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3 - Investigations / 4 - Cases / Brenna Gano Case / California / California Watch / Court Corruption / Family Court Reform / Institutions / The California Custody Cartel

Inside the California Custody Cartel

- by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

Brenna Gano’s experience in California’s family court highlights a troubling system where justice is influenced by financial interests. Misled and pressured into signing agreements, she faced excessive costs and neurological biases that labeled her as unstable. Her case exemplifies a broader pattern of exploitation for profit within family court practices, jeopardizing families’ well-being.

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1 - Now / The Schaefer Files / Updates

Update: Follow the Money Series Expands as Data Raises New Questions

- by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

The investigation into federal adoption incentives is broadening, revealing over $1 billion in bonuses and $52 billion in Title IV-E funding. Key findings include decreased foster care caseloads and increased adoption payments. Riptide Investigations is examining state funding patterns, policy changes, and the effectiveness of financial incentives in achieving child welfare goals.

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3 - Investigations / Child Welfare / Dark Money / Family Court / Foster Care / Money & Influence / Money and Finance / Politics / The Schaefer Files

Follow the money: how $1 billion in federal bonuses built an incentive to separate families

- by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

Since 1997, the federal government has paid states over $1 billion in adoption incentives, encouraging adoptions instead of family reunification. While foster care numbers declined, adoption assistance payments surged by nearly 43% in recent years, highlighting a troubling financial structure favoring permanent separations over reunifications.

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3 - Investigations / Crime & Violence / Crime Violence / Criminal / Five Years Later: The Donovon Lynch Shooting / Government / Judicial / Law and Order / Law Enforcement / Lawfare & Intelligence / Virginia / Virginia Watch

Seconds in the Dark: Reconstructing the Exact Moments of the Donovon Lynch Shooting

- by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

In the seconds before Donovon Lynch was shot, no camera captured what happened—but the available evidence tells a stark story: an officer approaching from behind, no confirmed identification, and no physical proof that Lynch ever pointed a weapon.

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2026 Election Cycle / 2026 Elections Cycle / Campaigns / Dark Money / Elections / elections / Elections & Democracy / Maryland / Maryland Watch / Money and Finance / Politics / The Annapolis Money Machine

The Annapolis Money Machine in 2026: Who’s Spending, Who’s Benefiting, and What Should Raise Eyebrows

- by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

Maryland’s early 2026 campaign finance data reveals a political landscape dominated by insiders rather than public engagement. With over half of expenditures funneled into political committees and slates, the system prioritizes maintaining power over voter persuasion. This cycle underscores a troubling culture of opacity, where campaign money supports a self-serving machine, not the electorate.

The Annapolis Money Machine in 2026: Who’s Spending, Who’s Benefiting, and What Should Raise Eyebrows Read More
2026 Election Cycle / 2026 Elections Cycle / Elections / elections / Elections & Democracy / Maryland / Money and Finance / Politics / Politics / Politics & Power / The Annapolis Money Machine

The Annapolis Money Machine: How Maryland Campaign Cash Circulates Among Political Insiders

- by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

A review of Maryland’s early 2026 campaign finance reveals a closed-loop system where millions circulate among political insiders, obscuring true funding sources. The dominance of party leaders in financial transactions, along with opaque political slates, undermines transparency, leaving voters on the margins of influence in electoral decisions.

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Five Years Later: The Donovon Lynch Shooting / Law Enforcement

The Officer’s Mind

- by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

When police officers fire their weapons, the moment often lasts only seconds. But inside the officer’s mind, the experience can be shaped by adrenaline, tunnel vision, and extreme stress responses that alter perception. Understanding these psychological effects is critical to understanding controversial police shootings.

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3 - Investigations / Crime & Violence / Crime Violence / Domestic Policy / Five Years Later: The Donovon Lynch Shooting / Government / Government Accountability / Justice & Governance / Law Enforcement / Laws / Virginia / Virginia Watch

Chaos, Seconds, and a Fatal Shot

- by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

On a chaotic night at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront in March 2021, three shootings erupted within minutes. Amid sirens, crowds fleeing, and police rushing toward gunfire, Officer Solomon Simmons encountered 25-year-old Donovon Lynch — an innocent bystander walking back to his car. Seconds later Lynch was dead. Five years later, critical questions remain about what really happened in those final moments.

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3 - Investigations / Campaigns / Maryland Watch / Money and Finance / Politics / The Annapolis Money Machine

The Top 100 Donors Who Control Maryland Politics

- by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

Maryland’s political landscape is heavily influenced by a small group of wealthy donors and national advocacy organizations, despite claims of public-driven policy decisions. An analysis of campaign finance reveals that just 100 donors contribute significantly to elections and legislation, particularly in renewable energy and gun control, raising ethical concerns about transparency and the true power dynamics in state governance.

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Explainers / Five Years Later: The Donovon Lynch Shooting / Law & Courts / Law Enforcement / Virginia / Virginia Watch

How Civilian Review Boards Work in Virginia

- by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

The Virginia Beach Independent Citizen Review Board’s inability to reach consensus in the Donovon Lynch case highlights the complexities of civilian oversight in police-involved shootings. Civilian review boards serve advisory roles without prosecutorial power, facing challenges like membership vacancies and deadlocks, which can hinder public trust and accountability in the review process.

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