Jim McElhatton
Articles by Jim McElhatton
Metro safety officials not informed about system modifications
For as long as three years, engineering officials overseeing bus and rail vehicles at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority kept safety officials out of the loop when modifying equipment and systems — a potential violation of federal transportation rules flagged just months before the worst accident in the history of the transit agency. Published March 7, 2011
Metro official in charge of technology steps down
Suzanne Peck, the assistant general manager in charge of technology at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority since 2007, has quietly resigned. Published March 3, 2011
Death penalty may be sought in D.C. trial
Nearly two years after Crystal Washington was shot to death at a busy D.C. intersection, her death looms large in closed-door talks at the U.S. attorney's office in Washington, where prosecutors soon will decide whether to seek the death penalty against two men charged with killing her to keep her from testifying. Published February 28, 2011
Va. nurse’s aide convicted in toe-amputation case still is certified
A nurse's aide is still certified to work in Virginia despite being convicted of negligence and jailed in a D.C. case involving the amputation of a woman's toe. Published February 23, 2011
Maryland tire importer faces fraud charges
By appearances, the past decade has been good for Sanjeet "Sonny" Veen and his Rockville, Md.-based international tire business. However, his success, along with his freedom, now stand threatened by a pending federal indictment in Mississippi. Published February 21, 2011
Federal suit targets firm in Medicaid overbilling
What began as an investigation into a fatal traffic accident five years ago has turned into a False Claims Act lawsuit against a company that received federal and local tax dollars to drive D.C. Medicaid patients to and from medical appointments. Published February 15, 2011
D.C. children’s charity accuses brokers of swindling $8 million
When negotiating with the Hillcrest Children's Center to handle millions of dollars from the District-based nonprofit group's endowment, executives at Gibraltar Asset Management Group held themselves out to be responsible investment managers whose advisers included top faculty at Howard University, according to court records. Published February 13, 2011
More D.C. officers work uncovered while undercover
"Wow, what else?" That was the question an undercover D.C. police officer posed to a masseuse during an October 2009 investigation of a now-shuttered massage parlor across the street from the U.S. Marine Corps barracks on Eighth Street Southeast. Published February 10, 2011
Police barely decent in massage parlor sting
She told him to take off all his clothes and then follow her into the shower room at a downtown Washington massage parlor. He didn't say no. Published February 6, 2011
D.C. children’s center sues for $8 million loss
The D.C.-based Hillcrest Children's Center, a mental health provider that began as an orphanage nearly 200 years ago and was first led by Dolly Madison, is accusing a Washington financial firm of bilking $8 million of its investments. Published February 3, 2011
Ethics rules let D.C. Council members shield outside income
D.C. Council Chairman Kwame R. Brown last year reported earning $45,000 in outside income on top of his six-figure government salary for 2009, but who paid him and why is anybody's guess. City ethics rules don't require Mr. Brown to say. Published February 1, 2011
Seeing red, PAC is down on Scott Brown
The National Republican Trust spent nearly $100,000 last year to help Scott Brown win the U.S. Senate seat of the late Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat, but now the conservative political group wishes it had that money back to help kick Mr. Brown out of office. Published January 30, 2011
Brown’s campaign hopes to buy bio
Republican Sen. Scott Brown's autobiography isn't set for release until next month, but at least one buyer is already lining up to purchase lots of copies: the Scott Brown campaign. Published January 25, 2011
Issa urges firing of Amtrak chief, counsel
A powerful House Republican wants Amtrak's chairman and top lawyer fired. Published January 24, 2011
Justice Department to decide if GPS case moves to Supreme Court
Five months after his drug conspiracy conviction was reversed, former D.C. nightclub owner Antoine Jones remains in prison as the Justice Department decides whether to ask the Supreme Court to review his case. Published January 20, 2011
New postal chief looks to control costs, raise revenue
Patrick Donahoe takes over an agency facing multibillion-dollar deficits, declining mail volume and a looming $5.5 billion bill due by the end of the year to prefund retiree health benefits that the Postal Service can't afford to pay. Published January 17, 2011
A killer deal: Be a star witness, escape execution
A contract killer for a large drug ring and murder-for-hire operation a decade ago cooperated with prosecutors and became a star witness for the government. But there is a price to be paid for such testimony. Published January 13, 2011
D.C. corruption conviction reversed
A federal appeals panel Friday reversed the conviction of a former D.C. government contracting representative on bribery and extortion charges in what authorities called a scam to pocket late fees owed by businesses on their elevator licenses. Published January 7, 2011
Probe finds Amazon used wrong postal rates
A recently settled U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigation into online retailer Amazon.com revealed the company was shipping parcels at postal rates cheaper than the prices they were entitled to receive, records show. Published January 4, 2011
For disabled feds, workers’ comp beats retirement
The Federal Employees' Compensation Act of 1916 was never intended to be a retirement plan, but critics say for thousands of government employees, that's just what it's become. Published December 29, 2010
