Insights & Analysis
Evidence-based commentary examining where America’s stated values collide with political behavior, public policy, culture, and everyday life.
Eight lenses for understanding moral strain
Browse the latest reporting below or use these themes to understand how each story fits the Index.
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Bob Menendez Asks Appeals Court to Erase His Bribery Conviction — Judges Don’t Say When They’ll Rule
Bob Menendez wants his bribery conviction wiped out. On September 24, 2026, his lawyers stood before three federal appeals judges and argued the whole…
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Newsom’s Former Chief of Staff Pleaded Guilty to Federal Fraud — Now Her Sentencing Is Delayed Again, Records Sealed
Dana Williamson ran Governor Gavin Newsom’s office. She was his Chief of Staff from 2022 to 2024, one of the most powerful unelected jobs…
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Ex-Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao Heads to Trial as Judge Allows ‘Kill the Story’ Evidence
A federal judge has cleared the way for jurors to hear allegations that former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and two business executives tried to…
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She Was Charlotte’s Redemption Story. Then the COVID Fraud Charges Came.
Tiawana Brown made history in Charlotte, North Carolina. She was the first person with a felony record ever elected to the city council. She…
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Record Incomes, Widening Gap: What the Newest Census and Fed Data Say About American Inequality
Median household income hit a record $87,460 in 2025 and child poverty a record low. But the top 1% now holds 32.5% of U.S.…
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Chatfield Corruption Trial Halted Days Before Jury Selection — After Wife’s Guilty Plea to Same Scheme
Former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield faces 13 felony counts. His wife already pleaded guilty. Now his trial is adjourned indefinitely, days before jury…
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Michael Madigan’s Corruption Conviction Upheld — Now He Wants the Supreme Court to Step In
Michael J. Madigan spent decades as the most powerful man in Illinois state government. He was Speaker of the Illinois House longer than anyone…
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Cincinnati Charter School Superintendent, Contractor Indicted in Alleged $8 Million Kickback Scheme
A federal grand jury has indicted a former Cincinnati charter school superintendent and his business partner, accusing them of turning a school for at-risk…
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Pardons, Inc.: House Democrats Say Trump’s Second-Term Clemency Erased Nearly $1.7 Billion in Penalties
Nearly $1.7 billion in restitution, forfeiture, and fines has been erased by presidential clemency since January 2025, according to House Judiciary Committee Democrats. That…
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A NH Supreme Court Justice Tried to Fix Her Husband’s Criminal Case. She Just Resigned Under an Ethics Deal.
Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi sat on New Hampshire’s highest court. She was nominated by then-Gov. Chris Sununu and joined the court on August 8,…
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Jackson, Mississippi Bribery Scandal: Sentencing for Ex-Mayor, Councilman and DA Postponed
A mayor. A city council president. A county district attorney. All three admitted guilt in a bribery scheme built on a fake hotel deal…
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ProPublica Report Links Sen. Susan Collins to Alleged Defense Contract Fundraising Scheme
A new report has put a sitting U.S. senator at the center of a defense-contracting scandal, right in the middle of a tight reelection…