Accountability | Montana
Gianforte Says He Might Attend Anti-Government Extremist Conference
Rep. Greg Gianforte said he might attend a conference organized by anti-government extremists -- including a leader of the armed occupation of a national wildlife refuge in Oregon in 2016.
Accountability | Michigan
Schuette Embarrassed by ‘Creepy’ Video of Coquettish Comments Toward Female Reporter
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said Thursday he was embarrassed by a viral video of him speaking suggestively to a female interviewer while he was a member of Congress nearly 30 years ago. In the 1989 video, Schuette, now the Republican nominee for governor, adjusted his tie and licked his lips as he spoke with an off-camera woman positioning him for an interview. “I will be happy to move closer to the lamp,” Schuette told her. “I will do anything you want. Some things I may not let you run the camera on.”
Accountability | Colorado
Stapleton Hasn’t Swiped in at His Capitol Office in 4 Years
When Colorado state Treasurer Walker Stapleton was running for re-election in 2014, his opponent accused him of not showing up for work after records revealed he only swiped in at his office with his electronic key card about 10 times a month. But since the 2014 election, records show, Stapleton has only swiped in once, raising new questions about his work ethic as he runs for governor.
Public Safety | North Dakota
Cramer Takes Cash from ‘Deadly’ Opioid Manufacturer As ND Grapples with Epidemic
Rep. Kevin Cramer accepted a $1,000 campaign contribution from drug manufacturer Purdue Pharma this cycle, joining a notably small group of politicians taking the company’s money as it faces lawsuits from multiple states — including Cramer’s — for its role in the opioid epidemic.
Accountability | Indiana
Multimillionaire Senate Candidate Claimed to Make Nearly the Same Salary as Employees
Braun touted his company’s high wages while claiming his pay wasn’t much more than his average worker. But it is -- a lot more.
Environment
In Concession to Energy Industry, Zinke Allows Polluting Practice He Called ‘Wasteful’
The Interior Department last month rolled back Obama-era restrictions on methane “flaring” despite Secretary Ryan Zinke previously calling the practice “wasteful.”
Public Safety | Texas
Cruz Ignores His Own Vote Against Bulletproof Vest Funds in False Attack on O’Rourke
During the first debate in his re-election campaign last month, Sen. Ted Cruz criticized his Democratic challenger for voting against funding for body armor for police. Cruz didn’t mention his own vote against funding for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program, a program endorsed by a host of major national police organizations.