Charles Ornstein

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

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 — and what they aren’t getting.

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

Elite Doctors Served Jeffrey Epstein While Treating His ‘Girls’

So so awful. Elite Doctors Served Jeffrey Epstein While Treating His ‘Girls’

Trump Officials Attended a Summit of Election Deniers Who Want the President to Take Over the Midterms The meeting’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...

Don’t look away: High-ranking federal election officials attended a summit last week at which prominent figures who worked to overturn Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 election pressed the president to declare a national emergency to take over this year’s midterms. @dougbockclark.bsky.social

A Secret Survey From Inside a Women’s Prison Tells Stories of Domestic Abuse Untold in Court From inside a women’s prison in Oklahoma, a domestic violence survivor began collecting other prisoners’ 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 Women’s Prison Tells Stories of Domestic Abuse Untold in Court, by @pamelacolloff.bsky.social

Trump Officials Attended a Summit of Election Deniers Who Want the President to Take Over the Midterms The meeting’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

Elon Musk’s Secret Web of Companies in Texas

NEW: Elon Musk said he was “selling almost all physical possessions” 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...

My dogs say hi!

Important 🧵

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. Here’s a look at some recent impact from our newsroom.

5 Investigations Sparking Change This Month

National Magazine Award, Finalists

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

Great🧵 from my @propublica.org colleague @nicolefoy.bsky.social 👇

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

Trump’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.

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 🎉🎉

Trump’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: Trump’s Latest Deportation Tactic: Targeting Immigrants With Minor Family Court Cases

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 — with barbed wire and cells that lock — under a newly proposed bill that is alarming advocates. My latest:

William Turton Joins ProPublica as National Reporter

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

U.S. Forest Service Stops Issuing Firefighter Pants That Contain PFAS, Following ProPublica’s Reporting Officials at the agency knew about the use of potentially dangerous “forever chemicals” 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 ProPublica’s Reporting, by @abestreep.bsky.social

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?

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

Judge Rebukes U.S. Over Application to Search Reporter’s Home

Judge Rebukes U.S. Over Application to Search Reporter’s Home

A prosecutor apologized for failing to alert the magistrate to a 1980 law that restricts searches for reporting materials.

w/ Erik Wemple

www.nytimes.com/2026/02/20/u...

South Carolina Hospitals Aren’t Required to Disclose Measles-Related Admissions. That Leaves Doctors in the Dark. Physicians across South Carolina, home to the largest measles outbreak in decades, are advising patients without the benefit of real-time data on hospitalizations due to measles-related pneumonia, bra...

A bill sponsored by several state reps seeks to prevent hospitals and doctors from questioning or interfering “in any manner” with a patient’s right to refuse treatments or vaccines.

South Carolina hospitals aren't required to disclose measles-related admissions @jenniferberryhawes.bsky.social

“I trust that each one of you had a good Christmas and New Year’s,” he began. “Unfortunately, I can’t say the same thing.”

South Carolina Hospitals Aren’t Required to Disclose Measles-Related Admissions. That Leaves Doctors in the Dark. www.propublica.org/article/sout...

South Carolina Hospitals Aren’t Required to Disclose Measles-Related Admissions. That Leaves Doctors in the Dark. Physicians across South Carolina, home to the largest measles outbreak in decades, are advising patients without the benefit of real-time data on hospitalizations due to measles-related pneumonia, bra...

NEW: South Carolina Hospitals Aren’t Required to Disclose Measles-Related Admissions. That Leaves Doctors in the Dark. by @jenniferberryhawes.bsky.social

Salty, Oily Drinking Water Left Sores in Their Mouths. Oklahoma Refused to Find Out Why. State regulators discovered strong signs of oil pollution, including high levels of salt and toxic metals, in one family’s drinking water. But for two years, they repeatedly delayed basic tests to fin...

The Boarmans forbid their family from drinking the water.

They stopped inviting friends over.

Tammy kept bottled water by the sink for brushing her teeth.

They hoped they were close to getting answers. Then the state closed their case.

New Moms in Wisconsin to Get Extension of Vital Benefits After GOP Powerbroker Ends Holdout State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos had repeatedly blocked lawmakers from voting on a bipartisan bill to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage. The legislation now goes to Gov. Tony Evers, who is expected ...

NEW: Powerful Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos had repeatedly blocked lawmakers from voting on a bipartisan bill to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage. The legislation now goes to Gov. Tony Evers, who is expected to sign it into law.

By @megomatz.bsky.social

New Moms in Wisconsin to Get Extension of Vital Benefits After GOP Powerbroker Ends Holdout State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos had repeatedly blocked lawmakers from voting on a bipartisan bill to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage. The legislation now goes to Gov. Tony Evers, who is expected ...

NEW: New Moms in Wisconsin to Get Extension of Vital Benefits After GOP Powerbroker Ends Holdout, by @megomatz.bsky.social

Insurer Agrees to Pay Millions for Failing to Fix Errors That Made It Harder for Customers to Get Mental Health Care EmblemHealth will compensate customers who paid out of pocket for mental health care because they couldn’t secure an appointment with a provider listed as being in-network. It also pledged to take add...

EmblemHealth will compensate customers who paid out of pocket for mental health care because they couldn’t secure an appointment with a provider listed as being in-network. It also pledged to take additional steps to fix its provider directory. @maxblau.bsky.social

Insurer Agrees to Pay Millions for Failing to Fix Errors That Made It Harder for Customers to Get Mental Health Care EmblemHealth will compensate customers who paid out of pocket for mental health care because they couldn’t secure an appointment with a provider listed as being in-network. It also pledged to take add...

NEW: Insurer Agrees to Pay Millions for Failing to Fix Errors That Made It Harder for Customers to Get Mental Health Care, by @maxblau.bsky.social