Justin Elliott
I am a ProPublica reporter covering business and politics.
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What I Cover
I report on money and power. I’m currently focused on the second Trump administration, but I’m always looking for under-covered business and politics stories.
My Background
I’ve been a reporter with ProPublica for more than a decade. In 2023, my colleagues and I revealed how a set of politically connected billionaires provided lavish gifts and travel to Supreme Court justices over many years. Those stories won the Pulitzer Prize for public service.
I was previously on a team of reporters documenting how the rich avoid taxes for “The Secret IRS Files” series. I co-wrote a story revealing how tech mogul Peter Thiel turned a Roth IRA into a multibillion-dollar tax haven.
My work has spurred congressional investigations and changes to federal law. My coverage of TurboTax-maker Intuit’s misleading marketing tactics led to a settlement delivering $141 million back to consumers.
In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, I have won a George Polk Award, the Selden Ring Award and a Gerald Loeb Award for business journalism. I earned a bachelor’s degree from Brown University.
You can send me feedback, story tips and documents via email at [email protected], or by Signal or WhatsApp at 774-826-6240.
If you want to better understand how I handle tips and story ideas, read my piece on the important role of reader tips in the Supreme Court series.
Trump Company CEO’s Unexplained Meeting With Balkans Leader Raises Specter of New Conflict
Devin Nunes, the former congressman who runs the company behind Truth Social, traveled to North Macedonia as former President Trump vies to once again shape U.S. foreign policy.
Exec at Trump Media Jumped the Line for U.S. Visa After Company Lobbied GOP Lawmaker
A former aide to Rep. Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican, said she intervened on the company’s behalf even though she thought it was inappropriate. “It was specifically the congressman that suggested I needed to deal with it.”
Trump Media Quietly Enters Deal With a Republican Donor Who Could Benefit From a Second Trump Administration
The deal with energy magnate James E. Davison illustrates how Trump’s stake in the Truth Social company, which makes up a majority of his net worth, presents conflicts of interest.
Trump Media Made a Deal That Could Secure a Major Financial Windfall for the GOP Candidate
The company behind Trump’s Truth Social platform has the option to sell up to $2.5 billion worth of shares, easing the way for the former president to convert his paper stake into something more tangible.
Harlan Crow Provided Clarence Thomas at Least 3 Previously Undisclosed Private Jet Trips, Senate Probe Finds
The Supreme Court justice flew to Montana and other destinations on the billionaire GOP donor’s dime. Crow’s lawyer revealed these flights to the Senate Judiciary Committee, whose ongoing investigation was sparked by ProPublica’s reporting.
Reader Tips Propelled Our Supreme Court Reporting. Now Your Info Could Power Our 2024 Election Coverage.
An email from a reader helped a team of ProPublica reporters uncover secret tuition payments Harlan Crow made for a family member of Clarence Thomas. Now we’re looking for tips on the election, and you can help.
Justice Thomas Acknowledges He Should Have Disclosed Free Trips From Billionaire Donor
The trips include vacations in Indonesia and at the exclusive, men’s-only Bohemian Grove retreat, which were first reported by ProPublica last year.
Multiple Trump Witnesses Have Received Significant Financial Benefits From His Businesses, Campaign
Witnesses in the various criminal cases against the former president have gotten pay raises, new jobs and more. If any benefits were intended to influence testimony, that could be a crime.
Sports Team Owners Face New Scrutiny From IRS Over Tax Avoidance
A new campaign by the tax agency comes after ProPublica revealed how billionaires generate what can be hundreds of millions in tax savings by purchasing professional sports teams.
Trump’s Lawyers Told the Court That No One Would Give Him a Bond. Then He Got a Lifeline, but They Didn’t Tell the Judges.
An appeals court reduced Trump’s bond by more than 60% after his attorneys claimed it was a “practical impossibility” to pay the full amount. Their failure to disclose a proposal from a billionaire financier may have violated ethics rules.