Newswatch Paybacks State-by-State
Arizona
Arizona Senate probe of Hobbs won't happen before election
October 17, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Tucson.com
Arizona Senate Republicans have postponed their investigation into alleged pay-to-play involving Gov. Katie Hobbs until after the Nov. 3 election.
California
Former Oakland Mayor's Corruption Trial Starts: California Brief
October 14, 2026 10:02 AM EDT
Bloomberg Industry Group
Litigation, policy, power players, and regulations that matter in California
District of Columbia
Innovator In Grift: 'Trump Is The Picasso Of Corruption'
October 14, 2026 12:51 PM EDT
The National Memo
Trayon White, a member of the city council in the District of Columbia, just walked away from a hung jury in a bribery trial. The facts were kind of wild. Though White admitted to accepting $35,000 in cash from a city contractor (who turned out to be an FBI informant), and the prosecution presented ...
Maine
ProPublica, Politics and Polling - Maine Policy Institute
October 20, 2026 10:09 AM EDT
the Maine Policy Institute
A ProPublica report accuses Susan Collins of engineering a pay to play scheme with a disgraced defense contractor.
Maine
New Ad: Troy Jackson's Corruption Hurts Maine - Senate Leadership Fund
October 19, 2026 01:04 PM EDT
the Senate Leadership Fund
WASHINGTON, DC — Senate Leadership Fund released a new ad exposing Troy Jackson’s long history of corruption, including using taxpayer money to enrich his family. Jackson touted a new taxpayer-funded cell tower in Allagash but failed to disclose that it was built on his family’s land, potentially generating thousands of dollars a month for Jackson’s family. The company that built the tower was awarded a $180,000 taxpayer-funded grant by a state…
Maine
Maine Sen. Collins' success bringing home federal funds is a perfect example of the thin line between political favoritism and effective representation
October 19, 2026 08:35 AM EDT
The Conversation.
The line between political favoritism and effective representation is remarkably thin. Why is access to public money so dependent on the political influence of individual legislators?
New York
MAGA lawyer's new 'corruption' scandal sends jaws to the floor: 'So rampant'
October 20, 2026 09:52 PM EDT
Raw Story.
A new bombshell corruption story published by The New York Times on Tuesday detailed how the family of a billionaire seeking a pardon from the Trump administration gave a $50 million deal to Alina Habba, a far-right lawyer involved in many of the president's personal dealings and who had briefly hea...
New York
Trump Pardoned Venezuelan Billionaire After Family Offered Alina Habba $50 Million Deal | Law Commentary
October 20, 2026 11:22 AM EDT
Law Commentary.
President Donald Trump pardoned Venezuelan billionaire Julio Herrera Velutini after the banker's daughter offered his longtime attorney and Justice Department adviser Alina Habba a contract worth $40 million, with bonuses that could push the total above $50 million, according to an October 20 investigation by The New York Times. The...
New York
NYC prosecutors slam ex-DOB commish Eric Ulrich as a 'compromised politician' who'd do anything for cash as trial kicks off
October 19, 2026 03:47 PM EDT
New York Post
Ex-New York City Buildings Commissioner Eric Ulrich was a “compromised politician” so desperate for cash that he accepted bribes — including $10,000 Mets season tickets — so his inner c…
Ohio
Stench of Democrat Foulkes corruption - John DePetro Show
October 19, 2026 09:30 PM EDT
DePetro.com
Husband of RI Democratic Party Chair Indicted in $20M Higher Education Fraud Scheme PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Michael Perik, a prominent political donor and husband of Rhode Island Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth "Liz" Beretta-Perik, has been indicted in Jefferson County, Ohio, on multiple felony charges relating to an alleged $20 million financial aid fraud scheme. Key
South Carolina
Trump's FBI Purge Upended Bribery Probe Involving Hawaiʻi Contractor
October 20, 2026 06:01 AM EDT
civilbeat
An FBI anti-corruption team launched an investigation into whether South Carolina’s most powerful members of Congress were involved in a bribery scheme, ProPublica found. After Trump gutted the FBI and DOJ, the investigation went dark.
Texas
GOP's corruption image problem not helped by Musk money dump in Texas
October 21, 2026 12:48 AM EDT
Yahoo! Inc.
Rep. Greg Casar, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, talks with Jen Psaki about how the issue of the Trump administration's corruption is resonating with voters, and how, as a member of the...
