David Sirota

Articles by David Sirota

Senior Editor, Investigations / Like / Follow: @davidsirota / Google+ View Bio

David Sirota is International Business Times' senior editor for investigations. He is also a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist and a bestselling author. He lives in Denver, Colorado and covers the intersection of money, politics and finance. He appears periodically on national television shows and has been published in (among others) The New York Times Magazine, Politico, The Atlantic, Harper’s, Wired.com, Vice and Salon.com. He also has served as a journalist and consultant on documentaries for CNN and The National Geographic Channel. In 2014, he was the winner of the Society of American Business Editors and Writers' investigative journalism award, and the winner of the Izzy Award for Journalism from Ithaca College's Park Center for Independent Media. He was also a finalist for UCLA's Gerald R. Loeb Award and Syracuse University's Mirror Award. Before becoming a journalist in 2006, Sirota worked in Washington for, among others, U.S. Rep. Bernie Sanders, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee Minority Staff and the Center for American Progress. He also worked on political campaigns. For Sirota's full biography, go to DavidSirota.com.

Can Democrats Restrict Trump’s Power To Launch Nukes?

By David Sirota on 02/02/18 AT 4:10 PM

“We should be concerned that he has the ability to launch nuclear weapons with literally no checks and balances,” says the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Ted Lieu. “One of the things you want to avoid is a fatal miscalculation.”

Amazon Tries To Block Its Own Shareholders’ Questions About Growth

By David Sirota on 01/31/18 AT 5:27 PM

As it seeks bids for new headquarters, Jeff Bezos’ company wants to kill a shareholder resolution that would force the retail giant to report on "the risks arising from the public debate over Amazon’s growth."

Tough Words For Fossil Fuel Industry From Colorado Lawmaker

By David Sirota on 01/23/18 AT 5:48 PM

Ed Perlmutter, a representative from a major oil and gas state, says climate change will likely make the industry less profitable, and that local communities should have some regulatory power.

Senators Want To Force Convicted Banks To Help Insure Pensions

By Josh Keefe and David Sirota on 01/19/18 AT 1:06 PM

The Democrats’ bill comes weeks after the Department of Labor issued waivers to convicted banks, including one that owns at least $130 million of debt from President Trump, allowing them to manage funds in federally regulated retirement systems.

Fed Study Bolsters Critics Of Free Trade Deals

By David Sirota on 01/18/18 AT 6:00 AM

Analysis by government researchers finds that trade-ravaged locales saw big increases in mortgage debt — which may have exacerbated the housing crisis.

Trump Got Cash From Payday Lenders Before Move To Gut Rules

By Josh Keefe and David Sirota on 01/17/18 AT 4:48 PM

The industry funneled money to the president and top GOP lawmakers, then Trump officials moved to undo new regulations.

Mental Health Expert On Trump: ‘This Is A State Of Emergency’

By David Sirota on 01/12/18 AT 4:41 PM

The Yale University expert who briefed Congress tells IBT why a growing number of health professionals are alarmed by President Trump's “unraveling” —and how lawmakers of both parties reacted to her report.

Chris Christie’s $5 Billion Choices

By David Sirota on 01/10/18 AT 7:09 PM

He started his governorship canceling a tunnel project over its $5 billion price tag. Now Christie is ending his tenure pushing to hand a big gift to Amazon.

Trump Administration Gives Lucrative Waiver To Trump’s Bank

By David Sirota and Josh Keefe on 01/09/18 AT 6:03 PM

President Donald Trump owes millions to Deutsche Bank, which was one of five convicted banks that just saw its punishment waived by the Labor Department.

Goldman Sachs Trying To Kill Lobbying Disclosure Initiative

By David Sirota and Josh Keefe on 12/31/17 AT 12:14 PM

The bank is aiming to prevent a vote on an initiative to require executives to detail their efforts to influence politicians

What Would Reagan Think Of Trump's Tax Bill?

By David Sirota on 12/29/17 AT 5:39 PM

A former Reagan aide says the Republican tax bill creates deficits deliberately — and that Reagan's image as a tax cutter is a "myth."

Trump Could Have Killed The Carried Interest Loophole. Now It May Be Too Late

By David Sirota and Jay Cassano on 12/28/17 AT 4:32 PM

Experts argue President Trump could have closed the loophole the same way he has slashed regulations and restricted immigration: through an executive order. But the tax bill he just signed may make it harder to do so in the future.

For Corker And Trump, Tax Relief — Times 10

By David Sirota and Josh Keefe on 12/19/17 AT 4:37 PM

New data shows the final tax bill could deliver 10 times more tax relief to real estate moguls than did the Senate version of the bill.

Cornyn’s Former Chief Of Staff Lobbied On Pipeline Tax Break

By Jay Cassano, Josh Keefe, and David Sirota on 12/19/17 AT 11:58 AM

Sen. John Cornyn’s pipeline provision benefits Sen. Ted Cruz and other Republicans. He inserted it into the tax bill as his former chief of staff lobbied on the issue.

GOP Sens. Lamar Alexander, John Barrasso

GOP Senators Who Could Benefit From Special Tax Break

By Alex Kotch, David Sirota, and Josh Keefe on 12/18/17 AT 7:26 PM

The GOP tax bill includes a special real-estate tax cut — a provision that could personally enrich more than a dozen Republican senators who voted on the bill.

Corker's Top Aide Could Benefit From Key Tax Provision

By David Sirota, Andrew Perez (MapLight), and Josh Keefe on 12/18/17 AT 6:28 PM

The GOP senator's chief of staff has been investing in real estate LLCs that could get new tax cuts under controversial last-minute provision.

Senator Orrin Hatch Says He Wrote Tax Provision At Center Of Corker Controversy

By Josh Keefe, David Sirota, and Jay Cassano on 12/18/17 AT 2:06 PM

Orrin Hatch argued that the tax break was already in the House version of the tax bill. Experts disagree.

Corker Demands Answers About Last-Minute Tax Break

By David Sirota and Josh Keefe on 12/17/17 AT 10:52 PM

In response to IBT’s investigation, the GOP senator is pressing his party for answers about the provision, which could enrich Corker and other GOP lawmakers. Corker also said the provision was in the House version of the bill, a claim experts disputed.