Investigations & Reports

July 23, 2014 - Environmentalists and others have condemned the Obama administration's decision to open up the Atlantic to seismic testing for oil and gas reserves, blaming political pressure from deep-pocketed oil and gas interests. Just how much is the industry spending to influence federal policy?

July 2, 2014 - Millions of dollars in outside expenditures in North Carolina's May 2014 primary were hidden or delayed from being made public thanks to loopholes in the law. If the state Senate fails to act on a bill soon, millions more will likely be obscured from public view in November.

March 27, 2014 - The Renew North Carolina Foundation, a political nonprofit supporting the agenda of Gov. Pat McCrory, doesn't have to disclose its donors. But thanks to a shareholder push for transparency, we now know that tobacco giant Reynolds American donated $50,000 to the group last year.

March 7, 2014 - In the wake of a massive coal ash spill, Duke Energy's influence with North Carolina lawmakers has drawn heightened scrutiny. But as the utility giant faces new legal challenges, what influence does it have in state courts?

February 20, 2014 - Duke Energy has long fought strict federal regulations on coal ash, which is in the spotlight again following a spill from one of the company's North Carolina plants. Duke got help from the American Legislative Exchange Council, the controversial corporate-interest advocacy group that has counted the utility among its members.

February 18, 2014 - Following Duke Energy's massive coal ash spill into the Dan River, Gov. Pat McCrory (R) has come under scrutiny for his close ties to the Charlotte, N.C.-based utility giant. Other key members of his administration have connections to the company, too.

January 22, 2014 - Projections about what the U.S. electoral map will look like in the coming decades show the nation's political gravity will continue to shift to Southern states.