The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) Blog

Morning Smoke: Afghan Reconstruction Criticized by Inspector General Report

MORNING SMOKE

Where there's smoke, there's fire. POGO's Morning Smoke is a collection of the freshest investigations, scoops, and opinions related to the world of government oversight. Have a story you'd like to see included? Contact POGO's online producer

Government Oversight

U.S. Construction Project in Afghanistan Challenged by Inspector General's Report
Rajiv Chandrasekaran, The Washington Post

Financial Oversight

Bill Would Dramatically Jack Up SEC Fines on Securities Firms
Mark Schoeff Jr., Investment News

Law's Big Weapon Sits Idle
Michael Rapoport, The Wall Street Journal

Britain Begins Review of Libor
Mark Scott, The New York Times

Energy Issues

Drillers in Utah Have a Friend in a U.S. Land Agency
Eric Lipton, The New York Times

National Security

The Army Tank That Could Not Be Stopped
Aaron Mehta and Lydia Mulvany, iWatch News

How to Defeat the Air Force's Powerful Stealth Fighter
David Axe, Danger Room

Revolving Door

Lobbyists for General Dynamics Who Passed Through the Revolving Door
Ajani Winston, iWatch News

Watchdogs Raise Issues with GOP Armed Services Aide
Jeremy Herb, The Hill

Morning Smoke: Navy Underestimating Ship Costs by Tens of Billions, Says CBO

MORNING SMOKE

Where there's smoke, there's fire. POGO's Morning Smoke is a collection of the freshest investigations, scoops, and opinions related to the world of government oversight. Have a story you'd like to see included? Contact POGO's online producer

National Security

Navy Low-Balled Cost of New Ships by Billions
Gary Robbins, The San Diego Union-Tribune

Senate's Move to Cybersecurity Means No Defense Bill Before Recess
Jeremy Herb, The HIll

Iraq Reconstruction Effort Cost 719 Lives, Audit Finds
Tony Capaccio, Bloomberg

Having Arrived in Japan, Ospreys Are Put on Ice
Philip Ewing, DoD Buzz

Sequestration Could Mean Another 100K-Troop Cut
Rick Maze, Navy Times

DoD: Civilian Workers Could Get Layoff Notices
Jeremy Herb, The Hill

What the Tea Party Can Teach Mitt Romney About Defense Spending
Dana Liebelson, The Week

Financial Oversight

Heavy Hitters Strike at Stock Act Employee Provisions
Joe Davidson, The Washington Post

How to Rip Off the Taxpayer: SIGTARP Shares Secrets
Jennifer Peebles, The Washington Examiner

Whistleblower Issues

Senate Intelligence Committee Adopts a Dozen Anti-Leak Measures
Steven Aftergood, Secrecy News

Morning Smoke: Air Force Continued Business with Contractor Convicted of Fraud

MORNING SMOKE

Where there's smoke, there's fire. POGO's Morning Smoke is a collection of the freshest investigations, scoops, and opinions related to the world of government oversight. Have a story you'd like to see included? Contact POGO's online producer

Contract Oversight

Despite Fraud, Air Force Kept Using Beach Contractor
Bill Sizemore, The Virginian-Pilot

National Security

Firms Split on Danger of Defense Cuts
Carlo Munoz, The Hill

Learning F-35 Lessons from F-22 Oxygen Errors
Defense Tech

Congress Eyes Probe Into Army Program
Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press

Sequestration: The Way to Cut Defense Waste
Jon Basil Utley, The American Conservative

Panetta Says DoD and VA Need to Cut Red Tape
Steve Vogel, The Washington Post

Excluded Co-Owner of Propaganda Firm Keeps Ties to Pentagon
Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today

How to Lover F-35 Costs? Lockheed Asks Employees
Philip Ewing, DoD Buzz

Whistleblower Issues

Survey Finds Fortune 500 Employees Report More Often, Face More Retaliation
Samuel Rubenfeld, The Wall Street Journal

The Story of How I Got Relieved Unfairly in Iraq
Ret. Col. Larry Wexler, Foreign Policy

Financial Oversight

Facing Congress, Geithner Grilled on Rate-Rigging
Ben Protess, The New York Times

Morning Smoke: Pentagon Says Vests, Not Jets, To Blame for Choking F-22 Pilots

MORNING SMOKE

Where there's smoke, there's fire. POGO's Morning Smoke is a collection of the freshest investigations, scoops, and opinions related to the world of government oversight. Have a story you'd like to see included? Contact POGO's online producer

National Security

Pentagon: Blame Tight Vests, Not Stealth Jets, for Choking Pilots
Spencer Ackerman, Danger Room

Pentagon Lifts Flight Restrictions on F-22 Fleet
Carlo Munoz, The Hill

How Could the Navy Begin to Remake LCS?
Philip Ewing, DoD Buzz

Pentagon Efforts to Straighten Out Bookkeeping Have Billion-Dollar Cost Overruns
Zach Toombs, iWatch News

Pentagon Tightens Grading Standards, Cuts Into Lockheed Profits
Bob Cox, Sky Talk

Why the Air Force Doesn't Ask Apple for an iFighter
Philip Ewing, DoD Buzz

Open Government

Justice Department Defends Use of State Secrets Privilege
Steven Aftergood, Secrecy News

Financial Oversight

Europe Aims to Make Rate Manipulation a Criminal Offense
Mark Scott, The New York Times

New York Fed Faces Questions Over Policing Wall Street
Ben Protess and Jessica Silver-Greenberg, The New York Times

Government Oversight

Obama Opposes Bill to Halt Regulatory Changes
Matthew Weigelt, Federal Computer Week

Morning Smoke: How Classified is Classified When 4.8 Million Have Security Clearances?

MORNING SMOKE

Where there's smoke, there's fire. POGO's Morning Smoke is a collection of the freshest investigations, scoops, and opinions related to the world of government oversight. Have a story you'd like to see included? Contact POGO's online producer

Open Government

Security-Cleared Population Tops 4.8 Million
Steven Aftergood, Secrecy News

Judge Rules for State Department in Dispute Over WikiLeaks Disclosures
Mike Scarcella, The Blog of Legal Times

Some Nuclear Weapons-Related Info to be Declassified
Steven Aftergood, Secrecy News

Senator: White House Behind National Security Leaks
Matt Vasilogambros, Government Executive

Government Accountability

GAO: Debt Fight Cost at Least $1.3 Billion
Ed O'Keefe, The Washington Post

50 States and No Winners
Caitlin Ginley, State Integrity

Contract Oversight

Justice Fails to Flag Contractors With a Criminal History
Eric Katz, Government Executive

No Pay Comparison Method is Definitive, GAO Says
Eric Yoder, The Washington Post

National Security

House Debate on Defense Bill Spending Finds One Bit of Bipartisan Light
Walter Pincus, The Washington Post

Financial Oversight

Congress Presses New York Fed for More Details on Rate-Rigging Scandal
Ben Protess, The New York Time

Morning Smoke: Documents Show Timid Regulators in the Face of Libor Manipulation

MORNING SMOKE

Where there's smoke, there's fire. POGO's Morning Smoke is a collection of the freshest investigations, scoops, and opinions related to the world of government oversight. Have a story you'd like to see included? Contact POGO's online producer

Financial Oversight

Libor Case Documents Show Timid Regulators
Ben Protess and Mark Scott, The New York Times

Wall Street Is Too Big to Regulate
Gar Alperovitz, The New York Times

Bankers Gone Wild
James Surowiecki, The New Yorker

Prosecutors, Regulators Close to Making Libor Arrests
Reuters

Futures Overseer Plots Revamp
Jacob Bunge, Scott Patterson and Michael Rothfeld

A Week in the Life of Libor
Editorial, The New York Times

National Security

GAO: Missile Defense Initiative Faces Continuing Challenges
Aaron Mehta and Zach Toombs, iWatch News

The Iron Quadrangle
Philip Ewing, DoD Buzz

Lockheed Martin's Earnings Will Be Solid Despite Looming U.S. Defense Spending Cuts
Trefis

Reporters Oppose Pentagon Monitoring
Austin Wright, Politico

Government Accountability

Names Often Shielded When Misconduct Occurs
Sean Reilly, Federal Times

Contract Oversight

House Votes to Cut Off Pentagon Deals with Russian Arms Exporter
Josh Rogin, Foreign Policy

Morning Smoke: Celebrating Dodd-Frank's Second Birthday with an Infographic

MORNING SMOKE

Where there's smoke, there's fire. POGO's Morning Smoke is a collection of the freshest investigations, scoops, and opinions related to the world of government oversight. Have a story you'd like to see included? Contact POGO's online producer

Financial Oversight

Dodd-Frank Turns Two This Week. Look How It's Grown!
Ezra Klein, The Washington Post

Libor Scandal Shows Many Flaws in Rate-Setting
Peter Eavis and Nathaniel Popper, The New York Times

Congressional Insider Trading Ban Might Not Apply to Families
Deirdre Walsh and Dana Bash, CNN

Barclays's Diamond Finds a Fried When It Counts
Jonathan Well, Bloomberg

Blamed Over Stanford, SEC's Texas Office Plots Comeback
Aruna Viswanatha and Sarah N. Lynch, Reuters

Government Accountability

GSA Spent More Than $268,000 to Entertain Employees Who Got Performance Awards
Lisa Rein, The Washington Post

National Security

Three Ploys the Department of Defense Uses When Their Budget Is at Risk
Dina Rasor, Truthout

House Approves $606B Defense Budget
David Rogers, Politico

Cut Defense Spending? Good Idea - But Sequestration's Not the Way
Peter Hegseth, Aol Defense

Open Government

Declassification Advances, But Will Miss Goal
Steven Aftergood, Secrecy News

Secrecy is Not a Small Business Value. Transparency Is
David Borris, The Hill

Punishing Leaks of Classified Information
Steven Aftergood, Secrecy News

Morning Smoke: Camp Lejeune Health Care Bill Moves Forward in Senate

MORNING SMOKE

Where there's smoke, there's fire. POGO's Morning Smoke is a collection of the freshest investigations, scoops, and opinions related to the world of government oversight. Have a story you'd like to see included? Contact POGO's online producer

Government Accountability

Lejeune Health Care Bill is Unstuck in Senate
Rick Maze, Navy Times

National Security

Panetta Praises F-35 Progress
Bob Cox, Sky Talk

Defense Contractors Speak Out Against Budget Cuts
Marjorie Cense, The Washington Post

Government Oversight

Inspector General: Amount Wasted on Iraq Reconstruction 'Can Never Be Known'
Jennifer Peebles, The Washington Examiner 

Financial Oversight

Capitol One to Pay $210M for Deceptive Credit Card Practices
Danielle Douglas, The Washington Post

Big Banks Dominate Dodd-Frank Meetings with Regulators
Lee Drutman, Sunlight Foundation

Revolving Door

Former DoD Official Michele Flournoy Joins Boston Consulting Group
Amber Corrin, Federal Computer Week

Contract Oversight

Growth in Federal Contracts Called Unsustainable
Tom Shoop, Government Executive

Open Government

A 'Victory' in My FOIA Lawsuit Against the FBI
Jason Leopold, Truthout

Morning Smoke: Interest Rate System Remains Flawed in Wake of Barclays, Say Regulators

MORNING SMOKE

Where there's smoke, there's fire. POGO's Morning Smoke is a collection of the freshest investigations, scoops, and opinions related to the world of government oversight. Have a story you'd like to see included? Contact POGO's online producer

Financial Oversight

After Barclays Scandal, Regulators Say Rates Remain Flawed
Ben Protess and Mark Scott, The New York Times

Treasury's Miller Juggles Volcker with Housing Overhaul
Ian Katz, Bloomberg

CFTC Chief Admits Failure; Iowa Broker Says Money Gone
Sarah N. Lynch and Alexandra Alper, Reuters

If Little Else, Banker's Trial May Show Wall St. Foolishness
Steven M. Davidoff, The New York Times

JPMorgan's Fiasco Presents New Avenues to Investigate
Peter J. Henning and Steven M. Davidoff, The New York Times

Geithner Did Not Show Evidence of Rigged Libor, British Bank Official Says
Zachary A. Goldfarb and Jia Lynn Yang, The Washington Post

Whistleblower Issues

FDA Isn't the Only Agency Snoopin in Email
Joe Davidson, The Washington Post

Government Oversight

Oversight Hearing on VA Claims Backlog
Steve Vogel, The Washington Post

Neil Barofsky, the Democrat Taking Digs at Obama
Deborah Solomon, Businessweek

Government Accountability

GSA Suspends Hiring, Drastically Scales Back Executive Bonuses
Amelia Gruber, Government Executive

Morning Smoke: FDA Spied on Whistleblowers' Emails in Campaign to Counter Criticism

MORNING SMOKE

Where there's smoke, there's fire. POGO's Morning Smoke is a collection of the freshest investigations, scoops, and opinions related to the world of government oversight. Have a story you'd like to see included? Contact POGO's online producer

Whistleblower Issues

Vast F.D.A. Effort Tracked E-Mails of Its Scientists
Eric Lichtblau and Scott Shane, The New York Times

National Security

Auditors say billions likely wasted in Iraq work during war
Robert Burns, The Associated Press

Two Very Troubled Fighter Jets
Editorial, The New York Times

Mercenaries Sue Blackwater Over Fake Gun Tests
Spencer Ackerman, Danger Room

Voters really want to cut defense spending — even when it benefits their districts
Suzy Khimm, Wonkblog

Financial Sector

Calculated Deal in a Rate-Rigging Inquiry
James B. Stewart, The New York Times

Tim Geithner's Libor Recommendations Came Straight From Banks, Documents Show
Ryan Grim, The Huffington Post

Treasury probe cites officials for soliciting prostitutes, accepting industry gifts, FOIA docs reveal
Bob Cusack, The Hill  

Contract Oversight

ANCs get billions less in contracts
Sarah Chacko, Federal Times

Contract fights to get uglier as budget shrink
Sarah Chacko, Federal Times

Ethics

Out of Stock: Foreign Service members want out of Stock Act
Joe Davidson, Federal Eye

Morning Smoke: Lawmakers, Interest Groups Call for Investigation into FDA Surveillance of Whistleblowers

MORNING SMOKE

Where there's smoke, there's fire. POGO's Morning Smoke is a collection of the freshest investigations, scoops, and opinions related to the world of government oversight. Have a story you'd like to see included? Contact POGO's online producer

Whistleblower Issues

Investigation Sought of Extensive F.D.A. Surveillance
Eric Lichtblau, The New York Times

Financial Sector

Regulators and HSBC Faulted in Report on Money Laundering
Nathaniel Popper, DealBook

U.S. Tightens Security for Economic Data
John H. Cushman Jr., The New York Times

JPMorgan disclosed possible misconduct to feds ahead of earnings
Matthew Goldstein and Jennifer Ablan, Reuters

Peregrine ex-customer calls for vote of no confidence in NFA
David Sheppard, Reuters

House panel probes banks' alleged role in LIBOR-fixing scandal
Jim Puzzanghera and Marc Lifsher, Los Angeles Times

National Security 

Pentagon F-35 Contract Negotiations in End Game, Kendall Says
Tony Capaccio, Bloomberg

Pentagon’s second in charge oversees downsizing
Bryan Bender, The Boston Globe

Command: Recent F-22 oxygen deficit was mechanical failure, not related to 2011 malfunctions
Associated Press

Open Government

Obama's transparency record: lots of data, not as much sunlight
J.B. Wogan, PolitiFact

Government Contracting

Federal judge dismisses lawsuit against Army contractor over Pa. soldier’s electrocution
Associated Press

Morning Smoke: Regulators Missed Red Flags at Peregrine Financial for Years

MORNING SMOKE

Where there's smoke, there's fire. POGO's Morning Smoke is a collection of the freshest investigations, scoops, and opinions related to the world of government oversight. Have a story you'd like to see included? Contact POGO's online producer

Financial Sector

At Peregrine Financial, Signs of Trouble Seemingly Missed for Years 
Azam Ahmed and Peter Lattman, DealBook

JPMorgan loss grew to $4.4B, more than double 1st estimate 
Associated Press 

Geithner made recommendations on Libor in 2008, documents show
Jia Lynn Yang, The Washington Post

A whistleblower emerges from the shadows
Rick Rothacker, Reuters

Ex-Bankers Are Charged With Fraud
Evan Perez, The Wall Street Journal 

How To Define Your Terms In 300 Pages
Theo Francis, Planet Money

Andrew Williams, Ex-Treasury Spokesman, Headed To Goldman Sachs
Bonnie Kavoussi, The Huffington Post 

National Security

House to vote on Defense appropriations next week
Jeremy Herb, DEFCON Hill 

Navy May Buy More F-35s, Not Fewer, Under F/A-XX Initiative 
Sydney J. Freedberg Jr., AOL Defense 

Information Policy

Former ISOO Director Again Asks Court to Release NSA Documents
Steven Aftergood, Secrecy News