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by Paul Kiel

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published.

The Justice Department announced criminal charges on Friday against a former IRS contractor for leaking confidential tax information to two unnamed news organizations.

The DOJ’s description of one of those leaks appears to refer to the trove of IRS data that ProPublica used to report its “Secret IRS Files” series. The vast dataset contained details on thousands of wealthy Americans, and ProPublica reported dozens of stories based on an analysis of it.

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“As we have said from the beginning, we do not know the identity of the source, so we have nothing further to say about the charges filed today,” Stephen Engelberg, ProPublica’s editor in chief, said.

The DOJ’s description of the second leak, information regarding “a high-ranking government official,” appears to match The New York Times’ reporting on the taxes of Donald Trump. A spokesperson for the Times did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The former IRS contractor, Charles Littlejohn, 38, of Washington, D.C., was charged with a count of disclosing tax return information, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of five years. Littlejohn’s attorney declined to comment.

For an overview of the main findings from ProPublica’s “Secret IRS Files” series, see “Ten Ways Billionaires Avoid Taxes on an Epic Scale.”

A new tool is helping teachers, administrators and school resource officers better prepare for school threats while keeping students safe. 

The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) has two major initiatives underway in North St. Louis City to support the Neighborhood Transformation Pillar of the SLDC’s Economic Justice Action Plan. 

This time of year, Brookdale Farms gives us the heebie-jeebies. Plagued by evil, the Field of Nightmares admits only the bravest souls. Here, spirits roam the land and haunt the […]

The post Field of Nightmares appeared first on Explore St. Louis.

by John Harwood for ProPublica

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published.

President Joe Biden said in an interview on Friday that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy had made a “terrible bargain” and that “in order to keep the speakership, he’s willing to do things that he, I think, he knows are inconsistent with the constitutional processes.”

Asked about the looming government shutdown, and the impeachment inquiry that McCarthy agreed to authorize in the hopes of keeping right-wing Republicans from ousting him from his post as speaker, Biden criticized the role of a “group of MAGA Republicans who genuinely want to have a fundamental change in the way that the system works. And that’s what worries me the most.” He marveled that former President Donald Trump had described himself in a recent speech as “retribution” on behalf of his supporters, and that Republicans “seem to be encouraging it.”

The comments came as part of a wide-ranging interview with ProPublica contributor John Harwood that will be published Sunday morning. In it, Biden discussed everything from what he portrayed as looming threats to democracy, including his views of the roles played by Fox News and Elon Musk, to his concerns about the need for ethics reform on the Supreme Court.

“These people aren’t the problem,” Anita-Jackson said. “The problem is they don’t have anywhere to go, so what are you going to do?”

"Beginning Monday, Oct. 2, all national parks would close" in the event of a government shutdown, officials said.

The 3,000-square-foot store, at 1701 S. Lindbergh Blvd. #253, is located next to Lululemon on the second floor of Plaza Frontenac.

There's a large part of lawn outside of City Hall in Downtown St. Louis that has become a growing homeless encampment.

The drag race event is taking over World Wide Technology Raceway in the Metro East.

With thrills both on and off the rides, Fright Fest at Six Flags St. Louis is one of the spookiest events of the season. During the day, family-friendly attractions abound, […]

The post Fright Fest appeared first on Explore St. Louis.

JERSEYVILLE - Alex Hubbell has been a senior catalyst at his midfielder position for the Panthers’ boys soccer team this season. For most of the season, Alex has topped the scoring list for Jersey, his coach Scott Burney said. Overall, Hubbell has been the Panthers' leading goal scorer, but he also brings great leadership skills to the table, Coach Burney added. Hubbell is a Sparklight Male Athlete of the Month for the Panthers. “Alex is a very skilled player and plays with a lot of heart and passion,” Burney said. “He has good speed and an understanding of the game from all of years of playing at a high level at a pretty young age. “He enjoys helping others on and off the field. Not only is he a strong player on the field, but also a very good student.” Congrats to Hubbell for his recognition as a Sparklight Male Athlete of the Month.

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Letter To The Editor: I want you to know about a gun battle that took place on October 12, 1898, in Virden, Illinois. This year is the 125th anniversary of that event. On October 8, in Union Miners Cemetery, located at 5585 Mt Olive Rd, Mt Olive, IL, a commemoration of the battle will be held at noon. A recap: The coal mines in IL and the region had refused to bargain fairly with their UMWA-represented workers. One of the miners' demands was an 8-hour workday. The mines all settled except for the Chicago/Virden mine, so the strike became a lockout. The mine recruited unsuspecting miners from Alabama. Their advertisement said they wanted black coal miners. Virden was not prejudiced, but companies trying to sow division among workers is a tactic that continues into modern times. It is a tactic the UMWA has faced many times. A self-appointed UMWA organizer, “General" Alexander Bradley, had a contingent of miners at Virden when the train arrived carrying the replacement workers.

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St. Louis County officers are investigating after two students were allegedly caught having sex in a classroom at Hazelwood Central High School.