And the Award For Online Investigative Journalism Goes To…

Investigative Reporters & Editors (IRE) has announced their annual awards for investigative journalism. I’m sure you’ve already guessed the winner in the “On-line” category. Of course, it was a tough call for them. The competition was stiff:

• Big Hollywood’s expose of the NEA Conference Call story which led to a resignation in shame and stern guidance from the White House.

• The blockbuster revelation of the bogus science behind global warming policy which led to the resignation of the UN’s chief climate policy maker.

• James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles’ undercover investigation of ACORN which led to their losing government funding and eventually to their bankruptcy and complete collapse

Hard to pick among those great stories, isn’t it? But, the sober and experienced judges at IRE have finally announced their winner:

ProPublica.org and their investigative reporting on civilian contractors receiving sub-standard health care when injured while working overseas in war zones.

One wonders what kind of investigating the IRE did when choosing their winner. If you’d like a bit of insight into the “brains” behind ProPublica.org, look no further than their Board of Directors. One of the five members is none other than Henry Lous “Skip” Gates Jr. (You remember him and how his neighborhood police force acted “stupidly.”)

But, thankfully, I do see one Republican on their Journalism Advisory Board: David Gergen.