Impact

Journalism in the Public Interest

Impact has been at the core of ProPublica’s mission since we launched in 2008, and it remains the principal yardstick for our success today. Our investigative journalism does more than expose wrongdoing and injustice; we intend for it to spark real-world change.

We’ve written a whole white paper on the topic, and examples of how our stories have produced such change — from the resignation of corrupt officials to the passage of new laws — are compiled in our annual reports. On this page, you’ll find our reporting on the impact of our work.

Featured Impact

EPA Takes Action to Combat Industrial Air Pollution

The EPA announced a raft of targeted actions and specific reforms including stepped-up air monitoring and scrutiny of industrial polluters in the wake of ProPublica’s investigation into toxic hot spots.

by Ava Kofman and Lisa Song

Intuit Will Pay Millions to Customers Tricked Into Paying for TurboTax

State attorneys general just reached a $141 million settlement with the Silicon Valley juggernaut. Victims will receive up to $90 each.

by Justin Elliott

Tennessee Judge Who Illegally Jailed Children Plans to Retire, Will Not Seek Reelection

Since 2000, Judge Donna Scott Davenport has overseen juvenile justice in Rutherford County. Following reporting from Nashville Public Radio and ProPublica, public outcry and a bill seeking to oust the judge, Davenport announced her retirement.

by Alexis Marshall and Meribah Knight, Nashville Public Radio, and Ken Armstrong, ProPublica

House Bill Would Blow Up the Massive IRAs of the Superwealthy

The proposed reform stems from a ProPublica story that detailed how PayPal founder Peter Thiel had amassed $5 billion, tax-free, in a Roth IRA. If the bill passes, Roth accounts would be capped at $20 million for high-income individuals.

by Justin Elliott, Patricia Callahan and James Bandler

More Impact

The Federal Government Is Investigating an Illinois School Where Students With Disabilities Were Frequently Arrested

The civil rights inquiry by the Department of Education follows a ProPublica and Chicago Tribune investigation that found the school regularly called police to arrest students.

by Jennifer Smith Richards, Chicago Tribune, and Jodi S. Cohen, ProPublica

Illinois to Relocate at Least Half of Residents in Facility Plagued by Abuse and Cover-Ups

Officials acknowledged that news reporting had put a spotlight on conditions at the center for people with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses. “Significant changes” are needed, the governor says.

by Beth Hundsdorfer, Capitol News Illinois, and Molly Parker, Lee Enterprises Midwest

Legislators Vote to Fix Utah Law That Made It Hard for Some Sexual Assault Survivors to Sue

The vote last week helps those assaulted in medical settings. But it won’t help the 94 women whose suit brought the issue to light.

by Jessica Miller, The Salt Lake Tribune

Closing Critical Gun Background Check Loophole Gains Bipartisan Support in Texas

After a ProPublica-Texas Tribune investigation found courts failed to report juvenile mental health hospitalizations to the federal firearm background check system, lawmakers from both parties are backing bills to ensure compliance with the law.

by Jeremy Schwartz and Kiah Collier

Ex-Honorary Consul Accused of Financing Hezbollah Indicted on Money Laundering, Terrorism Counts

Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi was one of 500 “shadow diplomats” identified in a global investigation by ProPublica and ICIJ.

by Evan Robinson-Johnson for ProPublica

New Bill Could End Police Ticketing in Illinois Schools

Students have continued to get costly citations for vaping, fighting and other misbehavior even after state officials directed educators to end the practice.

by Jodi S. Cohen, ProPublica, and Jennifer Smith Richards, Chicago Tribune

Colorado Lawmakers Consider Reforms to the Way Family Courts Handle Abuse Allegations

Several people who testified in favor of the proposed reforms are plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit against former custody evaluator Mark Kilmer, alleging fraud and breach of contract.

by Hannah Dreyfus

Prosecutors and Judges Push for Conviction Reviews, Ban on Junk Science of 911 Call Analysis

Following a ProPublica investigation, attorneys have called for punishing prosecutors who used the technique knowing it was inadmissible in court. One conviction gets another look.

by Brett Murphy

Legislators Demand Hearings on Illinois Mental Health Facility Where Staff Abused Patients and Covered It Up

Repeated investigations of the center have revealed patients who were beaten and humiliated by staff, and staff who lied to cover up their actions.

by Molly Parker, Lee Enterprises Midwest, and Beth Hundsdorfer, Capitol News Illinois

Regulators Overhaul Inspections of Hospice Providers

A report last year from ProPublica and The New Yorker revealed a $22 billion hospice industry rife with fraud and exploitation. CMS announced reforms that go into effect immediately.

by Ava Kofman

Senators Demand Answers About “Alarming” Reports of Excessive and Risky Artery Procedures on Veterans

Hours after ProPublica and The Wichita Eagle published allegations of kickbacks for the “egregious” use of medical devices at a veterans hospital, Kansas’ Republican senators have questions for the VA secretary.

by Annie Waldman

Louisiana to Drop Lawsuits Against Katrina Survivors Over Recovery Grants

Louisiana sued thousands of homeowners for not following the rules in how they spent recovery grants. After a joint news investigation, the governor announced Thursday that the state won’t try to collect the money.

by David Hammer, WWL-TV, and Richard A. Webster, Verite

How the Wealthy Save Billions in Taxes by Skirting a Century-Old Law

Congress outlawed tax deductions on “wash sales” in 1921, but Goldman Sachs and others have helped billionaires like Steve Ballmer see huge tax savings by selling stocks for a loss and then replacing them with nearly identical investments.

by Paul Kiel and Jeff Ernsthausen

Hoping to Prevent Repeat of Botched Response to Uvalde, Lawmaker Calls for Improved Training for Police, EMTs

The proposed legislation comes after an investigation by ProPublica, The Texas Tribune and The Washington Post revealed that communication lapses among medical crews further delayed treatment for victims at Robb Elementary.

by Lomi Kriel, ProPublica and The Texas Tribune, and Alejandro Serrano, The Texas Tribune

Federal Agency Rejects Developer’s Report That Massive Grain Elevator Won’t Harm Black Heritage Sites

For the second time, the Army Corps of Engineers has reprimanded a Louisiana developer for its failure to offer an adequate assessment of the impact that its $400 million project would have on neighboring Black communities and historic sites.

by Seth Freed Wessler

Lawmakers Pledge to Fight for Comprehensive Action on Stillbirths

A ProPublica investigation found the U.S. lagging other developed nations in reducing the number of stillbirths. Lawmakers say increased funding will be key to any improvement.

by Duaa Eldeib

New Pentagon Rules Keep Many Military Court Records Secret

Despite a 2016 law requiring transparency, the Defense Department is limiting public access to court records in the military justice system. A recent ProPublica lawsuit appears to have spurred the new Pentagon guidance.

by Megan Rose

Judge Orders Washington State Private Special Education School to Turn Over Records

A recent Seattle Times and ProPublica investigation of the Northwest School of Innovative Learning found complaints of abuse and minimal instruction. The school argued it wasn’t subject to public records laws. A King County judge disagrees.

by Lulu Ramadan, The Seattle Times

Jordan, Latvia and Israel Shake Up Diplomatic Corps After “Shadow Diplomats” Investigation

After receiving questions from journalists, governments announced the termination and reviews of honorary consuls tied to controversies or accused of wrongdoing.

by Will Fitzgibbon, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists

Washington State Launches Investigation of Private Special Education Schools

The inquiry and a sweeping reform bill follow a Seattle Times and ProPublica investigation that found allegations of abuse, overuse of isolation rooms and pressure to skimp on staffing and resources at the Northwest School of Innovative Learning.

by Mike Reicher and Lulu Ramadan, The Seattle Times

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