Charles Ornstein's Avatar

Charles Ornstein

@charlesornstein.bsky.social

Managing editor/local at ProPublica, past prez of AHCJ, Detroit Lions fan. Email: charles.ornstein@propublica.org. Posts are my own.

48,811 Followers  |  529 Following  |  2,104 Posts  |  Joined: 04.07.2023
Posts Following

Posts by Charles Ornstein (@charlesornstein.bsky.social)

A line chart shows charges for trespassing, sidewalk obstruction and unlawful camping between 2017 and 2025. Three lines representing the number of each type of charge rise sharply in 2025.

A line chart shows charges for trespassing, sidewalk obstruction and unlawful camping between 2017 and 2025. Three lines representing the number of each type of charge rise sharply in 2025.

NEW Albuquerqueโ€™s Mayor Said Arrests Were โ€œNot the Solutionโ€ to Homelessness. Yet Jail Bookings Have Skyrocketed. www.propublica.org/article/albu... By @nicolesantacruz.bsky.social & Ruth Talbot

04.03.2026 16:46 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

This is as good as it gets!!

04.03.2026 18:10 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 13    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Kristi Noem Misled Congress About Top Aideโ€™s Role in DHS Contracts Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Noem denied that Corey Lewandowski had any role in approving contracts. But internal DHS records and interviews with current and former agency staffer...

Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem denied that aide Corey Lewandowski had any role in approving contracts. But internal DHS records and interviews with current and former agency staffers contradict her testimony.

04.03.2026 16:46 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 56    ๐Ÿ” 27    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 3
Post image

Kristi Noem was asked during Senate testimony yesterday whether Corey Lewandowski had any role in approving DHS contracts.

"No," Noem said.

That's.....BS. And my colleagues have the goods.

www.propublica.org/article/kris...

04.03.2026 15:46 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 906    ๐Ÿ” 308    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 18    ๐Ÿ“Œ 14
Preview
Kristi Noem Misled Congress About Top Aideโ€™s Role in DHS Contracts Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Noem denied that Corey Lewandowski had any role in approving contracts. But internal DHS records and interviews with current and former agency staffer...

SCOOP: Kristi Noem Misled Congress About Top Aideโ€™s Role in DHS Contracts, by @josh-kaplan.bsky.social @justinelliott.bsky.social

04.03.2026 15:50 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 26    ๐Ÿ” 8    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 4    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Albuquerqueโ€™s Mayor Said Arrests Were โ€œNot the Solutionโ€ to Homelessness. Yet Jail Bookings Have Skyrocketed. Under Tim Kellerโ€™s leadership, the city has increasingly criminalized conduct associated with homelessness, causing a growing number of people on the streets to be arrested and jailed.

Important story: Albuquerque has increasingly criminalized conduct associated with homelessness, causing a growing number of people on the streets to be arrested and jailed.

04.03.2026 14:34 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 22    ๐Ÿ” 7    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 2
Preview
Crisis Pregnancy Centers Series | News From The States Billion Dollar Baby Bump: A States Newsroom 50-state investigation examining the tax records of more than 1,600 crisis pregnancy center organizations nationwide and state and federal budgets found the...

NEW SERIES: The magnitude of state & federal funding to anti-abortion pregnancy centers is growing while oversight is not, by @kelciemmorris.bsky.social @acvollers.bsky.social @nhassanein.bsky.social @chatlanis.bsky.social @amandavhernan.bsky.social and me www.newsfromthestates.com/tags/crisis-...

04.03.2026 13:09 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 28    ๐Ÿ” 20    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Albuquerqueโ€™s Mayor Said Arrests Were โ€œNot the Solutionโ€ to Homelessness. Yet Jail Bookings Have Skyrocketed. Under Tim Kellerโ€™s leadership, the city has increasingly criminalized conduct associated with homelessness, causing a growing number of people on the streets to be arrested and jailed.

NEW: Albuquerqueโ€™s Mayor Said Arrests Were โ€œNot the Solutionโ€ to Homelessness. Yet Jail Bookings Have Skyrocketed. By @nicolesantacruz.bsky.social and Ruth Talbot

04.03.2026 13:21 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 12    ๐Ÿ” 4    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Nike Is Moving Jobs to Low-Wage Regions of Indonesia After moving manufacturing to the developing world to save on labor, Nike and other apparel brands are shifting employment in their Indonesian supply chain away from high-wage parts of the country and...

Good story and data viz: Nike says it wants factory workers to earn a decent living. In Indonesia, it has moved into areas where workers donโ€™t. w/ @oregonian.com

03.03.2026 12:55 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 20    ๐Ÿ” 4    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
Preview
ProPublica Sues Education Department for Withholding Records About Discrimination in Schools Under Secretary Linda McMahon, the work of the Office for Civil Rights, which aims to protect students from discrimination, is cloaked in secrecy.

So glad to work in a newsroom that's willing to fight against disappearing data. ProPublica Sues Education Department for Withholding Records About Discrimination in Schools, by @jsmithrichards.bsky.social @jodiscohen.bsky.social

02.03.2026 17:20 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 87    ๐Ÿ” 25    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
Preview
What Emergency Managers Say They Need More Than Ever We heard from more than 40 current and former emergency managers in 11 states about what they need to prepare for the next disaster โ€” and what they arenโ€™t getting.

โ€œThis crisis-management system in the United States is itself in crisis." What Emergency Managers Say They Need More Than Ever, by @cgaribay.bsky.social

02.03.2026 13:30 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 146    ๐Ÿ” 43    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 5    ๐Ÿ“Œ 5
Preview
Elite Doctors Served Jeffrey Epstein While Treating His โ€˜Girlsโ€™

So so awful. Elite Doctors Served Jeffrey Epstein While Treating His โ€˜Girlsโ€™

01.03.2026 02:19 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 57    ๐Ÿ” 15    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3    ๐Ÿ“Œ 4
Preview
Trump Officials Attended a Summit of Election Deniers Who Want the President to Take Over the Midterms The meetingโ€™s participants included Kurt Olsen, a White House lawyer charged with reinvestigating the 2020 election, and Heather Honey, the Department of Homeland Security official in charge of electi...

Donโ€™t look away: High-ranking federal election officials attended a summit last week at which prominent figures who worked to overturn Donald Trumpโ€™s loss in the 2020 election pressed the president to declare a national emergency to take over this yearโ€™s midterms. @dougbockclark.bsky.social

28.02.2026 17:22 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 65    ๐Ÿ” 42    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 5    ๐Ÿ“Œ 6
Preview
A Secret Survey From Inside a Womenโ€™s Prison Tells Stories of Domestic Abuse Untold in Court From inside a womenโ€™s prison in Oklahoma, a domestic violence survivor began collecting other prisonersโ€™ stories of abuse. Their accounts helped shape a new Oklahoma law intended to reduce their sente...

Story behind the story: A Secret Survey From Inside a Womenโ€™s Prison Tells Stories of Domestic Abuse Untold in Court, by @pamelacolloff.bsky.social

28.02.2026 16:48 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 22    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
Preview
Trump Officials Attended a Summit of Election Deniers Who Want the President to Take Over the Midterms The meetingโ€™s participants included Kurt Olsen, a White House lawyer charged with reinvestigating the 2020 election, and Heather Honey, the Department of Homeland Security official in charge of electi...

NEW: More evidence that those who tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election are working with Trump administration officials to set the rules for the 2026 midterms. @dougbockclark.bsky.social

28.02.2026 14:20 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1066    ๐Ÿ” 530    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 36    ๐Ÿ“Œ 34
Preview
Elon Muskโ€™s Secret Web of Companies in Texas

NEW: Elon Musk said he was โ€œselling almost all physical possessionsโ€ when he moved to Texas. Nope. Instead, he has secretly amassed land and penthouses and planes and mansions. We just had to spend months digging through private company records to find it all. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/27/t...

27.02.2026 16:54 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1442    ๐Ÿ” 541    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 31    ๐Ÿ“Œ 17
Post image

My dogs say hi!

28.02.2026 00:52 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 21    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Important ๐Ÿงต

28.02.2026 00:51 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 29    ๐Ÿ” 16    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
5 Investigations Sparking Change This Month A push for more transparency on drug labels. Clearer guidance for doctors in Texas on how to legally provide abortions. Hereโ€™s a look at some recent impact from our newsroom.

5 Investigations Sparking Change This Month

28.02.2026 00:50 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 17    ๐Ÿ” 6    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
National Magazine Award, Finalists

Hooray! The American Society of Magazine Editors named ProPublica as a finalist for five 2026 National Magazine Awards. ๐ŸŽ‰

26.02.2026 22:15 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 377    ๐Ÿ” 48    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 5    ๐Ÿ“Œ 2

Great๐Ÿงต from my @propublica.org colleague @nicolefoy.bsky.social ๐Ÿ‘‡

25.02.2026 23:42 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 212    ๐Ÿ” 67    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Seized Art, Eavesdropping Guards: Parents Describe a Clampdown at Dilley Detention Center as Kids Shared Their Stories Detainees told ProPublica that art supplies have been removed in room searches, immigrants have lost access to Gmail and staff hover within earshot during video calls.

NEW: Seized Art, Eavesdropping Guards: Parents Describe a Clampdown at Dilley Detention Center as Kids Shared Their Stories @mckenziefunk.com @micarosenberg.bsky.social

26.02.2026 11:43 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 75    ๐Ÿ” 55    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3    ๐Ÿ“Œ 3
Preview
Trumpโ€™s Latest Deportation Tactic: Targeting Immigrants With Minor Family Court Cases Should a dad be deported for leaving his toddlers alone at home for a half hour 15 years ago? The Trump administration says yes in a pending court case with sweeping implications for both the immigrat...

Should a dad be deported for leaving his toddlers alone at home for a half hour 15 years ago? The Trump administration says yes in a pending court case with sweeping implications for both the immigration and child welfare systems.

24.02.2026 19:39 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 177    ๐Ÿ” 68    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 13    ๐Ÿ“Œ 8
Preview
ProPublica Hires Geraldine Sealey as Senior Editor for Its Local Reporting Network

Truly amazing news! ProPublica Hires Geraldine Sealey as Senior Editor for Its Local Reporting Network ๐ŸŽ‰๐ŸŽ‰

24.02.2026 16:38 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 23    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Trumpโ€™s Latest Deportation Tactic: Targeting Immigrants With Minor Family Court Cases Should a dad be deported for leaving his toddlers alone at home for a half hour 15 years ago? The Trump administration says yes in a pending court case with sweeping implications for both the immigrat...

NEW: Trumpโ€™s Latest Deportation Tactic: Targeting Immigrants With Minor Family Court Cases

24.02.2026 16:34 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 11    ๐Ÿ” 8    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Tennessee could lock up foster youth in jail-like facilities under new bill Research shows it's best practice to house foster kids with families, but a bill would allow foster kids to be placed in the most secure juvenile facilities.

Foster care children in Tennessee could be placed in the most secure facilities โ€” with barbed wire and cells that lock โ€” under a newly proposed bill that is alarming advocates. My latest:

23.02.2026 19:57 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 203    ๐Ÿ” 136    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 21    ๐Ÿ“Œ 31
Preview
William Turton Joins ProPublica as National Reporter

It's official! @williamturton.bsky.social Joins ProPublica as National Reporter

23.02.2026 16:13 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 28    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
U.S. Forest Service Stops Issuing Firefighter Pants That Contain PFAS, Following ProPublicaโ€™s Reporting Officials at the agency knew about the use of potentially dangerous โ€œforever chemicalsโ€ in protective gear years before publicly acknowledging the issue, according to emails obtained by ProPublica.

NEW: U.S. Forest Service Stops Issuing Firefighter Pants That Contain PFAS, Following ProPublicaโ€™s Reporting, by @abestreep.bsky.social

23.02.2026 14:11 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 280    ๐Ÿ” 61    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3    ๐Ÿ“Œ 5
Preview
They Were Convicted of Killing Their Abusers. A New Law Offered a Second Chance at Freedom. An Oklahoma law was supposed to help reduce the sentences of women who killed their abusers. Why are nearly all of them still in prison?

Oh lucky day! A new @pamelacolloff.bsky.social story is out: The Victims Who Foight Back

An Oklahoma law was supposed to help reduce the sentences of women who killed their abusers. Why are nearly all of them still in prison?

22.02.2026 14:09 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 28    ๐Ÿ” 11    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Anger as Trump FDA retreats from plan to ban artificial colors in food Experts say new labeling could deceive consumers as dangerous substances still allowed under new rules

Trump FDA retreats from plan to ban artificial colors in food #maha

21.02.2026 15:19 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 35    ๐Ÿ” 9    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 5    ๐Ÿ“Œ 3