@jmdjacobs

Data reporter, @propublica. Past: @PittsburghPG, @washingtonpost, @MedillSchool. Former software engineer.

 New York, NY
Joined April 2016
  • Tweets599
  • Following1.1K
  • Followers529
30Media
Joel Jacobs retweeted
ProPublica
@propublicaMay 4
New: Four senators wrote letters to Experian and TransUnion, requesting information on the companies’ dispute handling processes after ProPublica revealed they have been dismissing more consumer complaints without help. propub.li/4f0OPUM

Lawmakers Demand Answers About Growing Number of Unfixed Mistakes on Credit Reports

Four senators wrote letters to Experian and TransUnion, requesting information on the companies’ dispute handling processes after ProPublica revealed they have been dismissing more consumer complai...

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Joel Jacobs retweeted
Vernal@VernalColemanMar 12
New: After returning to the White House, the Trump admin told veterans to expect “the highest quality care." But we found that the VA has since lost hundreds of mental health providers, while many veteran patients wait months for critical therapy. propublica.org/article/veter…

Veterans Who Depend on Mental Health Care Keep Losing Their Therapists Under Trump

Hundreds of mental health professionals have left the Department of Veterans Affairs since President Donald Trump took office, leaving staff “at a breaking point” and some veterans waiting as long as...

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Joel Jacobs retweeted
ProPublica
@propublicaMar 10
New: TransUnion and Experian, two of the three major credit bureaus, have started dismissing a larger share of consumer complaints without help since the Trump administration began dismantling the CFPB. propub.li/46PRHiy

Credit Bureaus Are Leaving More Mistakes on Frustrated Consumers’ Reports Under Trump’s CFPB

The credit bureaus have started dismissing a larger share of consumer complaints without help since the Trump administration began dismantling the CFPB.

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NEW from me: The CFPB's consumer complaint system is more popular than ever, fielding >2.7M complaints last year. But Republican lawmakers still voted to gut the CFPB's budget, even after referring thousands of their own constituents' issues to the agency propublica.org/article/cfpb-…

These GOP Lawmakers Referred Constituents to the CFPB for Help. Then They Voted to Gut the Agency.

Many of the same Republican lawmakers who have targeted the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for cuts have collectively directed thousands of constituents’ complaints about banks, credit cards,...

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FOR IT BEFORE THEY WERE AGAINST IT: @jmdjacobs used FOIA to find GOP reps who voted to defund the CFPB earlier this year had referred their constituents to the agency when they were bilked by banks, lenders, etc…etc… propublica.org/article/cfpb-…

These GOP Lawmakers Referred Constituents to the CFPB for Help. Then They Voted to Gut the Agency.

Many of the same Republican lawmakers who have targeted the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for cuts have collectively directed thousands of constituents’ complaints about banks, credit cards,...

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Joel Jacobs retweeted
Megan O'Matz@MegsNewz6 Aug 2025
Rep. Darrell Issa of Calif. & Rep. Rob Wittman of Virginia voted to reduce the CFPB’s budget.Yet each has referred more than 100 constituents to the consumer agency for help, among the most of any House members. / by ⁦@jmdjacobs⁩ propublica.org/article/cfpb-…

These GOP Lawmakers Referred Constituents to the CFPB for Help. Then They Voted to Gut the Agency.

Many of the same Republican lawmakers who have targeted the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for cuts have collectively directed thousands of constituents’ complaints about banks, credit cards,...

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1 yr ago, I assumed most homeless families in upstate NY were placed in shelters, where they could get beds, food and help finding housing. I was wrong. ~1/2 of them land in hotels and mostly fend for themselves. Investigation w/ @nysfocus + @propublica: propublica.org/article/new-y…

Her Family Needed Housing. They Spent Months in New York Hotels, Left to Fend for Themselves.

Statewide spending on hotels has more than tripled in recent years. The shift away from shelters has prevented families from accessing services like child care and help finding housing.

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NEW: These 5 Charts Show How Hotels Became New York’s Response to Homelessness propublica.org/article/new-y… @norris_report @jmdjacobs w/ graphics by @lhwaldron

These 5 Charts Show How Hotels Became New York’s Response to Homelessness

Social services agencies across the state now place nearly half of all individuals and families seeking shelter in hotels, leaving people without resources like food and help finding housing.

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BREAKING: The enforcement chief at America’s consumer watchdog is quitting, @ProPublica has learned. Cara Petersen writes in her sign-off letter that it’s “clear that the Bureau’s current leadership has no intention to enforce the law in any meaningful way.” 1/
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Joel Jacobs retweeted
Megan O'Matz@MegsNewz21 May 2025
Lawsuits allege that Dr. Phil’s son, Jay McGraw, profits from Minto Money, a tribal lender that offers payday-like loans online at exorbitant rates. The business is dividing an Alaska town. // Our @propublica ⁦@adndotcom⁩ story… propublica.org/article/minto…

A 700% APR Lending Business Tied to Dr. Phil’s Son Is Dividing an Alaska Tribe

Tribal lender Minto Money has boosted the economy of its Alaska town. But some tribal members are appalled by the millions it’s made off desperate borrowers — much of which, lawsuits allege, has gone...

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NEW: Explosive memos circulating inside USAID detail how Trump appointees ignored and thwarted the agency's senior leaders who tried to make good on the administration's public promises to keep lifesaving aid operations online. 1/
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On the "wall of receipts" it published yesterday, DOGE claimed $8 billion of savings on one contract. It was actually an $8 million contract.
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NEW: How did the Trump administration disembowel USAID in less than three weeks? The first step was seizing control of the agency’s IT system — including the personal data of all its employees. This, we were told, may have violated federal law. 1/
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Joel Jacobs retweeted
Megan O'Matz@MegsNewz15 Jan 2025
Online lenders tied to Native American tribes offer consumers quick cash at exorbitant rates. Tribes argue they aren’t subject to state lending laws, yet backed away from operating in 6 states where attorneys have challenged the enterprises. Our story: propublica.org/article/state…

Tribal Lenders Say They Can Charge Over 600% Interest. These States Stopped Them.

Online lenders tied to Native American tribes argue that they aren’t subject to state lending laws, but they backed away from operating in six states where attorneys have acted forcefully to protect...

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NEW from me and @MegsNewz — tribal lenders offering 600%+ APR loans online argue that sovereign immunity allows them to skirt state lending laws, but we found that they largely backed away from six states where attorneys have acted forcefully to protect consumers (link below)
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Read the story here: propublica.org/article/state…

Tribal Lenders Say They Can Charge Over 600% Interest. These States Stopped Them.

Online lenders tied to Native American tribes argue that they aren’t subject to state lending laws, but they backed away from operating in six states where attorneys have acted forcefully to protect...

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For more, see our full tribal lending series: propublica.org/series/desper… Or check out my thread on our previous reporting 👇 xitter.cf/jmdjacobs/status/18749…
Joel Jacobs@jmdjacobs3 Jan 2025
ICYMI: Last week @MegsNewz and I reported on how the tribal lending industry has survived and thrived offering exorbitant online loans to millions of borrowers — with APRs that can exceed 600%. We’ve been investigating this opaque industry for months: 🧵
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