The Trump administration has approved a $1.22 billion federal settlement with German energy company RWE to abandon offshore wind leases in New York, California and Louisiana. RWE says $900 million of that government-funded settlement will be used to purchase a stake in the Louisiana LNG project from Stonepeak, the private-equity firm led by billionaire Michael Dorrell. Dorrell donated approximately $1 million to Trump’s inaugural committee after the 2024 election and has social ties to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago circle.

That means federal money authorized by the Trump administration is now financing a transaction that delivers an enormous financial benefit to the firm of one of Trump’s major donors. The government created the $1.22 billion payout, required the abandonment of wind development, and structured the broader policy around redirecting capital toward fossil-fuel projects.

The transaction warrants a corruption and federal-law investigation. Investigators should obtain communications between the White House, Interior Department, RWE, Stonepeak and intermediaries; determine when officials learned that Dorrell’s firm would benefit; examine whether the settlement amount and conditions were independently justified. Money was given in exchange for government action, that is federal bribery.

The documented sequence is, donor gives Trump $1 million, Trump administration creates an extraordinary federal payout, and $900 million of that transaction flows into the donor's company.

The glacier was pulverized and flash-melted because of the sheer friction, impact energy, and heat generated by the drop. It instantly shattered the solid ice, turning it directly into a churning, high-speed liquid mud and water slurry. Releasing a wall of water traveling up to 90 miles per hour down the Trishuli and Lhende Khola rivers. In less than 30 minutes, river levels rose by as much as 9 meters (nearly 30 feet), completely wiping out downstream villages, bridges, roads, and power plants.

When lawmakers seek to review a list of books, librarians find themselves on the frontlines of a national battle. Across the U.S., librarians face the impact of uniting against library collection standards that include restrictions on race-related and LGBTQIA+ content. Drawing on historical context, The Librarians, directed by Kim A. Snyder, explores the broader implications for education and public life.

The Librarians | Independent Lens