Op-Ed: Ditch the Unemployment Rate
Does President Trump really have the benefit of a strong economy heading into the 2020 election year?
Finance
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Big Banks Are Divesting From Private Prisons, Thanks to Anti-ICE Activism
So far this year, six major bank have made broad public commitments to no longer provide new financing to the private prison industry after current financial agreements expire.
Op-Ed: Mega-Bank Merger Exemplifies Dangerous Trends
The House Financial Services Committee is set to hold a hearing on the largest bank merger in a decade.
Democratic Leaders Rake in Corporate Cash as ‘the Squad’ Sticks With Small Donors
A Sludge analysis of new second-quarter campaign finance reports has found that the Democratic leaders in the House combined to take in nearly $1.2 million in contributions from corporate and trade association PACs.
Private Equity’s Latest Scheme: Closing Urban Hospitals and Selling Off the Real Estate
Thousands are expected to rally Thursday against the closing of Hahnemann University Hospital, a 171-year-old facility in Center City Philadelphia.
Rep. Gottheimer Asks Regulators to Deregulate Banks He’s Invested In
At the behest of a big-bank trade group, Gottheimer rallied 16 of his fellow Democrats to join him in urging financial regulators to gut a provision of Dodd-Frank that protects insured depository institutions from risky trading.
Hedge Fund Billionaires Were Democrats’ Main Bankrollers in 2018
A new report shows that three-quarters of the money that individuals donated to pro-Democrat outside spending groups in 2018 came from finance founders and executives.
Dems Overseeing Finance Industry Take Money from Group Supporting Racist Auto Lending
Alerted to the contributions, House Financial Services Chair Maxine Waters tells Sludge she will better vet her campaign contributors.
After City Incentives, South Bend Real Estate Executives Donate to Mayor Pete's Presidential Campaign
Real estate executives benefited from policies of Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s administration that some criticize as reckless gentrification. Now they’re returning the favor.
Reps Questioning Megabank CEOs Own Stock in Their Companies
Ten of the Financial Services Committee members who will question the CEOs of the largest banks in the U.S. are personally invested in those banks and positioned to benefit from the companies’ growth.