Farm bill sleight of hand hides subsidy recipients

What do a Texas oil billionaire, a former NBA basketball star and a Washington “uber-lobbyist” have in common?  They all received money (legally) under a program to subsidize farmers.  But according to the Environmental Working Group, you can’t find out if they or others like them still receive payments because the U.S. Department of Agriculture is no longer publishing the names of individuals receiving payments.

All because Congress inserted during the closed conference committee meeting two provisions into the massive 2008 farm bill that gave the USDA the authority to do it.