ProPublica was awarded the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for public service on Monday, recognizing their groundbreaking series of articles that shed light on the extravagant gifts received by Supreme Court justices. Their in-depth investigation brought unprecedented attention and scrutiny to the operations of the highest court in the land.
The Pulitzer Prize, regarded as one of the most esteemed accolades in journalism, was granted to 15 news organizations. Notably, The New York Times and The Washington Post each received three Pulitzers, while a digital community start-up in Santa Cruz, California was also honored with one.
The board commended ProPublica for its “groundbreaking and ambitious reporting” that successfully penetrated the veil of secrecy surrounding the Supreme Court. As a result of their efforts, a code of conduct was adopted.
An investigation uncovered that Justice Clarence Thomas had enjoyed luxurious vacations for over 20 years, courtesy of billionaire Republican donor Harlan Crow. Surprisingly, these vacations were never reported on the judge’s financial disclosure forms.
Reporters Joshua Kaplan, Justin Elliott, Brett Murphy, Alex Mierjeski, and Kirsten Berg were the recipients of the prestigious award. ProPublica celebrated its seventh Pulitzer Prize win.
Lookout Santa Cruz, a digital news organization that started in November 2020, has received recognition in the breaking news category for its extensive reporting on the devastating floods and mudslides that uprooted numerous individuals and caused the destruction of over 1,000 homes and businesses.
The New York Times emerged victorious in the category of international reporting, thanks to its comprehensive coverage of the Hamas attack on October 7 and the subsequent forceful and fatal response from the Israeli military in Gaza. The newspaper was also recognized for its exceptional investigative reporting and captivating feature writing.
The Washington Post, together with Reuters, was recognized for its outstanding national reporting. Additionally, the paper was honored for its exceptional editorial writing and commentary by Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza.
