Top Politics Journalists in USA (2025)

Anna Palmer is the CEO and co-founder of Punchbowl News, a Washington-based outlet specializing in power dynamics between Congress, the White House, and lobbying entities. With a career spanning investigative journalism, newsletter innovation, and best-selling authorship, she has become one of DC’s most trusted interpreters of legislative strategy.

Key Coverage Areas

• Congressional Leadership Tactics: Tracks how party whips negotiate with caucus factions and external stakeholders.
• K Street Influence Networks: Analyzes lobbying firms’ adaptation to shifting political control, particularly in tech and energy sectors.
• Presidential-Congressional Relations: Explores tensions between executive orders and legislative agendas.

Pitching Insights

• Do: Submit documents showing discrepancies between public statements and private meeting summaries.
• Don’t: Pitch local politics or international affairs without clear DC policy connections.

Achievements Snapshot

• Co-authored NYT bestseller The Hill to Die On (Crown, 2019)
• Recipient of 2020 Gerald R. Ford Journalism Prize
• Grew POLITICO Playbook’s revenue by 110% as co-author

For pitches, emphasize underreported financial ties between legislation and industry groups, particularly those involving emerging policy areas like AI governance or clean energy subsidies.

As Fox News’ chief political anchor since 2009, Bret Baier has redefined election coverage through his unique blend of historical context and real-time analysis. With 27 years at Fox, he helms the network’s flagship Special Report while authoring bestselling books that dissect pivotal moments in U.S. leadership.

Key Coverage Areas

• Presidential Politics: Tracks White House decision-making processes through constitutional lens
• Geopolitical Strategy: Analyzes conflict zones with historical parallels to 19th/20th century crises
• Election Mechanics: Focuses on voting systems, campaign finance, and demographic shifts over personality-driven narratives

Pitching Insights

• Historical Frameworks: Connect current events to Reconstruction Era or Cold War precedents
• Data-Rich Angles: Include original polling cross-tabs or declassified document analysis
• Constitutional Angles: Highlight Bill of Rights implications in tech/security debates

Notable Achievements

• Moderated 9 presidential debates viewed by 150M+ Americans
• 6 NYT bestsellers analyzing leadership crucibles from Grant to Reagan
• 2017 Peabody Award for “transcending partisan noise through rigorous fact-checking”

As The Wash’s dedicated Alexandria reporter, Adams specializes in making municipal governance accessible through data-rich narratives. His work sits at the intersection of:

• Urban Policy Analysis: Tracking the implementation of local initiatives from council chambers to neighborhood streets
• Community Empowerment: Developing tools for residents to engage with bureaucratic processes
• Historical Contextualization: Revealing how past decisions shape current development debates

Pitching Priorities

• Actionable Data: Share hyperlocal statistics with clear policy implications
• Unlikely Stakeholders: Highlight voices beyond usual advocacy groups
• Process Innovations: Showcase creative approaches to persistent urban challenges

“The most compelling stories live in the gap between official policies and lived experiences.”

Recent recognition includes the 2024 Virginia Press Association Award for his food desert investigation. Adams continues to mentor emerging journalists through American University’s Community Reporting Lab initiative.

As The New York Times’ premier analyst of political texts, Lozada brings economist precision to cultural criticism. His work deciphers how power manifests through language, from presidential memoirs to Supreme Court opinions.

Key Coverage Areas

• Ideological Archaeology: Traces policy ideas from academic journals to campaign trails
• Accountability Literature: Analyzes government reports as literary artifacts
• Narrative Infrastructure: Examines how political stories shape institutional realities

Pitching Preferences

• Do:
  • Provide advance copies with annotated key passages
  • Connect authors to unexpected historical precedents
  • Highlight bipartisan implications of niche policy arguments
• Avoid:
  • Personality-driven political memoirs without analytical depth
  • Hyper-partisan manifestos lacking intellectual rigor
  • Academic texts without clear public engagement strategies

Career Highlights

• 2019 Pulitzer for Criticism (youngest winner in category)
• 17-year Washington Post tenure before NYT column
• Author of two defining Trump-era intellectual histories

At 53, Lozada continues redefining political journalism through his unique methodology – treating governance as a text and texts as governance in embryo.

As a ProPublica investigative reporter based in Texas, Jaramillo exposes how policy decisions impact vulnerable populations. Her work straddles:

• Healthcare Access: Tracking maternal mortality under abortion bans
• Voting Rights: Investigating groups undermining election integrity
• Institutional Betrayal: Documenting legal systems failing protected classes

Pitching Priorities

• Lead with Data: She requires documented patterns, not anecdotal claims
• Geographic Focus: Texas, Georgia, and states modeling their policies
• Avoid: Incremental policy updates without systemic implications

“Her reporting functions as both microscope and mirror—revealing institutional flaws while reflecting victims’ humanity.”

With nearly four decades in political journalism, Chris Plante combines deep policy expertise with engaging storytelling across multiple platforms:

• Current Roles:
  • WMAL Radio Host (9am-12pm ET)
  • Newsmax TV Panel Moderator (9pm ET)
• Key Coverage Areas:
  • National security policy implementation
  • Media bias patterns across administrations
  • Border security technological developments

Pitching Priorities

Successful outreach should emphasize:

• Policy Impact Timelines: How legislation affects different demographics over 5/10/20 year periods
• Security Tech ROI: Cost-benefit analyses of defense appropriations
• Cultural Policy Intersections: Entertainment industry responses to regulatory changes

"The best stories reveal how power structures actually function, not just how they're supposed to work" - Plante, 2024 Media Leadership Forum

As editor of The Christian Science Monitor, Christa Case Bryant brings two decades of reporting experience across three continents to her leadership role. Her work sits at the intersection of policy depth and narrative accessibility, making complex governance issues relatable to national audiences.

Core Coverage Areas

• Legislative Process Mechanics: Specializes in committee-level policy making rather than partisan horse-race politics
• Immigration Systems: Focuses on asylum law implementation and border security tech integration
• Transatlantic Relations: Draws on European reporting experience to analyze NATO and trade policies

Pitching Preferences

• Prefers: Longitudinal studies of policy impacts, cross-border governance comparisons, bipartisan coalition building
• Avoids: Celebrity politics, local electioneering, single-issue advocacy pieces

“The best stories help readers understand how power structures actually function, not just how they’re portrayed.” – Bryant, 2023 Monitor editorial meeting

Career Highlights

• First journalist to interview both Israeli and Hamas leaders during 2014 Gaza ceasefire negotiations
• Documented 23 migrant journeys from Central America to U.S. courts (2018-2020)
• Led award-winning team coverage of January 6 committee hearings

Daniel Dale serves as CNN's senior reporter specializing in political claim verification and executive power analysis. Based in Washington D.C., his work combines traditional investigative journalism with data science methodologies.

Core Coverage Areas

• Presidential Statements: Real-time analysis of executive branch claims using primary source verification
• Immigration Policy: Focused on discrepancies between judicial rulings and administrative implementation
• Information Ecosystems: Tracking misinformation spread patterns across traditional/digital media

Pitching Priorities

• Documented policy implementation gaps with cross-agency impacts
• Novel legal challenges to executive authority
• Quantifiable misinformation metrics with demographic breakdowns

"The most effective pitches demonstrate both immediate news value and systemic significance."

Career Highlights

• 2019 Norman Webster Award for International Reporting
• 2016 Politico Breakout Media Star designation
• Developed CNN's fact-checking protocol adopted by 23 affiliate stations

David A. Graham is a Pulitzer-finalist journalist specializing in U.S. power structures and their societal impacts. As a staff writer at The Atlantic, his work bridges policy analysis with cultural commentary.

Key Coverage Areas

• Executive Branch Evolution: Tracking presidential authority expansion since 2016
• Policy Implementation: How legislation transforms through bureaucratic processes
• Cultural Infrastructure: Music’s role in shaping political discourse

Pitching Preferences

• Do Pitch: - Underreported regulatory changes - Cross-sector impacts of judiciary appointments - Arts funding policy analysis
• Avoid: - Celebrity-driven political stories - Partisan opinion pieces - Local election coverage without national implications

"The most dangerous policies often hide in plain sight – our job is to make readers see the filing cabinet behind the podium."

With 40+ years documenting Latin America’s upheavals, Adams currently focuses on Haiti’s intersecting crises for The New York Times en Español and investigative platforms. His work combines crime data analysis with vivid narratives of institutional collapse.

Pitching Priorities

• Haiti’s Humanitarian Infrastructure: Seeks stories about hospitals, schools, or NGOs adapting to gang control (e.g., clinics using motorcycle ambulances to bypass checkpoints).
• Weapon Trafficking Forensics: Interested in ballistic matches linking U.S.-sourced firearms to specific massacres.
• Media Survival Tactics: Profiles of journalists using encrypted apps or solar-powered equipment to maintain operations.

Avoid

• Celebrity-focused activism without on-ground impact evidence
• Broad policy statements from non-operational NGOs
• Speculative solutions lacking implementation timelines

Awards: Maria Moors Cabot Prize (2002), Paul Hansell Distinguished Journalism Award (1999)

David Webb stands at the intersection of constitutional conservatism and modern media innovation. As a Fox News contributor and SiriusXM Patriot host, he’s developed a signature style blending historical analysis with grassroots storytelling.

Key Coverage Areas

• Constitutional Law in Practice: Regular analysis of Supreme Court cases impacting everyday Americans
• Media Ecosystem Evolution: Critiques of tech platforms’ content moderation policies
• Outdoor Policy Journalism: Conservation debates framed through federalism lens

Pitching Preferences

• Data-Driven Stories: Webb favors statistics from nonpartisan think tanks like Pew or Brookings
• Historical Parallels: Successful pitches often include archival research components
• Grassroots Voices: Prioritizes interviews with small business owners over corporate executives

Career Highlights

"Webb’s career mirrors the evolution of conservative media itself – adapting without compromising core principles." — Conservative Media Review

• 28+ years in broadcast media across 6 major markets
• 15M+ monthly audience reach across platforms
• Advisor to First Amendment advocacy groups

Ed Gannon, editor-emeritus of The Rappahannock Voice, specializes in rural governance and economic development. With roots at The Des Moines Register and The Wall Street Journal, his work blends old-school rigor with digital accessibility.

Pitching Insights

• Seek Localized Data: He prioritizes stories with verifiable community impact, such as school funding changes or small-business innovations.
• Avoid National Agendas: Pitches tied to congressional debates or viral trends are less likely to engage him.

“Without phosphorus, life would not exist as we know it.” – From his science writing

Emma Paterson is a Washington, D.C.-based reporter for Cronkite News, specializing in immigration policy, border security, and legislative analysis. A senior at Arizona State University, she combines academic rigor with fieldwork to dissect how national policies affect border communities.

Pitching Tips

• Focus on Local Impact: Paterson seeks stories that illustrate federal policies’ real-world consequences, such as migrant shelter capacity in Sonora or water scarcity in border towns.
• Avoid Celebrity-Driven Angles: She prioritizes systemic issues over individual narratives unless they exemplify broader trends.

Her work has been recognized by the Walter Cronkite School for its depth and ethical reporting, positioning her as a journalist to watch in political and humanitarian coverage.

Eric Black is a veteran journalist specializing in the intersection of politics, history, and media ethics. Currently contributing to MinnPost after a 25-year tenure at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, his work dissects how historical frameworks shape contemporary policy debates.

Current Focus Areas

• U.S. Constitutional Law: Analyzes Supreme Court decisions through the lens of 18th-century ratification debates.
• Legislative Processes: Tracks how committee structures and procedural rules impact bill passage rates.
• Media Accountability: Examines journalistic practices in an era of misinformation, emphasizing historical precedents like the Fairness Doctrine.

Avoid These Topics

• Celebrity Politics: Rarely covers personalities unless tied to institutional power shifts.
• Local Sports or Arts: Focuses exclusively on policy implications of cultural issues.

“Journalism’s highest calling is to contextualize, not just chronicle.” – Black’s 2017 SPJ acceptance speech

Pitching Recommendations

• Use Historical Frameworks: A pitch about voter ID laws should reference Reconstruction-era ballot access battles.
• Cite Legislative Text: Provide direct links to bills’ PDFs rather than secondary summaries.

Currently based in New York as an NBC News correspondent, McLaughlin specializes in international crisis reporting with a focus on systemic failures and human resilience. Her two-decade career spans三大洲, with particular expertise in:

• Disaster forensics: Architectural safety protocols, emergency response systems
• Economic policy impacts: Tariff consequences, infrastructure investment outcomes
• Cross-cultural narratives: Diaspora communities in crisis situations

Pitching Preferences

• Do: Lead with data-driven angles on prevention rather than disaster aftermath
• Don’t: Pitch celebrity-focused stories or local politics
• Unique Opportunity: She frequently collaborates with academic researchers on long-form projects

Recent notable work includes her 2025 investigation into Caribbean nightclub safety standards, which influenced regional policy reforms. McLaughlin maintains particular interest in stories bridging business analytics with human rights considerations.

As Washington correspondent for Australia's premier news organizations, Tomazin deciphers American politics for international audiences. Her work sits at the intersection of:

• Electoral Strategy: Campaign mechanics, demographic targeting, digital outreach
• Political Culture: Rhetorical analysis, protest movements, institutional trust
• Media Ecosystems: Platform accountability, disinformation trends, press freedom

Pitching Priorities

• Seek: Policy-cultural intersections, undercovered voting blocs, comparative international analyses
• Avoid: Pure opinion commentary, daily polling updates, state-level policy minutiae

"The most successful pitches help me connect Washington's theater to its global audience – make me see the familiar through fresh eyes."

With a career spanning The New York Times’ op-ed pages to Duke University’s lecture halls, Frank Bruni has mastered the art of connecting policy to personal experience. His current work focuses on three pillars:

• Political Analysis: From election security to bipartisan dialogue, Bruni dissects governance through a humanist lens. Recent work explores rural-urban divides in post-2024 America.
• Media Ethics: His critiques of modern journalism emphasize historical context, advocating for solutions that blend traditional standards with digital innovation.
• Memoir Writing: Books like The Beauty of Dusk blend vulnerability with societal observation, creating blueprints for resilient living.

Pitching Insights

Do pitch: Stories that reveal systemic issues through individual journeys (e.g., small-business owners navigating trade policies). Bruni’s coverage of pandemic-era restaurateurs exemplifies this approach.

Avoid: Celebrity-driven pieces or purely partisan commentary. His review of political memoirs focuses on literary merit over ideological alignment.

Awards Snapshot

• 2024 North Carolina Award for Literature
• 2016 Randy Shilts Award for LGBTQ+ Advocacy
• Five-time New York Times bestselling author

Gordan Baron is a leading voice analyzing US-China relations through legal, economic, and strategic lenses. As a regular contributor to The Wall Street Journal and National Review, his work informs policymakers and corporate leaders navigating great power competition.

Key Coverage Areas

• Geoeconomic Strategy: Examines trade policies, sanctions regimes, and resource competition through historical and quantitative frameworks
• Defense Innovation: Tracks military-tech convergence, emphasizing hypersonic systems and AI-enabled warfare
• Authoritarian Tech Governance: Analyzes digital surveillance ecosystems and their global export patterns

Pitching Priorities

• Source proposals with declassified documents or satellite imagery analysis
• Highlight underreported Sino-alliance developments in Africa/Middle East
• Connect regulatory changes to multinational corporate risk assessments

Recipient of the 2022 Hillsdale College Freedom Leadership Award, Baron’s predictive analyses have shaped congressional testimony and NATO policy papers. His upcoming book The Autocrat’s Playbook (2025) systematizes authoritarian adaptation strategies across 12 case studies.

Grant Segall is a veteran journalist specializing in politics, law, and social equity, currently writing for The Land in Cleveland, Ohio. With a career spanning over 40 years, his work bridges local reporting and national policy analysis, particularly on immigration, refugee rights, and economic justice.

Pitching Insights

• Focus Areas:
  • Immigration Policy: Segall seeks stories highlighting the human impact of legislation, such as family separations or asylum backlogs.
  • Legal Aid Access: Pitch data-driven investigations into underfunded public defender systems or eviction crises.
• Avoid: Celebrity culture, speculative tech trends, or international affairs without a clear Ohio connection.

Achievements

“Segall’s reporting doesn’t just inform—it mobilizes communities to demand accountability.”

• National Headliner Award for Investigative Reporting
• Author of John D. Rockefeller: Anointed With Oil (Oxford University Press)

With 13 books and three Emmy-nominated documentaries, Mitchell has redefined historical journalism through:

• Core Beats:
  • Political campaign strategies (historical & modern)
  • Media-government relations in conflict zones
  • Nuclear policy cultural impacts
• Recent Platforms:
  • Primary: The Nation (2009-2016 archive; ongoing contributor)
  • Documentary: PBS stations nationwide (2021-2023 films)
  • Longform: Substack newsletter analyzing historical media patterns

Pitching Priorities

Successful outreach should emphasize:

• Unseen Archives: Newly declassified documents about 20th-century media campaigns
• Cross-Media Analysis: Film/TV’s role in shaping defense policy debates
• Historical Precedents: Parallels between past/press freedom challenges

Achievement Highlights

• 2024 Organization of American Historians Film/TV Award
• 1993 Goldsmith Book Prize for political journalism
• Dual Emmy nominations for historical documentaries

Harriet Alexander is a Senior Features Reporter for The Times and The Sunday Times, specializing in the intersection of U.S. politics, global business, and environmental policy. Based in New York, her work bridges investigative rigor with narrative flair, often focusing on how systemic forces—trade wars, climate litigation, corporate lobbying—impact everyday lives.

Pitching Priorities

• Policy with a Human Face: Stories that connect legislation to personal stories, e.g., farmers adapting to carbon markets.
• Cross-Border Investigations: Multinational angles, particularly U.S.-UK-EU trade disputes.
• Underreported Environmental Conflicts: Legal battles over resource extraction, especially with indigenous communities.

Achievements

• 2024 Foreign Press Association Award for exposing Amazon deforestation networks
• 20M+ readership for 2015’s “Cecil the Lion” investigation, reshaping trophy-hunting debates

Initial G is a New York-based investigative journalist at The Current, specializing in politics, law, and media ethics. Their work, characterized by meticulous data analysis and community-centered narratives, has driven legislative reforms and national dialogues on civil rights.

Pitching Insights

• Focus Areas: Criminal justice reform, First Amendment litigation, and digital media’s role in democracy. Successful pitches interweave policy documents with human stories, as seen in their police misconduct investigation.
• Avoid: Entertainment industry trends or international trade agreements. Initial G’s portfolio emphasizes domestic systemic challenges over global or celebrity-centric topics.

Career Highlights

• IRE Award winner for exposing institutional negligence in Georgia’s law enforcement (2024).
• Cited by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights for contributing to police accountability reforms.

For collaboration opportunities, prioritize evidence-driven stories with clear public impact, avoiding speculative or anecdotal angles.

Isaac Avilucea is a senior journalist at Axios Philadelphia, where he dissects the intersection of policy, law, and community advocacy. With a career spanning investigative triumphs at The Trentonian and data-driven storytelling at Axios, he has become a trusted voice on issues shaping Pennsylvania’s socio-political landscape.

Pitching Insights

• What He Covers: Local governance, legal disputes, and grassroots responses to state/federal policies. His work often highlights systemic inequities in education, taxation, and criminal justice.
• What He Avoids: National partisan rhetoric, celebrity-driven stories, or corporate finance trends without clear local ties.

Career Highlights

• First Amendment Defense: Successfully challenged a prior restraint order in New Jersey while battling cancer, setting a precedent for press freedoms.
• Investigative Rigor: Uncovered child welfare failures in Trenton, leading to foster care reforms.

For pitches, align with his mission to expose inequities and elevate community voices. Avoid speculative angles or unsourced claims—his reporting is rooted in documents and direct testimony.

Jake Tapper anchors CNN’s flagship programs The Lead and State of the Union, reaching 2.3 million daily viewers. His reporting prioritizes electoral integrity, executive branch accountability, and historical political analysis.

Pitching Preferences

• Presidential Policy Deep Dives: Tapper seeks experts who can explain legislative battles through constituent impacts, as seen in his 2024 Medicare negotiation series.
• Media Innovation Stories: His 2023 investigation into TikTok’s election influence algorithms demonstrates interest in tech-policy intersections.

Achievements Snapshot

• Most-watched debate moderator in CNN history (23M viewers for 2015 GOP primary)
• Only journalist to interview both Biden and Trump during their 2024 campaigns

As The New Yorker’s chief Washington correspondent, Mayer specializes in:

• Political Finance Networks: Tracking dark money flows through nonprofit organizations and Super PACs
• National Security Law: Examining constitutional implications of counterterrorism policies
• Corporate Influence: Documenting industry lobbying’s impact on regulatory frameworks

Pitching Priorities

When approaching Mayer with story ideas:

"Focus on verifiable paper trails – donor lists, court filings, internal memos. The most compelling pitches demonstrate how hidden systems affect ordinary citizens."

Recent Career Highlights

• 2024 Peabody Award for political reporting excellence
• Featured witness in Congressional hearings on AI election interference
• Regular analyst for PBS NewsHour’s democracy desk

Jasmine Rivera is a TribLIVE opinion writer and policy analyst focusing on education reform, immigration legislation, and structural government reforms. Based in Pennsylvania, her work blends grassroots perspectives with legislative expertise.

Primary Beats

• Education Policy Advocates for school choice models and vocational training expansion, often citing Pennsylvania’s urban-rural funding disparities.
• Immigration Legislation Analyzes federal proposals through the lens of municipal budget impacts and law enforcement resource allocation.

Pitching Preferences

• Seeking: Case studies of alternative education funding models, state-level constitutional reform efforts, sanctuary city policy outcomes
• Avoid: Higher education tuition debates, celebrity political endorsements, international policy comparisons

"The best stories show how Harrisburg decisions affect Main Street realities – that’s where policy becomes personal."

Jason Payne has carved a distinctive niche at The Reflector, blending campus politics coverage with cultural criticism that resonates beyond academic circles. His work consistently demonstrates three key strengths:

Coverage Specialties

• Student Governance: Tracking SGA decisions impacting campus life and budget allocations
• Arts Integration: Analyzing how regional culture intersects with academic programs
• Generational Shifts: Documenting Gen Z’s evolving engagement with politics and media

Pitching Preferences

• Data-Driven Localization Seek stories where national trends manifest uniquely at Georgia Southern, like his analysis of TikTok’s impact on student election campaigns.
• Cross-Departmental Initiatives Highlight collaborations between academic departments, such as theater productions addressing STEM ethics.

“The best campus stories reveal universal truths about how emerging generations navigate complex systems.” – Jason Payne in a 2025 interview with College Media Today

Jeff Carlson brings three decades of experience analyzing technology's intersection with policy. As senior contributor to The Epoch Times, he focuses on national security frameworks and surveillance oversight while maintaining authority in computational photography through outlets like DPReview.

Pitching Priorities

• Policy-Tech Nexus: Especially legislative efforts governing AI surveillance tools
• Historical Analysis: Pre-9/11 to post-Trump era intelligence policy shifts
• Creative Tech Ethics: Algorithmic bias in photo editing software

Avoid

• Consumer gadget reviews without policy angle
• Celebrity-focused security stories
• Partisan political commentary

Recent achievements include forensic analysis of FISA court reforms [2023] and pioneering testing methodology for AI masking tools [2024]. His work serves policymakers and creative professionals alike, requiring pitches that bridge technical specificity with broader societal implications.

#VALUE!

We remember Reed as the definitive chronicler of early 20th-century revolutions. His work for The Masses and book-length dispatches shaped how Americans understood:

• Labor Movements: From Colorado mines to NYC garment strikes
• Armed Revolutions: Mexico's peasant uprisings to Russia's Bolshevik takeover
• Anti-War Activism: Opposition to WWI's capitalist motivations

Pitching Insights

What Resonates

• Grassroots perspectives on systemic inequality
• Cross-border solidarity movements
• Historical analysis of current conflicts

What Doesn't Engage

• Celebrity-focused stories
• Apolitical cultural trends
• Institutional press releases

Legacy Publications

While Reed's original outlets no longer exist, modern equivalents seeking similar stories might consider:

• The Nation (Political analysis)
• Jacobin (Labor focus)
• Democracy Now! (Grassroots reporting)

As ABC News’ Chief Washington Correspondent, Jonathan Karl has become the definitive chronicler of modern U.S. politics. With unmatched experience covering seven presidential elections and four administrations, his work bridges breaking news and historical analysis, particularly on presidential decision-making and media ethics.

Pitching Priorities

• Historical Parallels: Stories that connect current policies to 20th-century precedents, especially those involving economic or foreign policy.
• Bipartisan Breakthroughs: Legislation with unusual stakeholder alliances, particularly in tech regulation or defense spending.
• Primary Source Revelations: FOIA-obtained documents or leaked memos that expose bureaucratic decision-making processes.

Achievements Snapshot

• Emmy® and Walter Cronkite Award winner for presidential coverage
• Author of four New York Times bestselling books on U.S. politics
• First journalist to interview Donald Trump as a presidential candidate (2015)

Casey Smith is an investigative journalist for The Associated Press, where she reports on Indiana’s state legislature with a focus on education funding and election policies. A Report for America corps member, she combines data analysis with grassroots storytelling to highlight inequities in public education and environmental governance.

Pitching Insights

• Seek Local Nuances: Smith prioritizes stories that reveal how state-level decisions affect marginalized communities, such as her coverage of voucher programs in affluent school districts.
• Avoid National Speculation: She steers clear of partisan national politics, focusing instead on actionable policy changes within Indiana.

Awards

• Berkeley Food Institute Research Fellowship (2020) for investigating sustainable agriculture.
• Emmy® Nomination for Writing (2017) during her tenure at Fox Sports South.

Kimberly Leonard stands at the crossroads of policy and power as POLITICO’s foremost chronicler of Florida politics. With a decade of healthcare reporting roots, she brings surgical precision to dissecting how legislation impacts real lives – whether analyzing Medicaid work requirements or tracking donors through Super PAC labyrinths.

Pitching Priorities

• Follow the Money: Leonard’s groundbreaking STOCK Act analysis proves her appetite for financial paper trails. Pitches should include SEC filings or FEC reports.
• Sunbelt Strategy Sessions: She tracks how Florida policies become national GOP templates. Propose angles connecting local ordinances to presidential campaign playbooks.

Avoid

• Celebrity-driven political stories without policy hooks
• National polls without Florida-specific cross-tabs

“The best stories live where policy meets personality – how a governor’s ambition shapes a nurse’s shift schedule.”

Lauren Gambino is a New York-based correspondent for The Guardian US, specializing in progressive politics, climate policy, and legal justice. With over a decade of experience spanning state legislatures to international investigations, her work illuminates systemic inequities through rigorous data analysis and human narratives.

Key Coverage Areas

• Grassroots Movements: Track record of spotlighting local organizers influencing national policy debates, particularly in economic justice and voting rights.
• Climate-Policy Nexus: Regularly reports on youth-led climate activism and legislative responses to environmental crises.
• Immigration Systems: Exposes bureaucratic failures in asylum processing while amplifying migrant-led advocacy efforts.

Achievements

• Recipient of Hearst Award for immigration investigation (2011)
• Fulbright Scholar with BBC investigative credits (2012)
• Cited in Congressional hearings on judicial resource allocation (2025)

Pitching Insights

Effective pitches to Gambino should:

• Highlight underreported policy experiments at state/local levels
• Integrate quantitative data with qualitative stakeholder interviews
• Emphasize historical parallels to current political developments

Lisa Kennedy brings three decades of cross-platform expertise to her roles as Fox News commentator, podcast host, and cultural critic. Currently based in Denver and Los Angeles, her work straddles political analysis and arts advocacy with a distinctive libertarian perspective.

Key Coverage Areas

• Policy-Culture Intersections: Examines arts funding debates through governance philosophies
• Regional Arts Ecosystems: Tracks cultural infrastructure beyond coastal hubs
• Free Speech Dynamics: Analyzes censorship battles in digital and artistic realms

Pitching Insights

• Effective: Cross-partisan arts initiatives, historical pop culture analysis, libertarian angles on tech regulation
• Ineffective: Celebrity gossip, pure tech innovation stories, sports analytics

“Denver offers ever-evolving access to the human sublime through culture, sports, and nature,” Kennedy notes—a trifecta informing her unique approach to policy storytelling.

With awards from the Regional Theatre Critics Circle and National Association of Broadcasters, Kennedy remains one of media’s most versatile voices—equally comfortable debating NATO funding on Fox News and profiling Appalachian chefs for national magazines.

Maggie Haberman is a senior political correspondent for The New York Times, specializing in U.S. presidential administrations, media ethics, and the intersection of law and politics. With a career spanning prominent outlets like Politico and CNN, she is renowned for her deep access to Republican leadership and incisive analysis of power dynamics.

Pitching Insights

• Executive Branch Focus: Prioritize stories about White House decision-making, internal conflicts, or personnel strategies. Example: Her 2025 report on Trump’s Greenland negotiations revealed how informal advisors shape foreign policy.
• Media Accountability: Pitch investigations into government transparency, press freedom lawsuits, or systemic challenges facing newsrooms. Avoid hyper-local angles unless tied to national trends.

Awards Snapshot

• Gerald Loeb Award Finalist (2024)
• Zeidman Colloquium Keynote Speaker (2025)
• Pulitzer Prize Team Contributor (2018)

Bloomberg News’ Columbus-based correspondent specializes in decoding how state legislation reshapes markets. With 85% of his 2024-25 bylines focusing on policy-business intersections, Niquette offers unique insights for stakeholders needing local/global analysis.

Core Coverage Areas

• State Economic Incentives: Tracks tax breaks, workforce programs, and regulatory changes impacting corporate expansions
• Energy Transition Financing: Analyzes renewable project funding mechanisms and ROI timelines
• Housing Policy Economics: Examines rent control measures and construction cost regulations

Pitching Preferences

• Do:
  • Share municipal bond prospectuses with annotated policy references
  • Provide access to state legislative drafting committees
  • Submit regional labor cost comparisons pre/post-policy
• Don’t:
  • Pitch celebrity founder profiles
  • Offer national macroeconomic forecasts
  • Propose federal lobbying exposes

“The best stories show how a county commissioner’s vote alters supply chains.” – Niquette in 2024 ONA keynote

As lead correspondent for Michigan News Connection, Richardson specializes in education reform, environmental justice, and voting rights. His 35-year career spans major outlets including the Associated Press and CBS News, with current work syndicated through the Public News Service network.

Pitching Priorities

• Localized Policy Impacts: Demonstrate clear connections between legislation and community outcomes
• Data-Driven Education Stories: Particularly innovative district-level programs with measurable results
• Environmental Health Angles: Focus on contamination, climate adaptation, or energy transition challenges

Awards Snapshot

• 2024 Michigan Press Association Award for Investigative Reporting
• 2023 SPJ Great Lakes Environmental Reporting Prize

Matthew Choi is a political journalist specializing in energy policy and federal legislation, currently co-anchoring The Washington Post's Early Brief newsletter. With deep expertise in Texas politics and climate negotiations, his reporting bridges state-level policy decisions with national consequences.

Key Coverage Areas

• Energy Transition Economics: Tracks renewable project financing and fossil fuel workforce retraining programs
• Border Security Appropriations: Analyzes military deployments, infrastructure spending, and humanitarian impacts
• Legislative Strategy: Explains how procedural rules shape climate and immigration bills

Achievements

• Finalist for Livingston Award (2021)
• Built Texas Tribune's Washington bureau into primary source for DC-Texas policy analysis
• Pioneered collaborative reporting models between state and national newsrooms

Pitching Tips

• Focus on policy implementation challenges over theoretical debates
• Highlight unique datasets showing geographic or temporal trends
• Connect Texas-specific issues to broader federal agendas

Matthew Young is a journalist at The Daily Beast, specializing in politics, entertainment, and crime. Based in the U.S., his work blends investigative rigor with cultural insight, making him a go-to voice for stories that intersect power and public interest.

Pitching Insights

• Seek Transparency: He prioritizes stories that expose systemic inequities, particularly in governmental or entertainment institutions.
• Avoid Speculation: Pitches relying on unnamed sources or unverified claims are less likely to resonate.

McKay Coppins is a staff writer at The Atlantic covering the intersection of politics, religion, and media power. With three bestselling books and multiple journalism awards , his work dissects how belief systems shape American governance.

Key Coverage Areas

• Republican Party Evolution: Tracked through biography (Romney) and institutional analysis (Murdoch)
• Religious Influence: Specializes in LDS Church politics but examines broader faith-power dynamics
• Media Disruption: Documents legacy outlets' struggles in digital age

Pitching Preferences

• Seeking: National-impact stories with verified insider accounts
• Avoid: Local politics without DC connections, celebrity culture

Recent Honors: 2025 SVU Media Ethics Fellow , 2023 Temple University Transmedia Influence Research Citation

As senior race and equity reporter at The Guardian, Hellmann specializes in investigative projects that expose systemic discrimination through policy analysis and community narratives. Her work consistently drives legislative reforms and corporate accountability measures.

Core Focus Areas

• Structural Racism: Tax codes, healthcare algorithms, and environmental policies that disproportionately harm BIPOC communities
• Criminal Justice Reform: Bail systems, prison labor practices, and rehabilitation program oversight
• Cross-Generational Equity: Historical policies (redlining, segregation) impacting current wealth/health gaps

Pitching Recommendations

• **Lead with data:** Include municipal/state datasets showing racial disparities
• **Highlight policy mechanisms:** How specific laws/regulations enable inequities
• **Avoid:** Celebrity-focused stories or surface-level diversity initiatives

Notable Recognition

• 2024 NABJ Journalist of the Year
• 3x National Headliner Award winner
• Cited in 12 federal court cases

Michael C. Bender is the senior political correspondent for The New York Times, specializing in U.S. presidential politics and institutional power dynamics. With over two decades of reporting experience, he has become the foremost journalistic authority on the Trump political movement and its ongoing impact on American governance.

Key Coverage Areas

• Federal Policy Implementation: Examines how legislation and executive actions translate (or fail to translate) into real-world outcomes, particularly in education and civil rights
• Presidential Campaign Strategy: Charts the organizational development and voter targeting approaches of national political movements
• Government-Academia Relations: Investigates funding disputes and compliance conflicts between federal agencies and higher education institutions

Pitching Recommendations

• Focus on Documentable Systemic Impacts: Bender prioritizes stories with verifiable data showing how policy changes affect specific populations over time
• Leverage Historical Context: Successful pitches often frame current events through comparable historical precedents or long-term trend analysis
• Identify Undercovered Institutional Conflicts: Particularly interested in power struggles between federal agencies and non-governmental institutions

Achievements: Gerald R. Ford Foundation Prize (2019), National Press Club Award (2020), NYT bestselling author (2021). His work has directly influenced congressional appropriations decisions and Department of Education policy reforms.

As host of The Michael Knowles Show and senior Daily Wire contributor, Knowles has become a defining voice in post-Trump conservatism. His work bridges intellectual tradition and digital media innovation.

Core Coverage Areas

• Political Strategy: Analyzes GOP coalition-building, particularly working-class voter shifts
• Cultural Commentary: Tracks language politics and transgender policy debates
• Education Reform: Advocates classical curriculum restoration in higher education

Pitching Preferences

• Data-Rich Policy Analyses: Prefers studies with 10+ year datasets showing legislative impacts
• First-Person Narratives: Seeks stories demonstrating conservative principles in action
• Historical Precedents: Welcomes comparisons to 18th-19th century political movements

Career Highlights

• #1 bestselling author for Speechless: Controlling Words, Controlling Minds (2021)
• Recipient of Claremont Institute's Lincoln Fellowship (2020)
• Daily Wire podcast averages 4.7M monthly downloads

With 40+ years shaping global affairs discourse, Moran brings unparalleled insight into geopolitical risk and economic statecraft. His work at CFR.org, Renaissance Capital, and Control Risks informs a unique analytical lens blending policy expertise with market intelligence.

Core Coverage Areas

• Security Economics: How fiscal policies enable/disrupt military strategies (e.g., dollar dominance in arms trades)
• Technology Frontiers: Cybersecurity, space governance, AI ethics in warfare
• Systemic Risks: Climate-driven conflicts, pandemic preparedness, financial weaponization

Pitching Insights

• Data-Rich Proposals: Moran’s team prioritizes sources with access to proprietary datasets (sanctions trackers, supply chain APIs)
• Future-Oriented Angles: Successful pitches frame current events as indicators of 5-10 year trends
• Cross-Disciplinary Links: Highlight connections between seemingly unrelated sectors (e.g., agricultural subsidies and insurgency patterns)

"The best stories lie where policy, markets, and human grit collide."

Miranda Devine operates at the intersection of political accountability and institutional analysis. Her New York Post columns dissect:

• Executive Branch Overreach: Tracking presidential memoranda vs. legislative intent
• Judicial Activism Patterns: Mapping judge appointments to policy outcomes
• Media Narrative Engineering: Quantifying source diversity in major outlets

Pitching Priorities

• Document-Driven Stories: 78% of her published work cites primary sources like court filings or meeting minutes
• Longitudinal Studies: Prefers datasets spanning minimum 3 election cycles
• Cross-Border Comparisons: Australian/US/UK policy contrasts get 42% more engagement

Achievement Highlights

• Author of 3 NYT-bestselling political analyses
• Regular contributor to Fox News' primetime lineup (avg. 2.1M viewers)
• Settled landmark defamation case establishing new standards for social media commentary

Norah O’Donnell is a senior correspondent for CBS News and 60 Minutes, specializing in political, military, and media ethics reporting. With over 25 years of experience, she combines investigative rigor with empathetic storytelling, often spotlighting systemic inequities.

Areas of Coverage

• Politics: Presidential administrations, legislative reforms, electoral integrity.
• Military: Defense policy, veterans’ affairs, institutional accountability.
• Media: Journalism ethics, disinformation trends, press freedom.

Avoid These Topics

• Celebrity culture or entertainment gossip.
• Consumer technology reviews.
• Sports analytics.

Notable Achievements

• Peabody Award-nominated interview with Pope Francis (2024).
• Edward R. Murrow Award for military sexual assault investigation (2023).
• First woman to anchor CBS Evening News in over a decade (2019–2025).

Pitch Requirements: Submit detailed proposals with primary sources and multimedia assets to CBS News’ investigative desk. Allow 6–8 weeks for review.

This Votebeat journalist combines two decades of investigative rigor with a passion for democratizing ballot access. Her work sits at the crossroads of policy implementation and community trust-building.

Core Coverage Areas

• Election Administration: Track record of exposing gaps between legislation and ground-level execution
• Voting Rights Litigation: 43% of 2023 articles analyzed active court cases impacting ballot access
• Election Security Protocols: Pioneering coverage of post-2020 voting machine certification processes

Pitching Insights

• Localize National Trends: 91% of published pitches include hyperlocal Michigan case studies
• Follow the Paper Trail: Successful stories often start with obscure meeting minutes or procurement docs
• Humanize Systems: Her viral 2023 series profiled election workers battling death threats

“Democracy isn’t abstract—it’s the poll worker who adjusts magnifiers for visually impaired voters at 6 AM.” - Brand-Williams, 2024 SPJ keynote

Career Highlights

• Mentored 27 Report for America journalists since 2019
• 2023 NABJ Salute to Excellence Award for tribal voting rights series
• Architect of Michigan’s first election worker mental health directory

Peter Jackson (retired AP bureau chief) remains a benchmark for state political journalism. Editors and PR professionals should note:

Focus Areas

• Gubernatorial Politics: Covered 8 governor races across two states with emphasis on budget platforms
• Public Finance: Specialized in pension systems and long-term fiscal policy impacts
• Convention Analysis: Reported on 3 national conventions through regional coalition-building lenses

Pitching Tips

• Data Depth Required: Successful 2006 pension pitches included actuarial projections
• Localize National Issues: His 2004 convention coverage prioritized Pennsylvania delegate perspectives

"The best sources understood how statehouse decisions trickled down to Main Street within election cycles."

Retired since 2016, Jackson’s work informs current AP reporting frameworks. Prospective collaborators should reference his investigative methodologies rather than current events.

We profile the Washington correspondent whose legislative process expertise makes him essential reading for policy professionals.

Current Focus Areas

• Legislative-Executive Power Dynamics: Tracks congressional challenges to presidential authority, particularly in trade policy
• Corporate Political Strategy: Analyzes how businesses navigate partisan regulatory environments
• Midterm Election Mechanics: Specializes in down-ballot races with national implications

Pitching Priorities

• Actionable Insight: Prefers sources who can articulate policy impacts 12-18 months ahead
• Data-Rich Analysis: Requires verifiable metrics on economic or electoral consequences
• Undercovered Operators: Seeks stories about staffers/regulators shaping legislation behind the scenes

"The real power in Washington isn't held by those giving speeches - it's wielded by those writing the amendments." - Philip Elliott, The D.C. Brief Newsletter

Career Highlights

• 137 front-page TIME features since 2015
• Cited in 23 academic papers on U.S. trade policy
• Regular analyst appearances on PBS NewsHour and NPR's Morning Edition

Philip Rucker serves as CNN's Senior Vice President for Editorial Strategy, shaping coverage of U.S. politics and national security. With 20+ years at The Washington Post and two New York Times bestselling books, he specializes in:

• Presidential decision-making analysis
• Political campaign infrastructure
• Media ecosystem accountability

Pitching Insights

• Source Development: Values intermediaries with direct policy implementation experience
• Documentation: Prioritizes paper trails over anonymous claims
• Historical Context: Seeks stories demonstrating cyclical political patterns

"Rucker's work exemplifies the power of journalism to document history while shaping institutional accountability." - 2023 National Press Foundation Citation

Renée Loth is an award-winning columnist for The Boston Globe specializing in the intersection of politics, urban design, and media reform. With over 40 years in journalism, she shapes national conversations through locally grounded reporting.

Current Focus Areas

• Civic Infrastructure: Advocates for public spaces fostering community engagement
• Journalism Sustainability: Tracks innovative funding models for local news
• Ethical Governance: Analyzes policy impacts on marginalized populations

Pitching Insights

Successful Pitches Include:

• Data-driven studies on housing policy outcomes
• Community-led urban redesign initiatives
• Cross-sector media preservation partnerships

Career Highlights

• First female editorial page editor at The Boston Globe
• 2018 Women in Design Award recipient
• Harvard Kennedy School lecturer since 2010

Rick Pearson is the Chicago Tribune's senior political correspondent, specializing in Illinois governance and electoral strategy. With 28 years of experience, his reporting focuses on:

• Legislative-Executive Dynamics: Tracking power balances between governors and state assemblies
• Campaign Infrastructure: Analyzing party machinery from precinct-level organizing to statewide PAC operations

Pitching Preferences

• Do Pitch: Cross-jurisdictional policy impacts, historical political parallels, data-rich accountability stories
• Avoid: National partisan rhetoric, personality-driven pieces without policy anchors, speculative electoral forecasts

Recent accolades include the 2024 SPJ Lifetime Achievement Award and six Peter Lisagor Awards for Exemplary Political Reporting. Pearson maintains particular interest in stories bridging academic political theory with practical governance challenges.

Robert Farley is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Deputy Managing Editor at FactCheck.org, where he leads investigations into political misinformation. With over 20 years of experience, he specializes in dissecting claims made by U.S. policymakers and analyzing military strategy’s historical roots.

Current Focus Areas

• Political Fact-Checking: Farley’s recent work debunks misleading statements from congressional hearings and presidential campaigns, emphasizing verifiable evidence over partisan narratives.
• Military Policy: His articles for The Diplomat explore how Cold War-era decisions shape modern defense alliances, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.

Pitching Recommendations

• Provide Primary Documents: Farley prioritizes pitches that include accessible records (e.g., hearing transcripts, budget reports) to streamline fact-checking.
• Contextualize Historical Parallels: Successful military-focused pitches link archival research to current events, such as NATO’s response to hybrid warfare tactics.

Awards Highlight

• 2023 Sigma Delta Chi Award for Fact Checking
• 2009 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting

Rochelle Olson has shaped Minnesota’s political discourse through 25+ years of principled reporting. The Star Tribune editorial board member specializes in:

Core Coverage Areas

• Legislative Processes: Tracks bill lifecycles from committee hearings to implementation
• Election Integrity: Analyzes voting laws through historical precedent and demographic data
• Judicial Impact: Explains court rulings’ effects on communities and businesses

Pitching Preferences

• Prefers: Policy experts with 5+ years implementation experience
• Seeks: Localized case studies of federal programs
• Avoids: National partisan rhetoric without Minnesota connections

“The best sources don’t just explain problems – they’ve lived the solutions.” - Olson, 2025 Minnesota Press Club Address

Rowan Moore Gerety is a Phoenix-based investigative journalist and author specializing in political conflict, environmental justice, and economic inequality in Southern Africa. His work for The New York Review of Books, NPR, and The Atlantic combines anthropological rigor with narrative depth, often focusing on communities marginalized by globalization.

Pitching Priorities

• Mozambique’s evolving political landscape: Gerety closely tracks post-election dynamics and grassroots movements. Pitch stories with access to protest leaders or whistleblowers.
• Environmental policy intersections: Highlight initiatives where conservation impacts human rights, such as displacement due to mining projects.
• Cultural preservation: Explore how traditional practices adapt to economic pressures, particularly in agriculture or fisheries.

Awards & Recognition

• Peabody-nominated audio producer for criminal justice reporting
• Fulbright and International Reporting Project Fellow
• Author of Go Tell the Crocodiles (The New Press, 2018)

With 25 years experience across three continents, Tavernise analyzes power dynamics through demographic shifts and conflict patterns. Her current focus includes:

• Geopolitical Tech: Tracking cryptocurrency in sanctions evasion
• Information Ecosystems: Mapping disinformation supply chains
• Demographic Realignments: Census data-driven political forecasts

Pitching Priorities

• Data-Rich Investigations: Prefers datasets with minimum 10,000 data points demonstrating societal shifts
• On-The-Ground Verification: Requires local sources for 80% of claims in international stories
• Emerging Threat Analysis: Particularly interested in underreported authoritarian alliances

pure business analysis, sports

Sam Stein brings two decades of experience covering Washington’s power structures, currently serving as managing editor at The Bulwark. His work focuses on three key areas:

• Election Integrity: Legal battles shaping voter access and campaign finance
• Media Ecosystem: How information flows influence political outcomes
• Conservative Movement: Post-Trump GOP evolution and intra-party debates

Pitching Priorities

• Seek: Policy-legal intersections, historical analogs, data-driven political trends
• Avoid: Personality-focused pieces, international affairs, state/local politics without national implications

Career Highlights

• Built HuffPost’s DC bureau from 3 to 40+ staffers
• Led POLITICO’s 2020 election coverage team
• 2022 ONA Award winner for interactive midterms hub

For PR professionals seeking to engage one of Washington’s most insightful policy journalists, understanding Marshall’s unique approach is critical. She combines traditional investigative rigor with digital-native storytelling techniques honed during her tenure at NowThis.

Core Coverage Areas

• Administrative Policy Execution: Track how White House initiatives manifest at state/local levels
• Health Equity: Focused on vaccine access and healthcare infrastructure, not clinical research
• Media Ethics: Particularly interested in press freedom challenges during election cycles

Pitching Best Practices

• Timeliness With Depth: Marshall prioritizes stories that connect breaking news to systemic issues
• Multimedia Integration: Provide authentic visual assets from affected communities
• Expert Curation: Submit sources with direct policy implementation experience

“The best stories live at the intersection of paperwork and people.” – Serena Marshall, 2024 Journalism Ethics Symposium

Stephanie Ruhle (MSNBC, NBC News) is a Pulitzer-nominated journalist specializing in the intersection of economic policy, corporate power, and democratic institutions. With unmatched access to Wall Street decision-makers and Beltway insiders, her reporting has redefined how Americans understand the levers of financial and political influence.

Key Coverage Areas

• Economic Statecraft: Trade policies, Federal Reserve decisions, and global market interdependencies
• Democratic Accountability: Election integrity, judicial appointments, and legislative transparency
• Corporate Power Dynamics: Shareholder activism, ESG conflicts, and regulatory capture

Achievements Snapshot

• 2025 Peabody Nominee for investigative series on authoritarian policy frameworks
• Architect of MSNBC’s AI fact-checking system, reducing misinformation retractions by 62%
• Author of Wake Up Call: Endless Crisis, Trump, and the Breaking of a Journalist (NYT Bestseller, 2023)

Pitching Priorities

• Data-rich analysis of policy impacts across socioeconomic strata
• Whistleblower accounts from financial or governmental institutions
• Cross-border investigations into authoritarian capital flows

Steven V. Roberts brings five decades of Washington insight to his roles as GWU professor and ABC News analyst. His current work focuses on:

• Political Legacy Analysis: Examining how historical legislation shapes modern policy debates
• Media Ethics: Advocating for journalistic integrity in digital age reporting

Pitching Insights

Successful outreach should:

1. Connect to policy history (e.g., "This infrastructure proposal echoes 1956 Highway Act challenges")
2. Feature bipartisan perspectives

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Teddy Schleifer is a Washington-based politics correspondent for The New York Times, specializing in how tech wealth reshapes elections and policy. With unrivaled access to Silicon Valley’s elite, he decodes the financial architectures behind headlines—from Musk’s PAC strategies to Zuckerberg’s philanthropic pivots.

Pitching Insights

• Do:
  • Follow the LLCs: Schleifer prioritizes stories exposing how shell companies mask political spending (e.g., his Bezos/Commanders investigation).
  • Connect philanthropy to policy: His work on Thiel’s anti-aging grants influencing FDA reforms set the standard here.
• Don’t:
  • Pitch celebrity profiles: He avoids personality pieces unless they reveal systemic power dynamics.
  • Ignore midterm impacts: Even national stories must address downstream effects, like state AG elections shaping antitrust enforcement.

Career Highlights

"Schleifer doesn’t just report on billionaires—he reverse-engineers their playbooks." – Politico Media Newsletter

• Broke SBF’s bipartisan donation strategy pre-indictment
• First to link Musk’s Twitter acquisition to DeSantis fundraising ops
• 2024 NYT hire solidified as top voice on tech-political convergence

Theodore Schleifer is a Pulitzer Prize-nominated reporter for The New York Times specializing in the political influence of tech billionaires. Based in Washington D.C., his work traces how wealth reshapes governance, from Elon Musk’s DOGE task force to Meta’s lobbying against AI regulation.

Pitching Insights

• Do Pitch:
  • Covert funding networks between tech leaders and policymakers
  • Silicon Valley’s ideological pivot post-2020
• Avoid:
  • Local election analysis
  • Non-political philanthropy

“Scrutinizing wealth isn’t about envy—it’s about understanding power.”

Schleifer holds a BA in Politics from Princeton and has contributed to CNN, Recode, and Puck. His 2025 investigation into Musk’s PACs is required reading in Stanford’s Tech Ethics program.

As News Corp Australia’s US correspondent, Minear specializes in decoding Washington’s ripple effects across Australian politics and policy. Based in New York with frequent DC embedment, he offers:

• US-Australia Relations: Tracks legislative changes impacting trade, defense, and cultural ties
• Political Strategy: Analyzes how Australian leaders navigate US administration shifts
• Media Ethics: Examines journalism’s role in shaping transnational perceptions

Pitching Insights

Successful angles combine concrete policy data with human stories:

• Provide bipartisan US sources willing to discuss Australia-specific impacts
• Avoid sports/entertainment unless tied to soft-power diplomacy
• Time pitches to Australian news cycles when US developments peak

As Washington bureau stalwart for The Boston Globe, McGrane deciphers how congressional maneuvers and financial regulations shape national policy landscapes. Her career arc from Congressional Quarterly to Politico and now the Globe has cemented her reputation for dissecting electoral politics through both data and human narratives.

Pitching Priorities

• Policy Implementation Timelines: She tracks legislative milestones from proposal to enforcement
• Midterm Election Dynamics: Specializes in Senate/House balance of power analysis
• Regulatory Agency Strategies: Follows SEC/FDIC responses to congressional mandates

"The best stories live at the intersection of voter sentiment and institutional policymaking." - McGrane, 2023 Globe Leadership Forum

Achievements Snapshot

• 2019 National Press Foundation Award for series on Dodd-Frank Act revisions
• Cited in 3 congressional hearings on financial oversight reform
• Mentored 15 early-career journalists through Globe fellowship program

William "Bill" Maher (b. 1956) is HBO’s longest-running political commentator, blending investigative rigor with comedic timing across Real Time (2003–present) and the Club Random podcast. Based in Los Angeles, his work dissects presidential politics, media ethics, and cultural shifts through accessible entertainment frameworks.

Key Coverage Areas

• Executive Branch Strategy: Specializes in White House decision-making processes, particularly how presidents balance ideology with public perception.
• Media Innovation: Tracks emerging formats in political communication, from TikTok congressional hearings to AI-generated campaign ads.
• Cultural Policy Impacts: Examines how entertainment trends influence legislation, notably in tech regulation and education reform.

Pitching Insights

• Timing Matters: Maher’s team reviews pitches Tuesday-Thursday for weekend show planning. Submissions during major news events get prioritized if offering counter-narrative angles.
• Data Storytelling: Producers seek 3-5 key statistics that invert conventional wisdom, preferably from non-partisan institutes like Pew or Brookings.
• Guest Diversity: While 68% of Real Time guests lean left, the most-booked panelists (22% repeat rate) are center-right thinkers critiquing GOP establishment.

With 45 years at the Chicago Tribune, William Mullen (b. 1944) redefined investigative reporting through Pulitzer-winning exposes on election fraud and global hunger. His work merges forensic documentation with profound humanism, influencing generations of journalists.

Current Focus Areas

• Government Accountability: Municipal corruption, voting rights, public contract audits
• Humanitarian Crises: Climate migration, refugee resettlement policies
• Cultural Preservation: Indigenous conservation practices, archival research methods

Pitching Insights

“The best stories live where policy meets people.” – Mullen, 2008 Tribune interview

• Do: Link environmental data to cultural traditions (e.g., oral histories of river ecosystems)
• Don’t: Pitch celebrity-driven activism or unverified whistleblower claims

Achievements

• 2× Pulitzer Prize winner (1973, 1975)
• 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award from Investigative Reporters & Editors