Impact has been at the core of ProPublica’s mission since we launched in 2008, and it remains the principal yardstick for our success today. Our investigative journalism does more than expose wrongdoing and injustice; we intend for it to spark real-world change.
We’ve written a whole white paper on the topic, and examples of how our stories have produced such change — from the resignation of corrupt officials to the passage of new laws — are compiled in our annual reports. On this page, you’ll find our reporting on the impact of our work.
Featured Impact
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Lawmakers in at Least Seven States Seek Expanded Abortion Access
Some of the bills were filed in direct response to ProPublica’s reporting on the fatal consequences of abortion bans.
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Justice Department Sues Six of the Nation’s Largest Landlords in Effort to Stop Alleged Price-Fixing in Rental Markets
Federal prosecutors allege that the landlords have used RealPage pricing software to collude and artificially raise rents. The legal action is the latest development stemming from a 2022 ProPublica investigation.
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EPA Finalizes New Standards for Cancer-Causing Chemicals
The regulation specifically targets ethylene oxide, which a ProPublica analysis found was the single biggest contributor to excess industrial cancer risk from air pollutants nationwide.
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Idaho Legislature Approves $2 Billion for Schools to Repair and Replace Aging Buildings
The funding was pledged by Gov. Brad Little after an Idaho Statesman and ProPublica investigation showed students learning in poor conditions. Educators say it’s only a start to fixing decades-old problems.
More Impact
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Our Reporting Showed Washington Ranks Last in Green Energy Growth. Now the State Is Working to Speed It Up.
The state’s departing commerce director said there’s added urgency to get the projects done after an Oregon Public Broadcasting and ProPublica investigation showed states like Iowa and Texas have made more progress in renewable energy growth.
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“A Godsend”: ProPublica’s Rx Inspector Tool Is Helping People Find Critical Safety Information on Generic Drugs
Health care workers are changing how they counsel patients. Experts are using our database to support their research. And some consumers report they’ve discovered troubling records at the factories where their medications are made.
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Complaint Accuses Trump’s Criminal Attorney of “Blatant” Crypto Conflict in His Role at DOJ
A watchdog group is seeking an inspector general investigation into Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche after ProPublica reported that he had ordered changes to crypto prosecutions while owning more than $150,000 in digital assets.
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“A Fraudulent Scheme”: New Mexico Sues Texas Oil Companies for Walking Away From Their Leaking Wells
New Mexico’s lawsuit accuses three Texas oil executives of pocketing revenue from oil and gas wells and offloading cleanup costs to the public. An investigation in 2024 by ProPublica and Capital & Main uncovered some of these business dealings.
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Alaska Lawmaker Calls for Hiring More Prosecutors, Public Defenders to Reduce Extreme Delay in Criminal Cases
A Judiciary Committee chair said stories by the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica about sluggish court proceedings “stab my heart.” Fixing the problem will take more than a state Supreme Court order last year limiting new delays, he said.
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“Step in the Right Direction”: Connecticut DMV Commissioner Calls for More Reforms to State Towing Law to Protect Drivers
The recommendations to require more notification to car owners and to streamline the process for selling unclaimed vehicles follow a Connecticut Mirror and ProPublica investigation into towing practices.
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Arizona Judges Launch Effort Seeking Quicker Resolutions to Death Penalty Cases
Maricopa County prosecutors have frequently pursued the death penalty, but just 13% of cases ended in a death sentence, ProPublica and ABC15 Arizona found. Experts say the numbers raise questions about the office’s decision-making.
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Trump Signs Defense Bill Prohibiting China-Based Engineers in Pentagon IT Work
The measure, which emerged in response to a ProPublica investigation, bars Microsoft engineers in China and other adversarial countries from servicing sensitive Pentagon cloud computing systems.
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Oregon Faced a Huge Obstacle in Adding Green Energy. Here’s What Changed This Year.
Gov. Tina Kotek has been pushing to make progress on the state's renewable energy projects since ProPublica and Oregon Public Broadcasting highlighted obstacles.
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Medical Examiners Warn That Controversial Lung Float Test Could Be Dangerous
An exam meant to determine whether a baby was born dead or alive is of “questionable value,” the National Association of Medical Examiners cautions. The paper follows a ProPublica report on how the test had been used against women accused of murder.
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Lawmaker Calls for Stronger Mandatory Reporting Rules Following Our Investigation Into Church Abuse Case
Mandatory reporters in Minnesota can be charged with a misdemeanor if they do not report child abuse to authorities. But violators of the statute are rarely convicted, and fines are often similar to traffic tickets.
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A County’s Move to Protect Domestic Violence Victims Is Spreading Across Tennessee After Legislative Delay
Judges across the state are demanding more accountability from abusers who have been ordered to give up their guns in an effort to strengthen protections for domestic violence victims.
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Amid Trump’s Proposed Pipeline Safety Rollbacks, Senator Questions Regulators’ Industry Ties
After reporting by ProPublica revealed industry connections among Transportation Department regulators and showed how they are seeking to loosen oil and gas pipeline safety regulations, Sen. Maria Cantwell is demanding answers.
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The FDA Rarely Forces Manufacturers to Recall Dangerous Medical Devices, Watchdog Report Finds
Lawmakers requested the report after a 2023 ProPublica and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette investigation revealed that the FDA had received hundreds of complaints over many years about defective breathing machines and never ordered a recall.
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Immigration Agents Have Often Grabbed and Mistreated Citizens, Congressional Investigators Find
Prompted by ProPublica’s reporting, an investigation by Senate Democrats documented the experiences of nearly two dozen citizens wrongly detained by immigration agents, contradicting the Trump administration’s claims that it only detains immigrants.
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A Death Row Inmate Was Released on Bail After His Conviction Was Overturned. Louisiana Still Wants to Execute Him.
Months after a judge tossed out his 1998 murder conviction, Jimmie Duncan is free on bail. But prosecutors have asked the Louisiana Supreme Court to reinstate the death penalty for Duncan, even as the victim’s mother has come to support his release.
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DOJ and RealPage Agree to Settle Rental Price-Fixing Case
The settlement is the latest development following a 2022 ProPublica investigation that showed RealPage was helping landlords set rents in a way that legal experts said could result in cartel-like behavior.
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Connecticut DMV Fires Employee Who Made Thousands Selling Towed Cars
Investigators found the longtime employee traded favors with a towing company to purchase vehicles at a steep discount, according to a termination letter.
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Lawmakers Call for Probe of How Firm Tied to Kristi Noem Got Piece of $220 Million DHS Ad Contracts
The demands for an investigation come after a ProPublica story revealed that the Noem-connected Strategy Group was secretly a subcontractor on the ad campaign.
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Senators Launch Inquiry After a White House Official Intervened on Behalf of Andrew Tate During a Federal Investigation
In letters to the White House and DHS, Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Gary Peters called the intervention by Paul Ingrassia a “brazen interference with a federal investigation.”
