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Rebuilding Bell, California: Review And Recommendations For Continued Improvement Of Accountability, Oversight, And Transparency, Jennifer Rodgers, Jacob Watkins

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

In 2010, Bell, California was a small city with a big corruption problem. Its city manager at that time, Robert Rizzo, had developed a plan to enrich himself at the city’s expense, and covered his tracks by involving numerous other city officials in his corrupt scheme, including the city councilmembers who were supposed to serve as a check on Rizzo’s power. Because virtually all of Bell’s top-level officials ended up implicated in the criminal conduct, the limited number of checks and balances built into Bell’s governing structure failed. And because Bell did not have any formal anti-corruption mechanisms in place …

The Trials Of John Sampson And Thomas Libous, Center For The Advancement Of Public Integrity

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

This July, two high-ranking New York State Senators faced trials for public corruption. Both were found guilty. Just the most recent in a long list of recent corruption scandals, the details of their cases provide a window into the culture of impunity in Albany.

Profile In Public Integrity: Lawrence Yealue, Center For The Advancement Of Public Integrity

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

Lawrence Yealue is the West Africa Representative of Accountability Lab, an incubator for local-level integrity initiatives with an emphasis on generating sustainable development. Based in Monrovia, Liberia, Yealue’s career has centered on community-driven approaches to responsible reform. His previous work includes serving as Electoral Commissioner for the Liberian Student Association-Ghana, National Coordinator for the World Youth Spirit Council, Project Director for the Rotary Club of Wisconsin, and as a volunteer for Africa Peace’s HIV/AIDS Education & Peace Initiative. Yealue also founded and directs the Liberian Youth for Peace & Development community group. Yealue holds a B.A. in Human Resource Management …

Profile In Public Integrity: Daniel E. Karson, Center For The Advancement Of Public Integrity

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

Daniel E. Karson is Chairman of Kroll, based in the New York office. Dan has more than 40 years’ experience directing investigations of business crimes. His practice areas include major fraud investigations, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, litigation support, contests for corporate control, Internet crimes, financial crimes, asset searches, product counterfeiting and due diligence.

Dan launched Kroll’s European operations, opening its London office and serving as its first Managing Director in 1986. Dan also opened Kroll offices in Boston and Philadelphia, and served as Kroll’s General Counsel for eleven years.

Prior to joining Kroll, Dan was General Counsel and Assistant …

Profile In Public Integrity: Sam Koim, Center For The Advancement Of Public Integrity

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

Sam Koim currently serves in Papua New Guinea as Chairman of the Investigation Task-Force Sweep (ITFS) and as Principal Legal Officer at the Department of Justice and Attorney General. ITFS is an inter-agency team that brings together the Police Force, Public Prosecutor’s Office, Internal Revenue Commission, and Auditor General’s Office amongst others, to root out corruption nationwide.

Profile In Public Integrity: Jeff Gottlieb, Center For The Advancement Of Public Integrity

Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity (Inactive)

Jeff Gottlieb is a senior writer at the Los Angeles Times. He shared the Pulitzer Prize for public service in 2011 for uncovering corruption in Bell. He also received the George Polk and the Selden Ring awards, among others. He previously won a Polk award while working at the San Jose Mercury News for uncovering Stanford’s questionable spending of federal funds. He received a bachelor’s in sociology from Pitzer College in Claremont and a master’s in journalism from Columbia University.