Finalist: Los Angeles Times , by Paul Pringle
For his meticulously researched stories that, in the face of threats, exposed financial abuses by the head of California's largest union, leading to investigations, the leader's departure from office and repayment of misappropriated funds.
Winners
Prize Winner in Investigative Reporting in 2009:
David Barstow
For his tenacious reporting that revealed how some retired generals, working as radio and television analysts, had been co-opted by the Pentagon to make its case for the war in Iraq, and how many of them also had undisclosed ties to companies that benefited from policies they defended.
Investigative Reporting
Finalists
Nominated as finalists in Investigative Reporting in 2009:
Susanne Rust and Meg Kissinger
For their powerful revelations that the government was failing to protect the public from dangerous chemicals in everyday products, such as some "microwave-safe" containers, stirring action by Congress and federal agencies.
The Jury
The Jury
Pam Maples(chair )
managing editor
Thomas Curran
associate editor
Heidi Evans*
reporter
Diana Fuentes
editor
Manny Garcia
senior editor, news
Gretchen Morgenson*
columnist and reporter
David Murray
special assignments editor
Winners in Investigative Reporting
Walt Bogdanich and Jake Hooker
For their stories on toxic ingredients in medicine and other everyday products imported from China, leading to crackdowns by American and Chinese officials.
Brett Blackledge
For his exposure of cronyism and corruption in the state's two-year college system, resulting in the dismissal of the chancellor and other corrective action. (Moved by the Board from the Public Service category.)
Susan Schmidt, James V. Grimaldi and R. Jeffrey Smith
For their indefatigable probe of Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff that exposed congressional corruption and produced reform efforts.
Nigel Jaquiss
For his investigation exposing a former governor's long concealed sexual misconduct with a 14-year-old girl.
2009 Prize Winners
Patrick Farrell
For his provocative, impeccably composed images of despair after Hurricane Ike and other lethal storms caused a humanitarian disaster in Haiti.
W.S. Merwin
A collection of luminous, often tender poems that focus on the profound power of memory.
Las Vegas Sun, and notably the courageous reporting by Alexandra Berzon
For the exposure of the high death rate among construction workers on the Las Vegas Strip amid lax enforcement of regulations, leading to changes in policy and improved safety conditions.
Staff
For its swift and sweeping coverage of a sex scandal that resulted in the resignation of Gov. Eliot Spitzer, breaking the story on its Web site and then developing it with authoritative, rapid-fire reports.