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Nick Schwellenbach
schwellenbach@gmail.com

Nick Schwellenbach is an investigator and blog editor at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO), an investigative non-profit organization in Washington, DC. Previously he was a member of the University of Texas watchdog group UT Watch.

His writings have been published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the San Diego Union Tribune, the Detroit Free Press, the Houston Chronicle and other publications. He received his B.A. in History from the University of Texas-Austin.

Contributions

American watchdog reporting roundup
SHOWCASE | August 04, 2006
Exposing the hidden history of racial expulsions, questionable policies at the Federal Air Marshal Service and organic food standards

Tracking the rise of the political consultants
SHOWCASE | October 14, 2006
In a helpful bit of journalism, the Center for Public Integrity reports that some 600 political consultants got paid $1.78 billion by candidates for election in 2004. A lot of it went to TV ads—but there was a lot left over, also.

GAO weighs in with suggestions for congressional oversight
ASK THIS | November 21, 2006
Areas of concern include taxes, government contracting, Defense spending, Homeland Security and intelligence. There’s a lot to be looked at, the question is how probing the Democrats will be. (First in a series)

GAO list could be a guide for reporters
ASK THIS | December 02, 2006
Immigration, transportation security, status of nuclear weaponry and proliferation are among issues the press, as well as Congress, should be investigating. (Second in a series)

Will Congress create a new 'Truman Committee?'
ASK THIS | January 05, 2007
In December, Nancy Pelosi said Democrats would dig into what she called staggering, breathtaking corruption in Iraq War contracting. Now they’re in position to do it. Will they, and if they do, what are chances they’ll have anywhere near the success of the World War II era Truman Committee?

Terrorism prosecutions are now at pre-9/11 levels
ASK THIS | October 10, 2006
Transactional Records and Access Clearinghouse, a Syracuse University group, questions whether public perceptions exaggerate the threat of terrorism, and whether the government is effective in its efforts to identify terrorists.

An official secrets act might keep Congress in the dark
COMMENTARY | August 25, 2006
Legislation aimed at criminalizing the disclosure of classified information is a threat not only to whistle blowers and the press but to Congress’s exercise of its own oversight function as well.

It’s time for a new Church Committee
ASK THIS | November 21, 2007
The Senate took a hard look at intelligence activities in the 1970s, and questions asked then bear repeating now, verbatim. Starting with, “Which governmental agencies have engaged in domestic spying,” and, “How many citizens have been targets of Governmental intelligence activity?”