Lydia O'Neal

Reporter, Political Capital

61-90 (out of 571)

Lydia is a reporter on the Political Capital Team from Philadelphia and an Emory University graduate in French and economics. Previously an IBTimes breaking news writer specializing in business, she has written for CNN, Consumer Reports, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Allentown Morning Call.

Trump’s Businesses Have A History Of Money Laundering Charges

Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller is reportedly looking into possible money laundering by associates of Donald Trump. If true, it wouldn't be the first time his associates would be accused of such practices.

Capping Spending Makes Elections More Competitive, Study Says

Using Brazilian elections for data, researchers found that a limit on campaign spending led to more candidates, and, on average, less-wealthy ones, too.

Here’s Why Trump Can Fire Robert Mueller: The Law That Would’ve Stopped Him Expired In 1999

A law that passed, and expired, nearly two decades ago would've kept Trump from eliminating the special prosecutor investigating alleged Russian attempts to sway the 2016 election.

Should Millennials Worry That The Federal Reserve Is About To Raise Interest Rates? What To Know

The Federal Reserve is about to raise interest rates, but the economic threat to young Americans is not as serious as you might think.

The Other Paris Agreement: US Walks Out On Accord To Combat Global Corporate Tax Evasion

Washington refused to sign a multilateral accord to clamp down on the use of tax havens and “treaty shopping” by companies that operate outside their home countries.

Why Are Drug Prices Going Up? Democratic Power Players Help Pharmaceutical Industry In Connecticut Battle

Connecticut state senators fighting alleged price-gouging by insurers faced resistance from the state's executive branch, where conflicts of interest abound.

Religious Freedom vs Political Agenda: Trump’s Gift To Group That Helped Stephen Bannon, Stephen Miller

The president's vow to "destroy" the Johnson Amendment could bring more tax exempt donations into the kind of group that helped launch Steve Bannon's career.

Do Businesses Support The Paris Climate Agreement? Trump’s Decision May Clash With Exxon, Shell, Coal Firms

Exxon, Shell, Peabody Energy, Arch Coal and Statoil together put millions into lobbying efforts related at least in part to the Paris Climate Agreement — and have also invested in preparations to comply with new strictures.

Cities, States And School Systems Lose Millions To Credit Downgrades, Study Finds

The same credit rating agencies that propped up grades of mortgage-backed securities prior to the 2008 financial collapse are set to cost predominantly black, low-income municipalities millions.

Foreign Firms Stand To Benefit From Trump Budget, Infrastructure Plans

President Donald Trump's budget blueprint includes a measure unleashing a public works program that has served as a boon for a handful of infrastructure and investment firms from Spain, France, Australia and the U.K.

Women Have More College Debt Than Men And Take Longer To Pay It Off

There's another gender gap in our midst, and it's hurting female graduates, even as they enroll and earn degrees at higher rates than men.

Ken Salazar Working For Anadarko After Promising To Honor Federal Ethics Law

Ken Salazar contacted Colorado governor’s office on behalf of the company, documents obtained by IBT/Maplight indicate.

Who Is Joseph Lieberman? Trump's Top Choice For FBI Director Is A Supporter Of Mass Surveillance

Joseph Lieberman's conflicts of interest aside, his appointment as FBI Director would likely be a boon for post-9/11 government surveillance and monitoring of its citizens and individuals overseas, and a blow to whistleblowers.

Can Students Pay Off Their Loans? Delinquency On College Debt Soars Above That Of Credit Cards, Mortgages

Americans are, collectively, in more debt than ever, with college grads suffering the most. With the rise in interest rates, that trend soon could get a lot worse.

How Much Do Companies Really Pay When Settling With The Government? Warren Pushes Bill That Make It Public

The Truth in Settlements Act has made its way through Congress before, but not without facing millions in lobbying efforts from business advocacy groups opposed to the bill.

What If You Can't Afford Bail? A Few Large Companies Rake In Billions In Bond Business

The growing for-profit bail bond industry has brought just a few firms billions of dollars while draining low-income, often predominantly-black communities of financial resources, a new report found.

Who Pays For Millennials’ College Degrees? Not Their Parents, Especially If They’re Women

Women have been enrolling in college in higher numbers and they’re graduating with smaller student debt — even though they get less of a financial boost from their parents, study indicates.

Trump Tax Plan Could Make It Easier To Hide Money In Offshore Accounts

Among those living in the U.S., the foreign account threshold is lower, at $50,000 for single filers and $100,000 for joint filers.

Conservative Group Pushes Companies To Stop Advertising On News Outlets Critical Of Trump

A conservative group wants to drain ad funding from media voices that it says are "hostile to the Trump administration."

Are Pre-Existing Conditions Still Covered? Insurance Industry May Have Lobbied To Block Protection In AHCA

Big health insurers' support for protecting patients with pre-existing conditions has a lot to do with whether the U.S. government is helping poor people buy insurance and penalizing all people who don't.

Wall Street Money Behind New Bill To Repeal Dodd-Frank Act Reforms

Amid the furor over health care, a bill to roll back many of the biggest financial reforms in recent memory cleared its House committee Thursday, with plenty of financial support from Wall Street giants.

Buy American, Hire Abroad: Top US Contractors Are Outsourcing Jobs, Study Finds

Despite Donald Trump's executive order, even when the federal government favors U.S. companies in the procurement process, those firms export the jobs to foreign workers.

Are Young People The Face Of The Gig Economy? They May Not Want To Be

What appears to be an easy side-hustle might come with inflated income expectations and a Byzantine tax burden.

Who Ends Up Paying For The Gig Economy? Uber And Airbnb Make Millions While States Lose Out

The “sharing economy” doesn't exactly share the wealth. Companies like Uber, Lyft and Airbnb make millions of dollars and pay lobbyists to help keep their tax bills low. States, cities — and workers — are coming up short.

Who's Visiting The White House? Companies Whose Execs Meet With The President Enjoy Major Perks

Corporations whose CEOs and chairs meet with the president enjoy higher share price values, greater relief from regulation and more government contracts, a new study found.

Winners And Losers In Trump Tax Plan: Effective Rates For Facebook, DuPont, Others, Often Negative, Study Says

Trump plans to cut the corporate tax rate to 15 percent from 35, but a substantial portion of profitable Fortune 500 companies don't pay much to begin with, according to a new report.

Marine Le Pen Voters Worry About Jobs — Like Trump Supporters, But Young

Rural, lower-educated, disaffected and — young? Marine Le Pen, the far-right Front National party candidate who will go head to head with center-right opponent Emmanuel Macron on May 7, has enjoyed substantial youth voter support.

Trump vs. Le Pen: Far-Right, Populist Politicians Differ On Israel, Government's Role, Religion, Voter Support

From their views of government power to their relationships with Jews and Israel, the two politicians, often thrown into the same far-right, populist bucket, are more different than you might think.