Doris Burke
I cover corporate wrongdoing.
Need to Get in Touch?
Please do reach out, either by email or securely on Signal.
What I Cover
I’m currently interested in billionaires and how corporations work.
My Background
I joined ProPublica in 2019 and have reported on Microsoft’s security flaws, a rifle manufacturer, Jeffrey Yass of Susquehanna International, generational wealth, a private equity owned hospital system, President Donald Trump’s accountants and Amazon’s delivery network.
My research has contributed to dozens of other stories.
I was previously a researcher at The New York Times, where I collaborated on stories about Facebook algorithms, sexual harassment at Google and Uber founder Travis Kalanick.
My tenure at Fortune Magazine was spent investigating the largest companies in the U.S.: IBM, Pfizer, Cargill and Enron.
I’ve received multiple awards for my research and reporting, including the Selden Ring Award, Barlett & Steele Award for Investigative Journalism, IRE Award and Gerald Loeb Awards.
Before Tom Dundon Agreed to Buy the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Accused the Company He Created of Predatory Lending
In 2020, the state sued Santander Consumer USA for allegedly preying on Oregonians through high-interest car loans they couldn’t afford in a case involving more than 265,000 borrowers nationwide.
by Tony Schick and Conrad Wilson, Oregon Public Broadcasting,
Local Reporting Network
An American Friend: The Trump-Appointed Diplomat Accused of Shielding El Salvador’s President From Law Enforcement
A previously undisclosed State Department report and interviews reveal accusations that U.S. Ambassador Ronald D. Johnson shielded Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele from U.S. and Salvadoran law enforcement.
by T. Christian Miller, Sebastian Rotella, Kirsten Berg and Brett Murphy,
Un amigo americano: el diplomático de Trump acusado de escudar al presidente salvadoreño de las fuerzas del orden
Un Informe previamente desconocido del Departamento de Estado y entrevistas revelan acusaciones de que el embajador Ronald D. Johnson escudó al presidente salvadoreño Nayib Bukele de las fuerzas del orden de Estados Unidos y El Salvador.
por T. Christian Miller, Sebastian Rotella, Kirsten Berg y Brett Murphy,
Pentagon Bans Tech Vendors From Using China-Based Personnel After ProPublica Investigation
The Defense Department has tightened cybersecurity requirements for its cloud services providers. The changes come after ProPublica revealed how Microsoft’s use of China-based engineers left sensitive government data vulnerable to hacking.
by Renee Dudley,
The Leader of Trump’s Assault on Higher Education Has a Troubled Legal and Financial History
Leo Terrell’s past is at odds with Trump’s description of an “incredibly successful” attorney. Documents obtained by ProPublica and The Chronicle of Higher Education reveal a trail of legal disputes and unpaid debts.
by Peter Elkind, ProPublica, and Katherine Mangan, The Chronicle of Higher Education,
Microsoft Failed to Disclose Key Details About Use of China-Based Engineers in U.S. Defense Work, Record Shows
The tech giant is required to regularly provide U.S. officials with its plan for keeping government data safe from hacking. Yet a copy of Microsoft’s security plan obtained by ProPublica makes no reference to the company’s China-based operations.
by Renee Dudley, with research by Doris Burke,
The Trump Administration Is Promoting Its Anti-Trans Agenda Globally at the United Nations
U.S. delegates have objected to use of the word “gender” in U.N. documents during forums on topics as varied as women’s rights, science and technology, global health, toxic pollution and chemical waste.
by Lisa Song,
Microsoft Used China-Based Engineers to Support Product Recently Hacked by China
Microsoft announced that Chinese state-sponsored hackers had exploited vulnerabilities in its popular SharePoint software but didn’t mention that it has long used China-based engineers to maintain the product.
by Renee Dudley,
Microsoft Used China-Based Support for Multiple U.S. Agencies, Potentially Exposing Sensitive Data
Microsoft says it will no longer use China-based engineers to support the Pentagon. But ProPublica found that the tech giant has relied on its global workforce for years to support other federal clients, including the Justice Department.
by Renee Dudley, with research by Doris Burke,
Microsoft Says It Has Stopped Using China-Based Engineers to Support Defense Department Computer Systems
After a ProPublica investigation revealed how Microsoft’s “digital escort” tech support service could expose sensitive government data to cyberattacks, the company says China-based engineers will no longer provide assistance on DOD cloud services.
by Renee Dudley,
A Little-Known Microsoft Program Could Expose the Defense Department to Chinese Hackers
The Pentagon bans foreign citizens from accessing highly sensitive data, but Microsoft bypasses this by using engineers in China and elsewhere to remotely instruct American “escorts” who may lack expertise to identify malicious code.
by Renee Dudley, with research by Doris Burke,