Every year, dozens of lawmakers trade their committee gavels for corporate retainers, monetizing the very relationships and institutional knowledge that voters entrusted them to use in the public interest. DOE News examines the specific legislative corridors where this exchange is most concentrated — and what it costs ordinary Americans when their former representatives become their most sophisticated opponents.
Jul 30, 2026
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
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
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
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