EPA Watch: Week of August 3, 2026 — Keystone Operator’s $26.9 Million Spill Penalty Nears Final Approval
This week in EPA enforcement: the $26.9 million Keystone Pipeline spill penalty enters its final comment stretch, Domtar agrees to $1.5 million over Arkansas air violations, an Alaska contractor settles…
Investigative Monitor: Week of August 3, 2026 — FCC Gift Scandal Deepens
TIJ's weekly roundup of accountability journalism: FCC ethics complaints over Paramount gifts, independent lead testing that challenges an EPA cleanup, a pay-to-censor copyright racket, and voter-registration questions on both sides…
Fact-Check: RFK Jr.’s COVID Death-Rate Claim and Four Other Statements Tested Against the Record
TIJ's weekly Fact-Check Spotlight tests five claims against primary records: RFK Jr. on COVID mortality, President Trump on inflation and New Jersey's voter rolls, Gov. Sherrill on the registration error,…
State Watch: August 2026 — Maryland Auditors Find Benefits Flowed to a $2 Million Lottery Winner and 1,858 Inmates
Maryland auditors found food assistance kept flowing to a $2 million lottery winner and 1,858 incarcerated recipients, as eight states face audit, pension and credit-rating scrutiny.
Capitol Watch: August 7, 2026 — Senate Poised to Advance Stopgap Funding and Blanche Nomination
The Senate lines up Friday votes on a stopgap funding bill running through Dec. 11, Todd Blanche's attorney general nomination, and the Protect College Sports Act, while the House remains…
DOJ Watch: August 7, 2026 — Ex-Goldman Banker Convicted in Ghana Bribery Scheme
TIJ's daily enforcement digest: an FCPA trial conviction of a former Goldman Sachs banker, a guilty plea covering breaches of 165 companies, a $95M Medicare fraud indictment in Nevada, mine-safety…
Federal Register Watch: August 7, 2026 — FCC Proposes Sweeping Security Rules for Foreign Telecom Equipment
Today's Federal Register: the FCC floats sweeping telecom-equipment security rules, DOJ's egg price-fixing settlement opens for public comment, and HHS proposes a 200-page rewrite of Head Start standards.
SEC Watch: August 7, 2026 — New Accounting-Fraud Unit Debuts as UBS Pays $20 Million Over Late SARs
The SEC stands up a Financial Reporting and Accounting Unit and settles with UBS for $20 million over late SARs, while quarterly filings show diverging fortunes at Monolithic Power and…
Think Tank Roundup: Week of August 3, 2026 — RAND’s Case Against Mirror Life
Eight notable policy papers released July 27 to August 6, 2026, from RAND, CFR, AEI, Cato, the Manhattan Institute, Roosevelt, CAP and Niskanen, with each institution's orientation and funding base…
Oversight Watch: Week of August 3, 2026 — Watchdog Output Falls as IG Offices Shrink 19%
This week in oversight: Cabinet IG offices produced 25% fewer investigative reports as staffing fell 19%; a House panel advanced a bill to dissolve CIGIE; DOJ booked $76.8 million in…