Jim McElhatton
Articles by Jim McElhatton
Lew earned $1.1M from Citigroup before State Department job
When President Obama introduced Jacob J. "Jack" Lew as his top budget officer Tuesday, he praised his work handling finances in the Clinton White House and recently as a deputy secretary in the State Department – but he forgot to mention the lucrative Wall Street job in between. Published July 13, 2010
3rd D.C. lawmaker faces debt problems
A D.C. Council member who serves on a powerful finance committee is facing a federal lien seeking more than $50,000 in unpaid income taxes — the third city lawmaker to face scrutiny over personal or tax debts in recent months. Published July 12, 2010
Medicare chief set with hefty retirement sum
President Obama's decision to name Dr. Donald Berwick the country's chief Medicare officer by recess appointment means senators won't get a chance to question him anytime soon about a nonprofit job that has boosted his profile and personal fortunes. Published July 8, 2010
Obama nominee heralded despite ‘honorary’ titles
When the White House announced Dr. Donald Berwick as President Obama's choice to lead the $800 billion Medicare and Medicaid agency in April, officials hailed his long list of credentials. But Dr. Berwick hasn't seen a patient in years. Published July 6, 2010
Postal boss was not sent packing
The former $232,500-per-year president of shipping and mailing for the U.S. Postal Service regularly worked on outside corporate business while in the office, even enlisting his postal staff to schedule meetings and arrange for his private travel, postal investigators have found. Published June 30, 2010
Ex-BP official received payouts, perks
Steven E. Koonin, undersecretary for science at the Department of Energy, reported receiving a host of lucrative corporate payouts and perks when he left his job as chief scientist at oil giant BP last year to join the Obama administration. Published June 27, 2010
Hospital company faces more tax bills
United Medical Center, a Southeast Washington hospital facing millions of dollars in unpaid tax bills despite receiving $100 million in city funds since 2007, isn't the only financial challenge looming for its parent company, Specialty Hospitals of America. Published June 22, 2010
Hospital’s owners paid lobbyists as tax bill rose
The parent company of United Medical Center, which has received about $100 million from D.C. taxpayers, continued paying big fees to its lobbyists even as millions of dollars in taxes went unpaid. Published June 20, 2010
Job door revolves despite fed rule
Though President Obama enacted new revolving-door ethics rules soon after taking office requiring a two-year "cooling off" period for appointees leaving the government, those regulations apply only to incoming appointees. Published June 16, 2010
Numerous lobbyists do BP’s bidding
Weeks after the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico began, the fundraising arm for Senate Democrats circulated a petition to hold BP "accountable" while accusing Republicans of making excuses for "bad environmental actors." Published June 13, 2010
Lawmakers got fed funds for fancy frontage
With a rooftop pool and 24-hour concierge service, the new luxury condominiums off Frank Sinatra Drive here seem an unlikely spot in need of a multimillion-dollar federal giveaway. Published June 7, 2010
Earmarks gained by chairmanships don’t help firms
New research is upending the idea that as a state's congressional delegation grows more powerful, the windfall of increasing earmarks it's able to secure helps grow private business in its home state. Published June 7, 2010
Amtrak ‘misled’ Congress on finances
When Amtrak assured Congress it was on a "glide path" to free itself of federal subsidies early last decade, a handful of top executives secretly had reason to know better. Published May 31, 2010
Despite death, Murtha probe continues
The FBI investigation into allegations of kickbacks involving defense contractors and Rep. John P. Murtha remains open despite the death in February of the Pennsylvania Democratic congressman, government records show. Published May 25, 2010
FBI releases Murtha records
The FBI on Tuesday released hundreds of pages of records concerning late Pennsylvania Democratic Congressman John Murtha, but declined to make public any information about an ongoing investigation into allegations of kickbacks involving defense contractors. Published May 25, 2010
IG report: Amtrak paid hotel bills for locals
Citing the distractions of home life, Amtrak spent tens of thousands of dollars on hotel rooms and meals for 10 employees attending classes for train directors in Chicago — despite the fact each of the employees already lived and worked in the Chicago area. Published May 24, 2010
IG report: Amtrak paid hotel bills for locals
Amtrak spent tens of thousands of dollars on hotel rooms and meals for 10 employees attending classes for train directors in Chicago — despite the fact each of the employees already lived and worked in the Chicago area. Published May 23, 2010
‘Little Madoff’ on lam almost a year later
Nearly one year ago, Alma Preciado, a once-prominent figure in Maryland politics and an area mortgage broker, listened as a judge called her Montgomery County's own "little Bernie Madoff." The judge told her to return $350,000 to a retired couple who lost their savings in a business deal with her or get ready to go to jail. Published May 17, 2010
Postal chief who OK’d no-bid pacts to step down
The U.S. Postal Service's top marketing officer resigned Tuesday after increasing scrutiny into no-bid contracts he approved, including one to a former associate from his days as an executive at pickle producer Vlasic Foods. Published May 13, 2010
Lawsuit wants SEC to ID porn snoopers
The Securities and Exchange Commission is facing a lawsuit for keeping secret the names of dozens of its employees and contractors who spent their workdays looking at pornography on their government computers. Published May 11, 2010
