The Trump administration has ushered in a new wave of conservative policies and personnel. But it’s also led to the rise of watchdog groups dedicated to investigating Trump and his agencies. And on this episode of PULSE CHECK, leaders of two new watchdogs discuss why they launched and what they’ve learned.

First, Mary Alice Carter of Equity Forward joined POLITICO’s Dan Diamond to discuss her organization’s focus on the HHS officials overseeing reproductive health, and why she thinks Trump’s health policy moves are especially dangerous. (Starts at the 1:50 mark.)

Then, Toly Rinberg and Rachel Bergman of the Sunlight Foundation’s Web Integrity Project discuss how their fledgling effort to track changes to federal webpages led them to Washington, D.C., and what they’ve uncovered at HHS and beyond. (Starts at the 17:10 mark.)

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Referenced on the podcast:

HHS’ move to remove lesbian and bisexual health content from its women’s health website, uncovered by the Web Integrity Project: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/21/hhs-strips-lesbian-bisexual-health-content-from-womens-health-website-430123

Equity Forward's focus on Scott Lloyd, the director of the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement: https://www.equityfwd.org/research/personnel-policy-meet-anti-abortion-crusader-scott-lloyd/

Dan’s podcast with Seattle public health director Patty Hayes, who’s suing HHS over its move to cancel the teen pregnancy prevention program: https://simplecast.com/s/46ec2019

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