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Claim: Sen. Kelly Loeffler was exonerated of insider trading. Fact check: False

Sen. Kelly Loeffler
Drew Angerer/Getty Images



For somebody to be exonerated, there needs to be an investigation where the individual is properly charged of the claims being investigated. The Justice Department is closing its investigations into Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler of Georgia and James Inhofe of Oklahoma and Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California for stocks trades made shortly before the coronavirus-caused market decline. The Washington Post first reported Tuesday prosecutors had alerted the senators' defense attorneys the investigation was coming to a close. North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr, a Republican, continues to be investigated for his "more direct" involvement in trading stock following several closed briefings that evaluated the severity of the pandemic since its outbreak in China.

The probe, which the FBI started two months ago, was just an investigation into claims that the senators had used private information to sell hundreds of thousands of dollars in stock. The Department of Justice never charged the senators for insider trading, which means an exoneration isn't possible. Hence, Loeffler's claim she was exonerated is false.

All four senators have widely denied their impropriety in the trading. In a recent tweet, Loeffler said the investigation was a "politically motivated attack" and the "clear exoneration affirms what I've said all along: I did nothing wrong."

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The Economic Models that Made America Great Are Broken

American flag and money

Javier Ghersi/Getty Images

The Economic Models that Made America Great Are Broken

We all want an America where hard work pays, families thrive, and the American Dream is real again. Greatness starts with dignity for workers, safety for communities, and a fair shot for every kid. The promise is simple: if you put in the work, you should be able to raise a family and get ahead—period.

So why do we cling to what is obviously not working for everyday people?

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Meet the Faces of Democracy: Neal Kelley

Neal Kelley, who served as the registrar of voters for Orange County, California for nearly two decades before retiring from the role in 2022.

Issue One.

Meet the Faces of Democracy: Neal Kelley

Editor’s note: More than 10,000 officials across the country run U.S. elections. This interview is part of a series highlighting the election heroes who are the faces of democracy.

Neal Kelley, a Republican, served as the registrar of voters for Orange County, California for nearly two decades before retiring from the role in 2022. Home to nearly 2 million voters, Orange County, part of the Greater Los Angeles area, is one of the largest jurisdictions by population in the country and the third largest in the state. Kelley is currently the Chair Emeritus of the Committee for Safe and Secure Elections, as well as the statewide project manager for the 2024-2026 elections in Hawaii.

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Is America Still Welcoming Global Talent?
Close up of american visa label in passport.
Getty Images/Alexander W. Helin

Is America Still Welcoming Global Talent?

A few weeks ago, when new proposals limiting J and F visa expansion were open for public comment, immigration quickly became a hot topic again at our research center, where more than half the scientists come from abroad. Some worried about their plan, others traded news and updates about the H1-B. A colleague asked if I was anxious too. To my own surprise, I wasn’t.

I used to be. But after weathering turbulent visa policies under different U.S. administrations, like many other international scholars, I have learned to stay flexible and mobile. My U.S. visa for a graduate program was delayed due to tensions between the U.S. and China several years ago. Up against a deadline for the program, I pivoted to Japan to continue the research training. What felt like a closed door became a new window: I fortunately joined a world-class team in tissue-engineering vascular medicine, broadened my view of clinical care and research, and began bridging my path as both practitioner and scientist. Committed to strengthening the “bench-to-bed” pipeline—learning real-world needs and translating research to meet them—I chose the United States again to carry this work forward.

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