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ProPublica
Pulitzer Prize-winning senior reporter at ProPublica and columnist for the New York Times' DealBook section
PROFILE
Jesse Eisinger
Guest
FROM Jesse Eisinger
To the Point
Mark Zuckerberg and "Impact Investing" At the age of 31, Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg is one of the richest men in the world. Now he wants to invest in the future. He and his wife have pledged $45 billion to improve education, cure disease, connect people and build strong communities. It's a form of "impact investing" that supporters call the future of charity. Skeptics say it's a way of escaping taxes and increasing political power. We hear from both sides and look at what happened to Zuckerberg's earlier effort to reform public schools in Newark, New Jersey.
To the Point
Does America Need a New Model for Disaster Relief? Hurricane Isaac struck Louisiana and Mississippi in August of 2012. Hurricane Sandy hit New York and New Jersey several weeks later. The Red Cross claimed its relief efforts had been “flawless.” But internal documents and insider interviews show more concern about appearing to provide assistance than actually doing the real thing. That’s according to investigative reports by Pro Publica and NPR , denounced by the Red Cross as sensational “witch hunts.” The agency refused to open its records and went to court, claiming release of what it called “trade secrets” would cause it “competitive harm.” How did the Red Cross spend hundreds of millions of donated dollars? Is it prepared to handle future disasters?
To the Point
Why Are Big Companies Rarely Ever Punished? This week, it's been reported that federal prosecutors are about to file criminal charges against two of the world's biggest banks. But that threat may sound more dramatic in headlines than it will turn out to be in reality. Big corporations are rarely, if ever, punished, and criminal charges against big banks may not be what they seem. That's the conclusion of Jesse Eisinger, senior reporter for Pro Publica , whose story on corporate impunity appears in Sunday's New York Times Magazine .
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The Mixer
California catastrophe The fires rage on in our own backyard, and in Northern California, encompassing tens of thousands of acres each. In L-A and Ventura Counties, the Woolsey Fire has scorched everything in its path. To the north, in Butte County, the Camp Fire has charred and destroyed even more acreage, of trees, brush and everything else, north of Sacramento, and the town of Paradise is a scene of utter devastation and heartbreak.
Zócalo's Connecting California
Too rich for our own good Affluent communities put their futures as risk when they become unaffordable for everyone but the wealthy.
Red State, Blue State
How Did We Get Here? California used to be red. West Virginia used to be blue. We look at the political history of both states.
KCRW Features
Regulars at Borderline Bar & Grill reflect on the shooting This year there has been a mass shooting in America on average almost once per day. As you know, the most recent was the mass shooting in Thousand Oaks where 12 people were killed when a gunman opened fire inside a local bar. It was called Borderline Bar & Grill. KCRW’s David Weinberg talked to some of the bar’s regulars about what made the place special.