Corrupted: We’re Changing Our Format

Corrupted, delivered to our subscribers Thursday afternoon, is a newsletter diving into corruption in the time of coronavirus. Sign up here to receive it first thing.

A new year. A new presidential administration and a new Congress.

And a new publication schedule for Corrupted: The COVID-19 Response.

Over the course of 18 issues, we’ve plumbed many aspects of the systemic corruption undermining the federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. There’s plenty more to report—the unfolding fiasco of the vaccination effort, for example—but we will no longer be delivering it to your inbox every Thursday. Instead of dealing with the rigors of a weekly deadline, we’ve decided to go with a more casual production schedule. You will still get our insights and analysis, but less frequently.

Stay tuned. And remember, if you have any juicy leads, you can reach out to us via our COVID-19 tip line and whistleblower portal.

In the meantime, the pandemic rages on. It’s now up to the Biden administration and the members of the 117th Congress to guide our country through this crisis. They can only do so by avoiding past mistakes. To that end, the Project On Government Oversight came up with a list of recommendations for what the government must do (and not do):

• Transparency: Be more forthcoming about pandemic spending, the vaccination process, and the impacts of the virus.
• Conflicts of Interest: Enforce federal ethics requirements and responsibly award and oversee contracts.
• Accessibility: Prioritize those most in need, both in regard to monetary aid and distribution of vaccines and treatments.
• Scientific Integrity: Do not improperly meddle in or politicize the work of government scientists.
• Whistleblower Support: Enact stronger protections for government and contractor employees who report corruption and other wrongdoing.

We hope the White House and Congress heed our advice as they devise a plan of action to bring the pandemic to an end. We will be advocating hard for these reforms—and calling on you to help us.