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Last Spring, Sebastian Jones was fact-checking in The Nation's modest Capitol Hill office as our DC intern, keeping track of the excitement (and corruption) in Congress. Like a seasoned pro, Jones paid attention, following up on some whispers and a few good leads. The result? A stunning and widely discussed investigation about former House Majority Leader--and one-time populist--Richard Gephardt.

Katrina vanden Heuvel

October 11, 2009

Last Spring, Sebastian Jones was fact-checking in The Nation‘s modest Capitol Hill office as our DC intern, keeping track of the excitement (and corruption) in Congress. Like a seasoned pro, Jones paid attention, following up on some whispers and a few good leads. The result? A stunning and widely discussed investigation about former House Majority Leader–andone-time populist–Richard Gephardt. Frank Rich, Matt Yglesias and others referenced the piece as emblematic ofthe revolving door system of corruption in DC, and "Dick Gephardt’s Spectacular Sellout" was our most read article of the week.

Jones shows the veracity of our shoestring Internship program, while Investigative Reporter A.C. Thompson reminds us how important the Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute can be. This week the New York Times reported in depth (for the first time) on Thompson’s 18-month investigation into vigilante shootings and police misconduct in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The killings, reported the Times, "[were] not investigated by the authorities until an article about it appeared in The Nation magazine in December 2008." Both incidents are now under "multiple investigations," and justice could beat hand.

To support efforts like our internship program and the I-Fund, click here.

Also this week:

• Chris Hayes did the impossible! He explained the bailouts in eight minutes. Watch this VideoNation feature for the scoop on how much money went into the bailouts; who got it; how they spent it; and if we’re getting it back. • I made a case for increased attention to unemployment on ABC’sThis Week. Highlights are here. • Richard Kim was fast out of the gate with his take on President Obama’s Nobel Prize victory (followed by analysis from Melissa Harris-Lacewell and John Nichols) and his analysis is spot on: The President won the prize; now he has to earn it.

That’s all for now. As always you can leave comments below, and follow me on twitter at Twitter.com/KatrinaNation.

Katrina vanden HeuvelTwitterKatrina vanden Heuvel is editorial director and publisher of The Nation, America’s leading source of progressive politics and culture. She served as editor of the magazine from 1995 to 2019.


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