Justin Elliott
Justin Elliott is a ProPublica reporter covering business and politics. To send Justin a tip or documents, reach him through one of the methods below.
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Justin Elliott has been a reporter with ProPublica, where he covers business and politics, since 2012.
In 2023, he and colleagues 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 gold medal for public service.
He was previously on the team of reporters documenting how the rich avoid taxes for “The Secret IRS Files” series. He co-wrote a story revealing how tech mogul Peter Thiel turned a Roth IRA into a multibillion-dollar tax haven.
His work has spurred congressional investigations and changes to federal law. His coverage of TurboTax-maker Intuit’s misleading marketing tactics led to a settlement delivering $141 million back to consumers.
His work has won numerous awards. In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, he has won a George Polk Award, the Selden Ring Award, and a Gerald Loeb Award for business journalism. His stories have been published and aired in outlets including The New York Times and NPR. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Brown University in history and classics.
You can send him feedback, story tips and documents via email at [email protected], or by Signal or WhatsApp at 774-826-6240.
Thinking about getting in touch? For more on how Justin handles tips and story ideas, read his piece on the important role of reader tips in the Supreme Court series.
House Committee Puts NSA on Notice Over Encryption Standards
Amendment would remove requirement that the National Institute of Standards and Technology consult with the NSA on encryption standards
After Pledge of Sunlight, Gov. Cuomo Officials Keep Their Email in the Shadows
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo entered office promising unprecedented transparency, but his aides' use of email offers quite a different picture
Long After Sandy, Red Cross Post-Storm Spending Still a Black Box
Donors gave $312 million after the storm, but it’s not clear how exactly the money was spent.
State Department Finally Releases List of 'Special Government Employees’
The department revealed the names following scrutiny last year on Clinton aide Huma Abedin.
Judge on NSA Case Cites 9/11 Report, But It Doesn't Actually Support His Ruling
A new ruling supporting the NSA's metadata surveillance program points to the 9/11 report as evidence for the necessity of such a program. Except the 9/11 report doesn’t contain the evidence the judge says it does.
Presidential Panel to NSA: Stop Undermining Encryption
A panel of experts appointed by President Obama says the U.S. government should get out of the business of weakening technology used to secure communications.
World of Spycraft: NSA and CIA Spied in Online Games
Snowden documents show intelligence agencies conducting surveillance and grabbing data in virtual worlds.
Who Are State Dept’s 100 “Special Government Employees"? It Won’t Say
Earlier this year Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin drew scrutiny for working at the State Department and a consulting firm at the same time. The agency is mum on who else had such an arrangement.
Claim on “Attacks Thwarted” by NSA Spreads Despite Lack of Evidence
The agency, President Obama, and members of Congress have all said NSA spying programs have thwarted more than 50 terrorist plots. But there’s no evidence the claim is true.