Capital Insider

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Capital Insider

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Although it's the criminal charges that keep topping the headlines, there are serious employment issues and rights that stem from the Penn State scandal. If you see something in your workplace that could be considered misconduct, you don't just have the right to come forward; in some cases, it's the law to speak out. Many employees worry about repercussions from speaking out, but there are legal rights to protect you. Tully Rinckey attorney Ricardo Pitts-Wiley explains the lessons to extract from the Penn State case and the rights you should know before you enter the office.

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Some of the GOP candidates have had less than stellar weeks, with Newt Gingrich soaring to second place in the polls only to have his connection to Freddie Mac revealed. Christy Setzer, president and founder of New Heights Foundation and Kereakos Zuras, former financial adviser to the G.W. Bush White House discuss the stories of the week and the candidates making headlines.

Congress is cashing in on free trips paid for by private companies and it's all completely legal. Dave Williams, from the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, explains why it's allowed. He also looks at Fannie and Freddie and Congress' push to cut bonuses for their execs.

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It looks like something out of the Terminator movies; your eyes and fingerprints can be used to detect your identity. This technology may be the next type of security you'll see at airports. Its creators say it'll make security more effective. But with every technology, there are risks. Mark Cohn, from Unisys Corporation, explains the strengths and weaknesses of biometric technology.

The relationship between the U.S. and Israel is very complex. But a recent gaffe involving President Obama and French leader Nicolas Sarkozy has only strained that connection further. Sarkozy was overheard talking negatively about the Israeli prime minister and the President didn't rush to Netanyahu's defense. Matt RJ Brosky explains what this means for the special relationship between the two countries and also talks about the nuclear threats coming from Iran.

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President Obama's latest executive order is cutting the budget on swag. That means no more beer coozies or bags from federal agencies. The public seems pretty supportive of the move because it doesn't change the goods and services they will get. But as Ed O'Keefe explains, there are some businesses who don't like the new plan and they've even written the White House to tell them why.

Air Force officials have testified before lawmakers about the mortuary scandal and the retaliation that happened against the whistleblowers. Three mortuary workers did lose their jobs, but the whistleblowers faced temporary leave. John Donnelly, from Congressional Quarterly, explains how the Air Force mishandled the situation and what it's doing to pick up the pieces.

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It's not even 2012 yet, but already the GOP presidential hopefuls are making the rounds and making the news everyday. Whether it's a sex scandal or a memory lapse, the Republican candidates are topping the headlines. In this edition of Capital Insider's Week in Review, Democrat Erikka Knuti faces off against Republican Jack Burkman about the Cain controversy, Perry's oops moment and President Obama's mic mistake.

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From October on, it's basically three months of excess. Whether it's what you eat (candy for Halloween, Thanksgiving feast or Christmas cookies) or how much you spend (costumes, presents and travel), this year Capital Insider wants to teach you how to do more with less. Dani Johnson, financial guru and star of ABC's Secret Millionaire, explains why you don't have to over indulge for the holidays. Also, if you plan on spending on Black Friday, Dani has a few reasons why you should just stay home. We still promise there will be plenty of presents under the tree.

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The Defense Department is getting more specific about what type of cyber crimes could be considered acts of war. The Pentagon has also said China is its biggest threat, when it comes to cybersecurity. Retired Air Force Lt. Colonel Cedric Leighton explains what China is after and how the U.S. is protecting itself.

Facebook has changed the way the average joe connects to his or her friends and family. Now law enforcement has created its own social media tool to help officers communicate on a secure network. CopBook is used by some federal agencies and local jurisdictions around the country and its spreading. Capital Insider got a look at how cops are using it to catch criminals and communicate.

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It's 2011 and the country has come a long way in terms of civil rights. Women have the same jobs as men and new research shows they're even more likely to go beyond college to get masters and doctorate degrees. But females in the federal workplace and beyond still make less than their male counterparts. GAO's latest report looks why they the gender wage gap is still around, after all these years.

Tully Rinckey attorney Lisa Windsor gives us an insider's look at the Family Medical Leave Act recently put into law. It helps military members and their families during deployments, but there are serious consequences for feds who don't understand how to go about using it.

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First he took on the big banks, getting the debit card swipe fee axed. Now Illinois Senator Dick Durbin is trying to take on online retailers, making them charge the same sales tax their store front competitors have. Of course, these online businesses aren't going down without a fight. They are lobbying to make sure this proposal doesn't become reality. Roll Call's Janie Lorber explains how big business and politics are intersecting again.

The Transportation Security Administration is trying out a new type of security where agents ask frequent fliers questions before boarding. Only four airports are using it right now. Mickey McCarter explains how it works and what else the TSA has changed in recent months.

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Federal workers are facing pay freezes and possible more budget cuts. Now, some of them are joining the Occupy movement, saying they're apart of the 99%. The Washington Post's Federal Diary columnist Joe Davidson explain some of the feds' grievances.

An amazing story about a local man who's making a big difference. Frank Bryant started a local non-profit called Free My City and his personal story has intersected in his daily work. Once a college dropout, Frank turned his life around and ended up with diplomas from three top universities, including Harvard. Now, he wants people to get involved with the fight for education. Read about Frank's story here and how you can help his mission.

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Getting financially fit doesn't have to be difficult. It doesn't necessarily require you to cut your favorite things out of your life. But sometimes the small changes you make can save you big money. Eleanor Blayney, who is a consumer advocate with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. She tells us the biggest mistakes people make with their money and the tiny transformations that can help you save.

The temperatures were rising in our studios as Ryan Clayton, from 100proofpolitics.com and Kereakos Zuras, former economic adviser for the Bush administration face off about job creation and who's doing a better job at fixing the economy.

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The super committee has until Thanksgiving to find at least $1.2 trillion in savings. Bankrupting America, from The Public Notice, is trying to get Congress to act before the deadline comes and goes.

A look at Libya in a post-Gadhafi world. Intelligence officer Tony Shaffer shares his expertise about how Libya is handling the transition after four decades of dictatorship.

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The U.S. Navy is investing in new technology that will help prevent identity theft for its users. It also tries to make sure private documents stay private.

"The Washington Post" Fact Checker, Glenn Kessler, explains just how accurate the President and White House officials are being about his jobs plan. We find out if the promises add up to more jobs in reality.

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Usually when someone is talking about peer pressure, it's not in a positive light. But peer pressure is partly what helped Bank of America customers get their way when it came to the $5 debit card fee proposal. Other financial institutions that were thinking about charging a fee for debit card use all decided in the past two weeks that they wouldn't implement the extra charge. Bank of America was the only bank left still mulling it over. Finally, Tuesday afternoon the Charlotte-based bank said it was dropping the idea. Of course. hearing from its customers definitely persuaded the bank. There was an online petition going with more than 300,000 signatures on it. Customers planned a walk-out coming up in the next week. All those protests were heard, including some from Consumers Union. That group is one of many that fought hard against the fee proposal.

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Sex scandals and politics: it seems the two sometimes go hand-in-hand and campaigns are always left picking up the pieces after a scandal breaks. Whether the allegations are true usually doesn't matter. The rumors themselves cause enough damage that they can derail a campaign, even before the facts come out. Republican strategist Ford O'Connell, who worked as an adviser on the McCain/Palin ticket, tells us what Cain's people did right and wrong when the POLITICO article hit the web. Now one of Cain's accusers wants to tell her side of the story.

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