ProPublica wins NYFWA award for distinguished financial journalism

The New York Financial Writers’ Association announced that ProPublica reporters Justin Elliott, Josh Kaplan, Brett Murphy and Alex Mierjeski have been named winners of the 2023 Impact Award for Distinguished Financial Journalism.

The award is for a series of articles investigating conflict of interest, failed oversight and ethical indiscretions at the nation’s highest court. The series is titled, “Friends of the Court: Scotus Justices’ Beneficial Relationships With Billionaire Donors.”

The ProPublica investigation, which totals more than 20 stories thus far, has unveiled the intersection between financial power and judicial power in America at the highest levels. It shows how four billionaires and other ultrawealthy businessmen have bought exclusive access to the nation’s most powerful court – the Supreme Court – by spending potentially millions of dollars on exotic vacations, private jet trips, real estate deals and other financial benefits primarily for Justice Clarence Thomas.

Justice Samuel Alito also vacationed on a luxury Alaska salmon fishing trip as the guest of a billionaire whose company had frequent cases before the Supreme Court. Both justices failed to disclose these gifts. The billionaires include real estate tycoon Harlan Crow, hedge fund executive Paul Singer, entrepreneur Wayne Huizenga, and oil baron Tony Novelly.

The impact of public scrutiny stemming from the ProPublica series spurred the Supreme Court to announce in November its first code of ethics in its 234-year history and Justice Thomas to amend some of his disclosure forms. The series also sparked a Senate Finance Committee investigation into the tax filings of billionaire Crow, including whether he properly disclosed to the IRS some gifts to Justice Thomas.

The Crow tax probe also has increased overall public scrutiny and calls for reform regarding how the ultra-wealthy report taxes, including billionaires’ common practice of skirting tax laws by claiming business deductions on their pleasure yachts.