Spending Watch: Week of April 14 — Pentagon Concentrates $12B in Defense Obligations as GAO Flags $619B Transparency Gap
By Eduardo Bacci — The Investigative Journal Federal contracting activity during the first two weeks of April 2026 was dominated by an unusually concentrated pulse of defense obligations, a renewed…
Influence Watch: April 2026 — Trump-Aligned Firms Capture Record $5B Lobbying Market
Federal lobbying hit a record $5.08 billion in 2025, a 14% jump, with Trump-aligned firm Ballard Partners capturing the top spot and AI policy now dominating Big Tech's federal agenda.
Data Centers and the NDA Problem: Inside the Sunshine-Law Fight Over AI’s Water Footprint
Lawsuits in Wisconsin and Missouri are forcing Microsoft and Amazon data-center water numbers into the public record, exposing how NDAs are colliding with state sunshine laws as the AI buildout…
Capitol Watch: April 14, 2026 — Bondi No-Show Tests Oversight Subpoena Power
By Eduardo Bacci — The Investigative Journal Capitol Hill entered the middle of April with a crowded agenda that blended high-stakes oversight, judicial confirmations, and the tail end of a…
DOJ Watch: April 14, 2026 — IBM’s $17M Civil Rights FCA Settlement Opens New Enforcement Front
A daily digest of federal enforcement: IBM's $17M Civil Rights Fraud Initiative settlement, an Espionage Act leak indictment, $500M in healthcare fraud actions, and the DOJ's new National Fraud Enforcement…
Federal Register Watch: April 14, 2026 — IRS Proposes Rules for New Remittance Transfer Excise Tax
Treasury proposes rules for the new remittance excise tax; EPA adjusts PFAS reporting and proposes coal-ash revisions; SEC clears Cboe crypto-trust options; ITC opens PTMEG dumping probes.
SEC Watch: April 14, 2026 — Conagra CEO Exit, $18 Assertio Deal, Doximity Insider Case
Daily SEC EDGAR digest: Conagra CEO succession, Assertio $18/share merger, UL Solutions carve-out, BiomX defense pivot, Ovintiv divestiture, Paramount Skydance-WBD financing, Doximity insider case, and FY2025 enforcement pivot.
Morning Wire: April 14, 2026 — Hormuz Blockade Begins as Iran Ceasefire Strains
Morning digest: U.S. enforces Hormuz blockade as Iran ceasefire holds; SCOTUS vacates Bannon conviction; FEMA opens Washington state flood aid; SEC names new enforcement chief.
Court Watch: Week of April 13 — D.C. Circuit Pauses Ballroom Halt, SCOTUS Skips Gun Ban
The Investigative Journal’s weekly court watch, covering notable rulings, orders, and filings from April 6 through April 13, 2026. Cases are grouped by court level, with direct links to opinions…
Public Records Roundup: Week of April 13 — GAO Flags AI Procurement Gaps
The Investigative Journal’s weekly survey of newly released federal audits, inspector general findings, state auditor reports, municipal reviews, and open-government data releases for the week ending April 13, 2026. All…