RealClearInvestigations' Picks of the Week
Feb. 19 to Feb. 25 Featured Investigation Inspectors General: 'Deep State' Watchdogs With Bark, Almost No Bite In Watergateâs wake, Congress created a group of powerful and independent avengers to tackle waste, fraud and abuse within government agencies: The Inspectors General. Since that law was passed in 1978, their number has swelled from a dozen to 73. But even as they conduct ever more investigations and crank out ever more reports, IGs have become a Potemkin Village of integrity, Norman Leahy reports for RealClearInvestigations: Inspectors general across the federal bureaucracy, no matter how dogged some are in identifying problems, are routinely ignored as toothless watchdogs with some bark and almost no bite. At a cost of more than $2.5 billion annually, inspectors general typically provide merely the appearance of accountability within Washingtonâs permanent bureaucratic state. Other Noteworthy Articles or Series Sick, Dying and Raped in America's Nursing Homes - CNN
Some of the victims can't speak. They rely on walkers and wheelchairs to leave their beds. They have been robbed of their memories. They come to nursing homes to be cared for. Instead, they are sexually assaulted. The unthinkable is happening at facilities throughout the country, an investigation finds. The Navajo Housing Tragedy - Arizona Republic
The Navajo Nation is in dire need of homes. Since 1998, Washington has given the Navajo Nation more than $1.6 billion to provide new housing. But in the past eight years, the tribe and its housing authority have built only 543 homes. Meanwhile, it has a quarter of a billion dollars in tax money sitting unspent. A.T.F. Filled Secret Account With Millions From Shadowy Cigarette Sales - New York Times
Federal agents funneled millions into a secret bank account as part of an off-the-books operation to pay for undercover investigations and informants. Agents avoided oversight by running the operation, but details have emerged in a racketeering lawsuit by tobacco farmers who say they were swindled. Riding Transit Takes Almost Twice as Long as Driving - Governing
Census surveys measuring total commute times, including travel to stations and the time spent waiting for buses or trains, reveal this: In the 25 metro areas where public transportation accounts for the largest share of all commuting, riders reported commute times an average of 1.9 times greater than those who drove alone. How the Kremlin's Disinformation Machine Is Targeting Europe - Bloomberg
The role of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election has been heavily discussed. But Kremlin-backed media operations, including Russian news agencies Sputnik and RT, are pushing news "stories" aimed at impacting upcoming elections in the Netherlands, France and Germany. When Retirement Comes With Daily Tokes of Weed - New York Times
As older people come to represent an emerging frontier in the use of marijuana for medical purposes, questions are being raised about safety and accessibility. âIt's a bigger issue than we thought,â said a health policy expert. âThis is an elephant we're just starting to get our hands on.â Â | 
