Watchdog.org

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Watchdog.org
501(c)(3)
Leadership:
Political Party: Nonpartisan
Website: Watchdog.org
Email: {{{email}}}
Transparency Focus
Investigative reporting

Contents

Watchdog.org is a compilation of state-based watchdog reporters keeping an eye on government corruption and transparency that was begun in September 2009. Together, the sites are a nationwide effort to give citizens and elected representatives solid, factual reporting on issues relevant and significant to the nation. It is the brainchild of the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity.

Watchdog reporters were the first to report the national story about Recovery.org'smissteps in creating "Phantom Congressional Districts."

Watchdog.org's editor and investigative reporter, Bill McMorris, was the first in the nation to provide an outline forall 440 phantom Congressional Districts that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan's website created.

[edit] Kansas Watchdog

Earl Glynn moved his blog "Kansas Meadowlark" to the Kansas gadfly project Kansas Watchdog. The site is co-sponsored by the Kansas Policy Institute (formerly Flint Hills Center for Public Policy).

“For the last five years as the Kansas Meadowlark I’ve attempted to publish political money stories, non-profit stories, and other information often ignored by the mainstream press,” Glynn wrote in his final post on the former blog.

Glynn and Paul Soutar write for Kansas Watchdog, focusing on inefficiencies of government and government waste. They also concentrate on political corruption and actions going against free-market principles and core values of the United States and Kansas constitutions.[1]

[edit] Nebraska Watchdog

Nebraska Watchdog is a non-partisan news website dedicated to investigative and political reporting affiliated and funded in part by the non-profit Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity and Pete Ricketts, founder of Drakon LLC, an asset management firm based in Omaha, Nebraska.[2]

See also: Nebraska Watchdog on Ballotpedia

[edit] New Mexico Watchdog

New Mexico Watchdog is led by Jim Scarantino, its editor and investigative reporter, to accomplish the mission of shedding transparency light on New Mexico. It is a project of the Rio Grande Foundation.

Scarantino was the first in the nation to report about the congressional district stimulus errors on November 16, 2009.

[edit] New Hampshire Watchdog

New Hampshire Watchdog is written and edited by Grant Bosse. It is a project of the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy in New Hampshire.

Bosse ran for New Hampshire's fictional "00 Congressional District" after the Watchdog reporters broke the story about the "Phantom Congressional Districts".[3]

[edit] Ohio Watchdog

Ohio Watchdog is headed by Lynn Walsh, editor and Investigative Reporter for the Buckeye Institute. Walsh and Ohio Watchdog are working to bring equality and justice to people in the state of Ohio.[4]

[edit] Oklahoma Watchdog

Oklahoma Watchdog is operated by Andrew W. Griffin in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was created as a website where the public can go for "original, throughtful and detailed investigative reporting" through print articles, video reports, blog posts and podcasts. It also links to articles from other newspaper websites and media outlets, particularly those that shine a light on both state and local government.[5]

[edit] Old Dominion Watchdog

Old Dominion Watchdog is the Virginia watchdog site dedicated to unbiased news reporting in order to promote responsible state and local government. The site aims to uncover the actions of government officials and agencies, offering carefully researched facts, context and analysis, investigating and informing the public about waste, fraud, abuse, ethical questions and safety concerns involving the use of taxpayer dollars. It also aims to applaud government services that are run efficiently and make exceptional use of minimal dollars.[6]

[edit] Tennessee Watchdog

Tennessee Watchdog is a non-profit, non-partisan investigative reporting and watchdog journalism website that monitors the activities of state, local and federal government officials and agencies in Tennessee. It provides information and in-depth reporting on politicians, government agencies and the workings of government in the Volunteer state.

The editor is veteran investigate journalist Clint Brewer and it is a publication of the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, one of the original think-tanks in the country to fund non-profit journalism and investigative reporting. [7]

[edit] West Virginia Watchdog

West Virginia Watchdog is place where the West Virginia public can go for original, thorough investigative reporting through weekly print articles, video reports, blogs, and podcasts. It also links to articles from other newspapers and media outlets, shining a light on government, both local and state.

West Virginia Watchdog is a project of the Public Policy Foundation of West Virginia.[8].

[edit] Found errors in ARRA

On November 16-17, 2009, Watchdog.org reporters found many errors in the $787 billion plan that showed the plan set aside money for districts that do not exist. According to Recovery.gov, the plan shows its funds will go to 884 Congressional districts, even though there are actually only 435.[9][10]

The administrators at Recovery.gov eventually consolidated the fictitious Congressional districts into "unassigned congressional districts."[11]

The following news sources sited Watchdog.org on the matter:

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ↑ "New government gadfly site, Kansas Watchdog" Wichitopekington, Wichita Eagle, September 16, 2009
  2. ↑ Nebraska Watchdog website
  3. ↑ New Hampshire reporter to announce candidacy for phantom congressional seat UPDATED, Washington Examiner, November 20, 2009
  4. ↑ About Ohio Watchdog
  5. ↑ Oklahoma Watchdog website
  6. ↑ Old Dominion Watchdog website
  7. ↑ Tennessee Watchdog website
  8. ↑ West Virginia Watchdog website
  9. ↑ $6.4 Billion Stimulus goes to Phantom Districts, Watchdog.org, November 17, 2009
  10. ↑ Stimulus Creates Jobs in Non-Existent Congressional Districts, Watchdog.org, November 16, 2009
  11. ↑ Recovery.gov Phantom Districts Are No More, Watchdog.org, November 18, 2009
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