Vernal
@vernalcoleman.bsky.social
Chicago-based ProPublica Reporter covering the Midwest. Reach me at vernal.coleman@propublica.org or on Signal: vcoleman91.99
@seattletimes-rss.bsky.social Found this in a secondhand bookstore in Mexico City. Extremely belated congratulations on some very fine work.
October 20, 2025 at 10:31 PM
@seattletimes-rss.bsky.social Found this in a secondhand bookstore in Mexico City. Extremely belated congratulations on some very fine work.
Reposted by Vernal
Citizens, crying kids, pregnant women, people who aren't the target...it doesn't seem to matter who's inside the car when immigration officers want to make an arrest. They smash the window anyway
@mckenziefunk.com & I tracked these arrests all over the U.S. projects.propublica.org/trump-ice-sm...
@mckenziefunk.com & I tracked these arrests all over the U.S. projects.propublica.org/trump-ice-sm...
Bloodied Faces, Sobbing Children: Immigration Officers Smash Car Windows to Speed Up Arrests
We’ve documented nearly 50 incidents of immigration officers shattering car windows to make arrests — a tactic experts say was rarely used before Trump took office. ICE claims its officers use a “mini...
projects.propublica.org
July 31, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Citizens, crying kids, pregnant women, people who aren't the target...it doesn't seem to matter who's inside the car when immigration officers want to make an arrest. They smash the window anyway
@mckenziefunk.com & I tracked these arrests all over the U.S. projects.propublica.org/trump-ice-sm...
@mckenziefunk.com & I tracked these arrests all over the U.S. projects.propublica.org/trump-ice-sm...
Reposted by Vernal
Trump admin says everything is hunky-dory at the VA.
But we found that the number of doctors at VA has dropped each month since Trump took office.
Nurses are way down too
We got the records.
www.propublica.org/article/vete...
by @davidarmstrongx.bsky.social @vernalcoleman.bsky.social and me.
But we found that the number of doctors at VA has dropped each month since Trump took office.
Nurses are way down too
We got the records.
www.propublica.org/article/vete...
by @davidarmstrongx.bsky.social @vernalcoleman.bsky.social and me.
August 8, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Trump admin says everything is hunky-dory at the VA.
But we found that the number of doctors at VA has dropped each month since Trump took office.
Nurses are way down too
We got the records.
www.propublica.org/article/vete...
by @davidarmstrongx.bsky.social @vernalcoleman.bsky.social and me.
But we found that the number of doctors at VA has dropped each month since Trump took office.
Nurses are way down too
We got the records.
www.propublica.org/article/vete...
by @davidarmstrongx.bsky.social @vernalcoleman.bsky.social and me.
Reposted by Vernal
NEW: Doctors and Nurses Reject VA Jobs Under Trump, by @davidarmstrongx.bsky.social @ericumansky.bsky.social @vernalcoleman.bsky.social
Veterans’ Care at Risk Under Trump as Hundreds of Doctors and Nurses Reject Working at VA Hospitals
Amid concerns about the stability of the agency, records show nearly 40% of the doctors offered jobs at the VA from January through March of this year turned them down — quadruple the rate of rejectio...
www.propublica.org
August 8, 2025 at 12:58 PM
NEW: Doctors and Nurses Reject VA Jobs Under Trump, by @davidarmstrongx.bsky.social @ericumansky.bsky.social @vernalcoleman.bsky.social
Update
Senators Demand Investigation Into Canceled VA Contracts, Citing “Damning Reporting From ProPublica” @ericumansky.bsky.social @vernalcoleman.bsky.social
Senators Demand Investigation Into Canceled VA Contracts, Citing “Damning Reporting From ProPublica”
The senators are calling for a federal watchdog to investigate the Trump administration’s killing of hundreds of VA contracts. Among their concerns: ProPublica revealed DOGE used artificial intelligen...
www.propublica.org
June 26, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Update
Reposted by Vernal
ProPublica obtained records showing how a DOGE software engineer with no health care or government experience created an AI model to identify contracts to kill at the VA.
@bxroberts.org takes us through what we learned when we asked experts to review the model’s underlying instructions and code ⤵️
@bxroberts.org takes us through what we learned when we asked experts to review the model’s underlying instructions and code ⤵️
June 19, 2025 at 12:01 AM
ProPublica obtained records showing how a DOGE software engineer with no health care or government experience created an AI model to identify contracts to kill at the VA.
@bxroberts.org takes us through what we learned when we asked experts to review the model’s underlying instructions and code ⤵️
@bxroberts.org takes us through what we learned when we asked experts to review the model’s underlying instructions and code ⤵️
Reposted by Vernal
That ProPublica story leading to some real impact in Congress. Another great one by @vernalcoleman.bsky.social
www.propublica.org/article/doge...
www.propublica.org/article/doge...
Senators Demand Transparency on Canceled Veterans Affairs Contracts
Following a ProPublica investigation into how DOGE had developed an error-prone AI tool to determine which VA contracts should be killed, a trio of lawmakers said the Trump administration continues to...
www.propublica.org
June 12, 2025 at 11:55 AM
That ProPublica story leading to some real impact in Congress. Another great one by @vernalcoleman.bsky.social
www.propublica.org/article/doge...
www.propublica.org/article/doge...
Reposted by Vernal
NEW: Following a ProPublica investigation into how DOGE had developed an error-prone AI tool to determine which VA contracts should be killed, a trio of lawmakers said the Trump administration continues to “stonewall” their requests for details.
By @bxroberts.org & @vernalcoleman.bsky.social
By @bxroberts.org & @vernalcoleman.bsky.social
Senators Demand Transparency on Canceled Veterans Affairs Contracts
Following a ProPublica investigation into how DOGE had developed an error-prone AI tool to determine which VA contracts should be killed, a trio of lawmakers said the Trump administration continues to...
www.propublica.org
June 11, 2025 at 4:40 PM
NEW: Following a ProPublica investigation into how DOGE had developed an error-prone AI tool to determine which VA contracts should be killed, a trio of lawmakers said the Trump administration continues to “stonewall” their requests for details.
By @bxroberts.org & @vernalcoleman.bsky.social
By @bxroberts.org & @vernalcoleman.bsky.social
Reposted by Vernal
“I think that mistakes were made,” said Sahil Lavingia, who worked at DOGE for nearly two months, about the AI tool he developed. “I’m sure mistakes were made. Mistakes are always made.”
By @bxroberts.org and @vernalcoleman.bsky.social
By @bxroberts.org and @vernalcoleman.bsky.social
Inside the AI Prompts DOGE Used to “Munch” Contracts Related to Veterans’ Health
Experts who reviewed the code for ProPublica found numerous and troubling flaws in the system, providing a disturbing glimpse into how the Trump administration is allowing artificial intelligence to g...
www.propublica.org
June 8, 2025 at 2:31 PM
“I think that mistakes were made,” said Sahil Lavingia, who worked at DOGE for nearly two months, about the AI tool he developed. “I’m sure mistakes were made. Mistakes are always made.”
By @bxroberts.org and @vernalcoleman.bsky.social
By @bxroberts.org and @vernalcoleman.bsky.social
Reposted by Vernal
THREAD: An ex-DOGE engineer with no government or medical experience used AI to identify which Veterans Affairs contracts to kill, labeling them as “MUNCHABLE.”
@vernalcoleman.bsky.social @ericumansky.bsky.social and I got the code. Here’s what it tells us 1/
@vernalcoleman.bsky.social @ericumansky.bsky.social and I got the code. Here’s what it tells us 1/
June 6, 2025 at 2:36 PM
THREAD: An ex-DOGE engineer with no government or medical experience used AI to identify which Veterans Affairs contracts to kill, labeling them as “MUNCHABLE.”
@vernalcoleman.bsky.social @ericumansky.bsky.social and I got the code. Here’s what it tells us 1/
@vernalcoleman.bsky.social @ericumansky.bsky.social and I got the code. Here’s what it tells us 1/
Reposted by Vernal
Many of the federal workers being forced out by Trump are Black women who spent decades building a career of government service, only to see those careers shattered in a sudden purge.
By @davidmcswane.bsky.social
By @davidmcswane.bsky.social
Dismissed by DEI: Trump’s Purge Made Black Women With Stable Federal Jobs an “Easy Target”
The president’s attack on diversity efforts has derailed the government careers of highly educated civil servants — even though the jobs some lost were not directly involved with any DEI programs.
www.propublica.org
June 6, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Many of the federal workers being forced out by Trump are Black women who spent decades building a career of government service, only to see those careers shattered in a sudden purge.
By @davidmcswane.bsky.social
By @davidmcswane.bsky.social
Reposted by Vernal
And because @bxroberts.org knows his way around an LLM, he talked to experts and the person who wrote the prompts (!) and broke down all of the issues piece-by-piece with @vernalcoleman.bsky.social
www.propublica.org/article/insi...
www.propublica.org/article/insi...
Inside the AI Prompts DOGE Used to “Munch” Contracts Related to Veterans’ Health
Experts who reviewed the code for ProPublica found numerous and troubling flaws in the system, providing a disturbing glimpse into how the Trump administration is allowing artificial intelligence to g...
www.propublica.org
June 6, 2025 at 11:34 AM
And because @bxroberts.org knows his way around an LLM, he talked to experts and the person who wrote the prompts (!) and broke down all of the issues piece-by-piece with @vernalcoleman.bsky.social
www.propublica.org/article/insi...
www.propublica.org/article/insi...
Reposted by Vernal
And for anyone who wants to dig into just how flawed this AI tool was in concept and execution, @bxroberts.org and @vernalcoleman.bsky.social talked to a bunch of experts to drill down on the code itself:
Inside the AI Prompts DOGE Used to “Munch” Contracts Related to Veterans’ Health
Experts who reviewed the code for ProPublica found numerous and troubling flaws in the system, providing a disturbing glimpse into how the Trump administration is allowing artificial intelligence to g...
www.propublica.org
June 6, 2025 at 9:43 AM
And for anyone who wants to dig into just how flawed this AI tool was in concept and execution, @bxroberts.org and @vernalcoleman.bsky.social talked to a bunch of experts to drill down on the code itself:
Latest from me, @bxroberts.org and @ericumansky.bsky.social
New: A DOGE staffer developed an AI tool to review Veterans Affairs contracts.
But there was a slight hitch.
It hallucinated the size of those deals.
For example, it concluded that more than a thousand contracts were each worth $34M, when in fact some were for as little as $35,000.
But there was a slight hitch.
It hallucinated the size of those deals.
For example, it concluded that more than a thousand contracts were each worth $34M, when in fact some were for as little as $35,000.
DOGE Developed Error-Prone AI Tool to “Munch” Veterans Affairs Contracts
We obtained records showing how a Department of Government Efficiency staffer with no medical experience used artificial intelligence to identify which VA contracts to kill. “AI is absolutely the wron...
www.propublica.org
June 6, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Latest from me, @bxroberts.org and @ericumansky.bsky.social
Thanks to my old North Carolina colleague @barryyeoman.com for highlighting this great work from @propublica.org and several others.
In today's Unabridged newsletter, I shared outstanding narrative and investigative journalism, including @nadiareiman.bsky.social @rumblestrip.bsky.social @karinaelwood.bsky.social @ericumansky.bsky.social @vernalcoleman.bsky.social @andreasuozzo.com @coreygjohnson.bsky.social @livaaben.bsky.social
Second draft of history
Narrative and investigative journalism worth your time. Plus, tunes that help keep me sane.
barry-yeoman.beehiiv.com
May 13, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Thanks to my old North Carolina colleague @barryyeoman.com for highlighting this great work from @propublica.org and several others.
Reach out anytime.
11/ And if you’re a VA employee and want to share your experience, we want to hear from you too.
Get in touch with ProPublica reporters @ericumansky.bsky.social & @vernalcoleman.bsky.social securely.
These are their usernames on Signal:
Eric Umansky: Ericumansky.04
Vernal Coleman: vcoleman91.99
Get in touch with ProPublica reporters @ericumansky.bsky.social & @vernalcoleman.bsky.social securely.
These are their usernames on Signal:
Eric Umansky: Ericumansky.04
Vernal Coleman: vcoleman91.99
May 12, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Reach out anytime.
Reposted by Vernal
On Tuesday, @vernalcoleman.bsky.social and I revealed that VA officials across the country have been warning that DOGE and the admin's cuts are hurting veterans' care.
Today, a half-dozen Congress members, mostly vets, demanded accountability.
www.propublica.org/article/vete...
Today, a half-dozen Congress members, mostly vets, demanded accountability.
www.propublica.org/article/vete...
May 9, 2025 at 3:03 AM
On Tuesday, @vernalcoleman.bsky.social and I revealed that VA officials across the country have been warning that DOGE and the admin's cuts are hurting veterans' care.
Today, a half-dozen Congress members, mostly vets, demanded accountability.
www.propublica.org/article/vete...
Today, a half-dozen Congress members, mostly vets, demanded accountability.
www.propublica.org/article/vete...
Reposted by Vernal
“There are real-life dangerous impacts for veterans,” said @deluzio.house.gov.
NEW: Democratic Lawmakers Blast Trump Administration’s VA Cuts After ProPublica Investigation @vernalcoleman.bsky.social @ericumansky.bsky.social
NEW: Democratic Lawmakers Blast Trump Administration’s VA Cuts After ProPublica Investigation @vernalcoleman.bsky.social @ericumansky.bsky.social
Democratic Lawmakers Blast Trump Administration’s VA Cuts After ProPublica Investigation
The lawmakers also accused Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins of stonewalling their efforts to learn more about agency cuts and their effects. “There are real-life dangerous impacts for veterans,...
www.propublica.org
May 8, 2025 at 10:56 PM
“There are real-life dangerous impacts for veterans,” said @deluzio.house.gov.
NEW: Democratic Lawmakers Blast Trump Administration’s VA Cuts After ProPublica Investigation @vernalcoleman.bsky.social @ericumansky.bsky.social
NEW: Democratic Lawmakers Blast Trump Administration’s VA Cuts After ProPublica Investigation @vernalcoleman.bsky.social @ericumansky.bsky.social
Reposted by Vernal
NEW: The rate of sepsis in Houston surged 63% after Texas banned abortion.
In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where hospital leaders empowered doctors to intervene before patients’ conditions worsened, it rose just 29%.
In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where hospital leaders empowered doctors to intervene before patients’ conditions worsened, it rose just 29%.
Under Texas’ Abortion Ban, Where a Woman Lives Can Determine Her Risk of Developing Sepsis
While the rates of dangerous infections spiked across the state after it banned abortion in 2021, women in Houston fared far worse than those in Dallas, according to ProPublica’s first-of-its-kind ana...
www.propublica.org
May 7, 2025 at 8:31 PM
NEW: The rate of sepsis in Houston surged 63% after Texas banned abortion.
In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where hospital leaders empowered doctors to intervene before patients’ conditions worsened, it rose just 29%.
In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where hospital leaders empowered doctors to intervene before patients’ conditions worsened, it rose just 29%.
Reposted by Vernal
NEW: The Great Lakes hold 95% of all the surface freshwater in the United States.
Severe cuts have decimated the NOAA Great Lakes lab.
Scientists worry they’ve lost the ability to protect the public from toxic algal blooms, which can kill animals and sicken people.
My story for @propublica.org
Severe cuts have decimated the NOAA Great Lakes lab.
Scientists worry they’ve lost the ability to protect the public from toxic algal blooms, which can kill animals and sicken people.
My story for @propublica.org
Millions of People Depend on the Great Lakes’ Water Supply. Trump Decimated the Lab Protecting It.
The Trump administration’s slashing of budgets and staff have Great Lakes scientists concerned that they have lost the ability to protect the public from toxic algal blooms, which can kill animals and...
www.propublica.org
May 6, 2025 at 12:30 PM
NEW: The Great Lakes hold 95% of all the surface freshwater in the United States.
Severe cuts have decimated the NOAA Great Lakes lab.
Scientists worry they’ve lost the ability to protect the public from toxic algal blooms, which can kill animals and sicken people.
My story for @propublica.org
Severe cuts have decimated the NOAA Great Lakes lab.
Scientists worry they’ve lost the ability to protect the public from toxic algal blooms, which can kill animals and sicken people.
My story for @propublica.org
Reposted by Vernal
NEW: The Trump administration’s slashing of budgets and staff have Great Lakes scientists concerned that they have lost the ability to protect the public from toxic algal blooms, which can kill animals and sicken people.
By @annaleighclark.bsky.social
By @annaleighclark.bsky.social
Millions of People Depend on the Great Lakes’ Water Supply. Trump Decimated the Lab Protecting It.
The Trump administration’s slashing of budgets and staff have Great Lakes scientists concerned that they have lost the ability to protect the public from toxic algal blooms, which can kill animals…
www.propublica.org
May 6, 2025 at 12:00 PM
NEW: The Trump administration’s slashing of budgets and staff have Great Lakes scientists concerned that they have lost the ability to protect the public from toxic algal blooms, which can kill animals and sicken people.
By @annaleighclark.bsky.social
By @annaleighclark.bsky.social
NEW: After the VA began axing jobs, Secretary Doug Collins said vets would "notice a change for the better.” But internal warnings show the cuts have led to widespread chaos, including the disruption of "life saving cancer trials." w/ @ericumansky.bsky.social www.propublica.org/article/trum...
Internal VA Emails Reveal How Trump Cuts Jeopardize Veterans’ Care, Including To “Life-Saving Cancer Trials”
Despite a congressional mandate to expand care for veterans, internal Veterans Affairs messages obtained by ProPublica paint a stark portrait of how chaotic cost cutting has already imperiled tests of...
www.propublica.org
May 6, 2025 at 12:45 PM
NEW: After the VA began axing jobs, Secretary Doug Collins said vets would "notice a change for the better.” But internal warnings show the cuts have led to widespread chaos, including the disruption of "life saving cancer trials." w/ @ericumansky.bsky.social www.propublica.org/article/trum...
Reposted by Vernal
NEW: Trump has said he loves veterans & will “take care of them.”
His cuts to the VA have led to widespread chaos and some vets have been thrown off cancer trials.
@ericumansky.bsky.social & @vernalcoleman.bsky.social:
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
His cuts to the VA have led to widespread chaos and some vets have been thrown off cancer trials.
@ericumansky.bsky.social & @vernalcoleman.bsky.social:
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
May 6, 2025 at 10:53 AM
NEW: Trump has said he loves veterans & will “take care of them.”
His cuts to the VA have led to widespread chaos and some vets have been thrown off cancer trials.
@ericumansky.bsky.social & @vernalcoleman.bsky.social:
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
His cuts to the VA have led to widespread chaos and some vets have been thrown off cancer trials.
@ericumansky.bsky.social & @vernalcoleman.bsky.social:
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
Reposted by Vernal
NEW INVESTIGATION from me and @vernalcoleman.bsky.social:
Internal emails show doctors and others at VA hospitals around the country begging for help as cuts hurt veterans' care, including "live-saving cancer trials."
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
Internal emails show doctors and others at VA hospitals around the country begging for help as cuts hurt veterans' care, including "live-saving cancer trials."
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
Internal VA Emails Reveal How Trump Cuts Jeopardize Veterans’ Care, Including To “Life-Saving Cancer Trials”
Despite a congressional mandate to expand care for veterans, internal Veterans Affairs messages obtained by ProPublica paint a stark portrait of how chaotic cost cutting has already imperiled tests of...
www.propublica.org
May 6, 2025 at 10:47 AM
NEW INVESTIGATION from me and @vernalcoleman.bsky.social:
Internal emails show doctors and others at VA hospitals around the country begging for help as cuts hurt veterans' care, including "live-saving cancer trials."
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
Internal emails show doctors and others at VA hospitals around the country begging for help as cuts hurt veterans' care, including "live-saving cancer trials."
www.propublica.org/article/trum...