Derek Willis
Derek Willis was a news applications developer at ProPublica, focusing on politics and elections.
Need to Get in Touch?
Derek Willis was a news applications developer at ProPublica, focusing on politics and elections. He previously worked as a developer and reporter at The New York Times, a database editor at The Washington Post, and at the Center for Public Integrity and Congressional Quarterly. He began his journalism career at The Palm Beach Post. He is a co-founder of OpenElections, a project to collect and publish election results from all 50 states.
Foreign Hackers Cripple Texas County’s Email System, Raising Election Security Concerns
The malware attack, which sent fake email replies to voters and businesses, spotlights an overlooked vulnerability in counties that don’t follow best practices for computer security.
The NYPD Files: Search Thousands of Civilian Complaints Against New York City Police Officers
After New York state repealed a law that kept NYPD disciplinary records secret, ProPublica obtained data from the civilian board that investigates complaints about police behavior. Use this database to search thousands of allegations.
Tracking PPP Loans: Search Every Company Approved for Federal Loans
The Paycheck Protection Program includes nearly $600 billion in federally backed loans to small businesses, to be forgiven if used to prevent laying off workers. Our database lets you search what’s been disclosed so far.
A Company Run by a White House “Volunteer” With No Experience in Medical Supplies Got $2.4 Million From the Feds for Medical Supplies
A $2.4 million deal to supply the Bureau of Prisons with surgical gowns was the second multimillion dollar contract for coronavirus supplies that went to somebody who did work for the White House but had little relevant experience.
Did Your Job Give You Masks or Other Protective Gear? Send Us a Picture.
You can help us find out if the equipment issued to federal employees is certified for protective use.
Federal Agencies Have Spent Millions on KN95 Masks, Often Without Knowing Who Made Them
Government employees at several agencies are relying on KN95 masks that the agencies cannot guarantee offer the most protection. Some agencies have paid little attention to important manufacturing details and been tripped up by shifting regulations.
Masks Sold by Former White House Official to Navajo Hospitals Don’t Meet FDA Standards
New information from the Indian Health Service calls into question why the agency purchased expensive medical gear that it now cannot use as intended.
A Closer Look at Federal COVID Contractors Reveals Inexperience, Fraud Accusations and a Weapons Dealer Operating Out of Someone’s House
The Trump administration has promised at least $1.8 billion to 335 first-time contractors, often without competitive bidding or thorough vetting of their backgrounds.
Coronavirus Contracts: Tracking Federal Purchases to Fight the Pandemic
The federal government is spending billions of dollars to combat the coronavirus, and spending shows no sign of slowing down. Explore who the U.S. is buying from, what it’s buying and how much it’s paying.
The Feds Gave a Former White House Official $3 Million to Supply Masks to Navajo Hospitals. Some May Not Work.
Zach Fuentes, former deputy chief of staff to President Trump, won the contract just days after registering his company. He sold Chinese masks to the government just as federal regulators were scrutinizing foreign-made equipment.