Jim McElhatton
Articles by Jim McElhatton
Police officers arrested in P.G. County corruption crackdown
The shadow of corruption over Prince George's County government widened Monday with indictments against three county police officers and others on charges of trafficking bootleg cigarettes, alcohol and cocaine, just days after County Executive Jack B. Johnson's arrest on charges of trying to conceal tens thousands of dollars payoffs from a developer. Published November 15, 2010
P.G. County Executive Jack Johnson, wife arrested in FBI sting
Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson, arrested in a corruption probe Friday, told his wife to hide tens of thousands of dollars in her underwear as federal agents arrived at his house to search for illegal payoffs from a developer, federal prosecutors have charged. Published November 12, 2010
Postal Service reports $8 billion in losses
The U.S. Postal Service on Friday reported more than $8 billion in losses for the 2010 fiscal year while noting that mail volume continues to drop. Published November 12, 2010
FEC mulls contributions via text
Americans, already using their cell phones to make charitable contributions or vote for favorite contestants on television shows such as "Dancing With the Stars," soon could be dialing in campaign contributions to their favorite members of Congress. Published November 10, 2010
Watchdog groups rip marshals nominee
Eight prominent human rights and prison industry watchdog groups Tuesday announced their opposition to U.S. Marshal nominee Stacia Hylton, a longtime Justice Department veteran who recently worked as a consultant to one of the nation's largest private prison companies. Published November 10, 2010
Obama campaign seeks OK to pay off Biden’s debt
Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s short-lived 2008 presidential campaign owes more than $200,000 in election fines, and the Obama campaign is petitioning federal regulators for advice on whether it is allowed to pay off the bills. Published November 7, 2010
Marshals Service nominee may have a client conflict
Between leaving her post as federal detention trustee and her recent nomination as the next U.S. marshal, Justice Department veteran Stacia Hylton got a consulting contract with one of the largest private correctional companies in the country, records show. Published October 25, 2010
BLM director takes new look at ethics ruling
The head of the federal Bureau of Land Management wants investigators to reopen an inquiry into the case of a former regulator accused by a watchdog group of taking a "stroll through the revolving door" between government and the oil and gas industry. Published October 24, 2010
Wall St. mogul picked for State Department post
President Obama's nominee for deputy secretary of state has earned more than $8 million in salary and bonuses since January 2009 as an executive at a Wall Street bank that received a federal bailout. Published October 20, 2010
Ex-regulator’s new job queried
Steve Henke, then a director of one of the largest field offices for the federal Bureau of Land Management, was applying for a job last year heading an oil and gas trade group when he sent a writing sample to his prospective employer from his government computer. Published October 17, 2010
Obama choice helped Fannie block oversight
Years before Fannie Mae foundered amid a massive accounting scandal, President Obama's choice for national security adviser oversaw an office inside the mortgage giant that orchestrated a negative publicity blitz to fight attempts by Congress to increase government oversight, records show. Published October 13, 2010
Questions surface over Campbell’s handling of crisis
As the Republican nominee for Maryland's comptroller, William H. Campbell is campaigning on his experience as a top financial officer at federal agencies, including Amtrak. Published October 12, 2010
Political ‘outsiders’ coming in for cash
Republican Trey Gowdy has lots to say about Washington politics in his campaign for a congressional seat in South Carolina — and much of it isn't too flattering. Published October 7, 2010
Top ‘08 political donors tighter in 2010
A review of campaign records shows that more than half of those ranked among the top 100 "hard money" political givers for 2008 don't appear on that exclusive list in 2010 — what has been billed as the most expensive midterm election in U.S. history. Published October 3, 2010
Amtrak boss: Outside counsel fees ‘wasteful’
The chairman of Amtrak has acknowledged that spending by the rail agency in hiring outside attorneys for Amtrak executives for an in-house investigation was "wasteful." Published September 28, 2010
Ex-postal executives return for high-pay contracts
Even as the U.S. Postal Service began sliding into the worst financial crisis in its history, some postal executives in recent years found a way to earn more money by resigning from their jobs and returning as highly paid contractors while doing essentially the same work. Published September 26, 2010
Probe sought of Amtrak executives
Three senior Republican lawmakers are calling for an investigation on whether to fire a pair of top Amtrak executives in the wake of a report accusing the rail service of getting rid of its inspector general after he uncovered waste and abuse in the top reaches of the company. Published September 23, 2010
Lew defends $1M Citi bonus
Jacob "Jack" Lew, President Obama's nominee to oversee the federal budget, is defending his nearly $1 million bonus from Citigroup last year even as his former employer took a massive taxpayer bailout. Published September 23, 2010
Lawmakers seek investigation of Amtrak executives
Three senior Republican lawmakers are calling for an investigation on whether to fire a pair of top Amtrak executives in the wake of a report accusing the rail service of getting rid of its inspector general after he uncovered waste and abuse in the top reaches of the company. Published September 23, 2010
Iraq gives amnesty to 2 U.S. corruption suspects
Federal investigators were stymied in two separate probes to uncover corruption involving U.S. aid to Iraq, thanks to an Iraqi amnesty law that allowed the suspects to avoid justice. Published September 22, 2010
