into the executive suites and lobbying firms of the industries they once policed. DOE News traced dozens of post-government career trajectories to reveal how financial incentives are quietly hollowing out America's regulatory infrastructure—and who benefits most when the watchdogs stop watching.

Jul 30, 2026

Follow the Money

Dark Money, Statehouse Doors: The Corporate Lobbying Web Quietly Rewriting Your State's Laws

While federal lobbying attracts the most headlines, the real transformation of American policy is happening at the state level, where disclosure requirements are weaker, races are cheaper to influence, and the return on investment for corporate donors is exponentially higher. DOE News maps the hidden financial networks funding your state legislature — and shows you how to follow the trail yourself.

Jul 29, 2026

Investigative Reporting

Encrypted Voices, Exposed Secrets: How Anonymous Federal Insiders Are Forcing Congress to Reckon With Its Own Blind Spots

A new wave of government employees and contractors is bypassing traditional reporting channels, using encrypted messaging platforms and pseudonymous identities to deliver sensitive information directly to congressional investigators. Their disclosures are rewriting the rules of federal oversight — and lawmakers are struggling to keep pace. DOE News examines the mechanics, the risks, and the democratic stakes of anonymous accountability in the digital age.

Jul 29, 2026