I-ProPublica yinhlangano yezindaba engenzi nzuzo ezinikele ekuphenyeni ukusetshenziswa kabi kwamandla. Bhalisa ukuze uthole izindaba zethu ezinkulu kuqala.
Sisabika. Ingabe unalo ulwazi mayelana nokuthi imikhiqizo ekhishwe ngaphandle ifakwe kanjani ohlwini lokungakhokhiswa intela? Ungaxhumana noRobert Faturechi weSignal ku-213-271-7217.
Ngemva kokuba uMengameli uDonald Trump ememezele amanani amasha akhuphukayo ekuqaleni kwale nyanga, i-White House ikhiphe uhlu lwemikhiqizo engaphezu kwe-1,000 ezokhululwa ezinkokhelweni.
Enye yezinto ezifakiwe ohlwini yi-polyethylene terephthalate, eyaziwa kakhulu ngokuthi i-PET resin, i-thermoplastic esetshenziselwa ukwenza amabhodlela epulasitiki.
Akucaci ukuthi kungani inkampani yakhululwa ezijezisweni, futhi ngisho nezikhulu zemboni azazi ukuthi yini eyabangela lezi zijeziso.
Kodwa ukukhethwa kwakhe kuwukunqoba kwenkampani ethengisa utshwala i-Coca-Cola i-Reyes Holdings, enye yezinkampani ezinkulu eziphethwe ngasese e-US, eziphethwe abafowethu ababili abanikele ngezigidi zamaRandi ezinhlanganweni zamaRiphabhulikhi. Le nkampani isanda kuqasha inkampani yokukhuthaza abantu exhumene kakhulu nohulumeni kaTrump ukuze ivikele intela yayo, ngokusho kwamarekhodi.
Akucaci ukuthi ukunxenxa kwenkampani kube nendima yini esicelweni sokuxolelwa. I-Reyes Holdings kanye nabagqugquzeli bayo abazange baphendule ngokushesha imibuzo evela kwi-ProPublica. I-White House nayo yenqabile ukuphawula, kodwa abanye abagqugquzeli bemboni bathi uhulumeni wenqabe isicelo sokuxolelwa.
Ukufakwa kwama-resin okungachazeki ohlwini kugqamisa ukuthi inqubo kahulumeni wase-US yokubeka intela ayicaci kangakanani. Ababambiqhaza ababalulekile basalokhu bengazi ukuthi kungani imikhiqizo ethile ikhokhiswa intela kanti eminye ayikhokhiswa. Ayikho incazelo ecacile yezinguquko emananini entela. Izikhulu zokuphatha zinikeze ulwazi oluphikisanayo mayelana nentela noma zenqaba ukuphendula noma yimiphi imibuzo.
Ukuntuleka kokucaca kule nqubo kuphakamise ukukhathazeka phakathi kochwepheshe bezohwebo ngokuthi izinkampani ezixhumene nezepolitiki zingase zithole ukukhululwa kwentela ngasese.
“Kungaba yinkohlakalo, kodwa futhi kungaba ukungabi namakhono,” kusho isazi sezomthetho esisebenza ngenqubomgomo yentela ngokufakwa kwe-PET resin entengweni yentela. “Ngempela, kwasheshiswa kakhulu kangangokuthi angazi nokuthi ubani owaya e-White House ukuyoxoxa ngalolu hlu nawo wonke umuntu.”
Ngesikhathi sokuphatha kukaTrump kokuqala, kwakukhona inqubo esemthethweni yokufuna ukukhululwa entengweni. Izinkampani zathumela amakhulu ezinkulungwane zezicelo ziphikisana ngokuthi imikhiqizo yazo kufanele ikhululwe entengweni. Izicelo zenziwa obala ukuze indlela yokusebenza kwenqubo yokubeka intengweni ihlolwe ngokucophelela. Lokhu kusobala kwavumela izifundiswa ukuthi kamuva zihlaziye izinkulungwane zezicelo futhi zithole ukuthi abanikeli bezombusazwe baseRiphabhulikhi banamathuba amaningi okuthola ukukhululwa entengweni.
Esikhathini sesibili sikaTrump, okungenani okwamanje, ayikho inqubo esemthethweni yokucela ukwehliswa kwentela. Abaphathi bemboni kanye nabameli basebenza ngasese. Ibhodi lokuhlela le-Wall Street Journal ngesonto eledlule libize "ukungacaci kwenqubo" ngokufana "nephupho elivela exhaphozini laseWashington."
Umyalo ophethe omemezela ngokusemthethweni amanani amasha kaTrump uzobeka cishe wonke amazwe intela eyisisekelo engu-10%, kanye nokukhululwa okuchazwe kabanzi njengemikhiqizo emkhakheni wezokwelapha, we-semiconductor, wezamahlathi, wethusi, wamaminerali abalulekile, kanye nowamandla. Uhlu oluhambisana nalo luchaza imikhiqizo ethile engakhululwa.
Kodwa-ke, ukubuyekezwa kohlu yi-ProPublica kuthole ukuthi izinto eziningi azizange zilingane nalezi zigaba ezibanzi noma azizange zilingane nhlobo, kuyilapho ezinye izinto ezazilingana nalezi zigaba zingashiywanga.
Isibonelo, uhlu lokukhululwa e-White House luhlanganisa izinhlobo eziningi ze-asbestos, okungabhekwa njengeminerali ebalulekile futhi okubonakala sengathi ayiweli kunoma yiziphi izigaba zokukhululwa. Le minerali ebangela umdlavuza ngokuvamile ibhekwa njengengabalulekile ekuphepheni kwezwe noma emnothweni wase-US kodwa isasetshenziswa ukwenza i-chlorine, kodwa i-Environmental Protection Agency kahulumeni kaBiden yavimbela ukungeniswa kwale nto ngonyaka odlule. Uhulumeni kaTrump uphakamise ukuthi ungase uhlehlise eminye yemikhawulo yesikhathi sikaBiden.
Okhulumela i-American Chemistry Council, iqembu lemboni elaliphikisana nokuvinjelwa ngoba kungalimaza imboni ye-chlorine, uthe leli qembu alizange linxenxe ukuthi i-asbestos ikhululwe ezinteleni futhi alazi ukuthi kungani ifakiwe. (Izinkampani ezimbili ezinkulu ze-chlorine nazo azizange zibonise emafomu azo okudalula ukuthi zinxenxe lezi ntela.)
Ezinye izinto ezisohlwini ezingakhululwa kodwa ezingenabungozi kakhulu zifaka phakathi ama-coral, amagobolondo, namathambo e-cuttlefish (izingxenye ze-cuttlefish ezingasetshenziswa njengezithako zokudla zezilwane ezifuywayo).
I-resin ye-PET nayo ayingeni kunoma yiziphi izigaba zokungafakwa. Ochwepheshe bathi uhulumeni cishe uyibheka njengomkhiqizo wamandla ngoba izithako zayo zithathwe kuphethiloli. Kodwa eminye imikhiqizo ehlangabezana nezindinganiso eziphansi ezifanayo ayifakiwe.
“Samangala njengabo bonke abanye,” kusho uRalph Wasami, umqondisi omkhulu we-PET Resin Association, iqembu lokuhweba lemboni ye-PET. Uthe i-resin ayiweli esigabeni sokukhululwa ngaphandle kokuthi kufakwe ukupakishwa kwaleyo mikhiqizo.
Amarekhodi abonisa ukuthi kwikota yesine yonyaka odlule, ngesikhathi uTrump ewina ukhetho, inkampani ye-Coca-Cola iReyes Holdings yaqasha iBallard Partners ukuthi inxenxe intela. Kwikota yokuqala yalo nyaka, cishe ngesikhathi sokugcotshwa kukaTrump, amarekhodi abonisa ukuthi uBallard waqala ukunxenxela uMnyango Wezohwebo, obeka inqubomgomo yezohwebo, ngentela.
Le nkampani isibe yindawo ethandwa kakhulu yizinkampani ezifuna ukusebenza nohulumeni kaTrump. Inxuse inkampani kaTrump, i-Trump Organisation, futhi abasebenzi bayo bahlanganisa izikhulu eziphezulu zokuphatha njengoMmeli Jikelele uPam Bondi kanye neNhloko Yabasebenzi uSusie Wiles. Umsunguli wale nkampani, uBrian Ballard, ungumqoqi wemali kaTrump ogcwele i-Politico embiza ngokuthi “umgqugquzeli wezimali onethonya elikhulu eWashington kaTrump.” Ungomunye wabagqugquzeli ababili kule nkampani abanxuse intela yeReyes Holdings, ngokusho kwamarekhodi okudalulwa kukahulumeni.
UChris noJude Reyes, abafowethu abayizigidigidi ngemuva kweReyes Holdings, nabo banobudlelwano obuseduze nezepolitiki. Imibhalo yokudalulwa kwezimali zomkhankaso ikhombisa ukuthi yize benikele kwabanye abantu abazongenela ukhetho lweDemocratic, iningi leminikelo yabo yezepolitiki liye kumaRiphabliki. Ngemuva kokunqoba kukaTrump okuyinhloko, uChris Reyes wamenywa eMar-a-Lago ukuyohlangana noTrump mathupha.
Ukukhululwa kwe-PET resin akugcini nje ngokuba yinzuzo yeReyes Holdings, kodwa futhi kuyinzuzo kwezinye izinkampani ezithenga i-resin yokwenza amabhodlela, kanye nezinkampani zeziphuzo eziyisebenzisayo. Ngasekuqaleni konyaka, i-CEO ye-Coca-Cola yathi inkampani izoshintshela emabhodleleni epulasitiki amaningi ngenxa yentela entsha ye-aluminium. Lelo hlelo lingahluleka uma intela entsha nayo ithinta ama-thermoplastics. Amarekhodi okudalula abonisa ukuthi inkampani iphinde yanxenxa iCongress ukuthi iphikise intela kulo nyaka, kodwa imibhalo ayichazi ukuthi yiziphi izinqubomgomo, futhi inkampani ayizange iphendule imibuzo evela ku-ProPublica. (I-Coca-Cola izame ukuxhumana noTrump, yanikela cishe ngama-$250,000 ekumisweni kwakhe, futhi i-CEO yayo yanika uTrump ibhodlela le-Diet Coke elenziwe ngezifiso, i-soda ayithandayo.)
Omunye umkhakha owenze kahle kakhulu ngokwezimali ezikhokhiswayo muva nje yizolimo, ezihlanganisa izinhlobo eziningi zezibulala-zinambuzane kanye nezithako zomanyolo.
I-American Farm Bureau Federation, iqembu elilwela amalungelo ezolimo, muva nje lithumele ukuhlaziywa kuwebhusayithi yalo lidumisa ukukhululwa okungaphelele futhi libiza ukukhululwa kwe-turf kanye ne-potash ngokuthi “umzamo onzima wezinhlangano zezolimo njenge-American Farm Bureau Federation” kanye “nobufakazi bokusebenza kahle kwezwi elihlangene labalimi nabafuyi.”
Kunezinye izimpahla eziningi ezingenisiwe ezingangeni kunoma yiziphi izigaba ezingakhokhiswa intela, kodwa zingase ziwele esigabeni esingakhokhiswa intela uma zichazwe kabanzi.
Isibonelo esisodwa yi-sucralose emnandi yokwenziwa. Ukufakwa kwayo kungazizuzisa kakhulu izinkampani ezisebenzisa umkhiqizo ekudleni naseziphuzweni. Kodwa i-sucralose isetshenziswa futhi ngezinye izikhathi emithini ukuze ithambe kakhulu. Akucaci ukuthi i-White House ikuvumile yini ukufakwa kwayo ngenxa yokukhishwa kwemithi noma ngesinye isizathu.
Izigaba ezibanzi ezathola ukukhululwa kwakuyizimboni uhulumeni wase-US ayeziphenya ngezindleko zesikhathi esizayo ngaphansi kwegunya lakhe lokufaka intela ukuze kuvikelwe ukuphepha kwezwe.
Indaba osanda kuyifunda yenziwe yaba yimpumelelo ngabafundi bethu. Sithemba ukuthi izokukhuthaza ukuthi usekele i-ProPublica ukuze sikwazi ukuqhubeka nokwenza ubuntatheli obuphenyayo obuveza amandla, buveze iqiniso, futhi buqhubekisele phambili ushintsho lwangempela.
I-ProPublica iyigumbi lezindaba elingenzi nzuzo elizinikele kwezentatheli ezingachemile, ezisekelwe emaqinisweni ezigcina amandla ephethe icala. Sasungulwa ngo-2008 ngenxa yokwehla kwemibiko yophenyo. Sichithe iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-15 sidalula ukungabi nabulungisa, inkohlakalo, kanye nokusetshenziswa kabi kwamandla — umsebenzi ohamba kancane, obizayo, futhi obaluleke kakhulu kuntando yeningi yethu kunanini ngaphambili. Njengoba sesiwine umklomelo wePulitzer izikhathi eziyisikhombisa, siqhube izinguquko kohulumeni bezifundazwe nabasekhaya, izinkampani, izikhungo, nokuningi, ngenkathi sigcina intshisekelo yomphakathi iphakathi kwemibiko yethu.
Izingqinamba ziphakeme kunanini ngaphambili. Kusukela ekuziphatheni okuhle kuhulumeni kuya empilweni yokuzala kuya enkingeni yesimo sezulu nangale kwalokho, i-ProPublica isezindabeni ezibaluleke kakhulu. Umnikelo wakho uzosisiza ukuthi sibophe labo abasemandleni futhi sigcine iqiniso liseduze.
Joyina abasekeli abangaphezu kuka-80,000 ezweni lonke ekukhuthazeni ubuntatheli obuphenyayo ukuze bukwazi ukwazisa, ugqozi, futhi bube nomthelela ohlala njalo. Siyabonga ngokwenza lo msebenzi ube nokwenzeka.
Ngithinte nge-imeyili noma ngesiteshi esiphephile ukuze unikeze ulwazi mayelana nohulumeni wobumbano kanye nebhizinisi likaTrump.
I-ProPublica izogxila ezindaweni ezidinga ukunakwa kakhulu ngesikhathi sehlandla lesibili likaDonald Trump. Nazi ezinye zezinkinga izintatheli zethu ezizogxila kuzo - nokuthi zingafika kanjani kuzo ngokuphephile.
Funda kabanzi ngethimba lethu lezintatheli. Sizoqhubeka nokwabelana ngezindawo okugxilwe kuzo njengoba izindaba zithuthuka.
Ngikhuluma ngezinkinga zezempilo nezemvelo kanye nezinhlangano ezizibusayo, okuhlanganisa ne-Environmental Protection Agency.
Ngikhuluma ngezindaba zobulungiswa kanye nokubusa komthetho, okuhlanganisa noMnyango Wezobulungiswa, abameli base-US, kanye nezinkantolo.
Ngikhuluma ngezinkinga zezindlu nezokuthutha, okuhlanganisa nezinkampani ezisebenza kule mikhakha kanye nabalawuli abaziphethe.
Uma ungenalo icebiso noma indaba ethile, sisadinga usizo lwakho. Bhalisa ukuze ube yilungu le-Federal Worker Resource Network yethu ukuze usithinte noma nini.
Ochwepheshe ababukeze ikhodi ye-ProPublica bathole amaphutha amaningi akhathazayo ohlelweni aveza indlela uhulumeni kaTrump ovumela ngayo ubuhlakani bokwenziwa ukuthi buqondise ukunciphisa izinsizakalo ezibalulekile.
Amarekhodi atholwe yi-CNN abonisa ukuthi isisebenzi saseMnyango Wezokusebenza Kukahulumeni esingenalo ulwazi lwezokwelapha sasebenzisa i-AI ukunquma ukuthi yiziphi izinkontileka ze-VA okufanele ziqedwe. “I-AI yayiyithuluzi elingalungile nhlobo,” kusho omunye uchwepheshe.
UThomas Fugate, owayeseqede unyaka ekolishi engenalo ulwazi ngokuphepha kwezwe, wayeyisikhulu soMnyango Wezokuphepha Kwezwe esiqondisa isikhungo esiphezulu sikahulumeni sokulwa nobudlova obunobudlova.
Ukuhlasela kukamongameli imizamo yokwehlukahlukana kuye kwaphazamisa imisebenzi yabasebenzi bakahulumeni abafunde kakhulu — yize eminye yemisebenzi abayilahlekile yayingahlobene ngqo nanoma yiziphi izinhlelo ze-DEI.
Ngokusho kwamarekhodi oMnyango Wezokuphepha Kwasekhaya, izikhulu zazazi ukuthi abangaphezu kwengxenye yabantu abangu-238 abadingisiwe babengenawo amarekhodi obugebengu e-United States futhi babephule imithetho yokufuduka kuphela.
UMicah Rosenberg, iProPublica; uPerla Treviso, iProPublica kanye neThe Texas Tribune; uMelissa Sanchez noGabriel Sandoval, iProPublica; uRonna Rikes, uphenyo lweRebel Alliance; u-Adrian Gonzalez, Abazingeli Bezindaba Ezingamanga, Meyi 30, 2025, 5:00 AM CST
Njengoba i-White House ishintsha abasebenzi kanye noxhaso lwezimali kusukela emisebenzini yokulwa nobuphekula kuya ekudingisweni kwabantu abaningi, izifundazwe zahluleka ukugcina imizamo yokulwa nobuphekula eyayisekelwa yiWashington. Umphumela waba yindlela encane eyashiya izindawo eziningi zingavikelekile.
UThomas Fugate, owayeseqede unyaka ekolishi engenalo ulwazi ngokuphepha kwezwe, wayeyisikhulu soMnyango Wezokuphepha Kwezwe esiqondisa isikhungo esiphezulu sikahulumeni sokulwa nobudlova obunobudlova.
Amarekhodi atholwe yi-CNN abonisa ukuthi isisebenzi saseMnyango Wezokusebenza Kukahulumeni esingenalo ulwazi lwezokwelapha sasebenzisa i-AI ukunquma ukuthi yiziphi izinkontileka ze-VA okufanele ziqedwe. “I-AI yayiyithuluzi elingalungile nhlobo,” kusho omunye uchwepheshe.
Naphezu kwezihlazo, uphenyo, kanye nokusetshenziswa kokuhlukaniswa njengesijeziso sezingane, uRichard L. Bean usalokhu engumqondisi wesikhungo sokuboshwa kwentsha esibizwa ngegama lakhe.
UPaige Pfleger, i-WPLN/Nashville Public Radio, kanye noMariam Elba, i-ProPublica, ngoJuni 7, 2025, ngo-5:00 ekuseni ET