Jake Pearson
I’m an investigative reporter covering the intersection of business and government.
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What I Cover
I cover the intersection of business and government.
My Background
I’ve conducted metro, campaign finance and national political investigations for ProPublica since 2018. Last year, I investigated New York’s troubled guardianship system and found that it was failing thousands of elderly and infirm people who could not care for themselves. My stories prompted the state attorney general to launch an investigation and the courts to appoint a special counsel to oversee changes. Other work has spurred criminal prosecutions and oversight hearings and has been recognized with various journalism awards.
Previously, I worked for The Associated Press, NBC News and the New York Daily News.
New York Trusted This Company to Care for the Sick and Elderly. Instead, It Left People Confused and Alone.
Unchanged diapers. Fees collected for care never given. New York Guardianship Services is often tasked with caring for the "unbefriended," but records show more than a dozen cases where it failed to meet the needs of the most vulnerable.
He Defended the NYPD in Court. Then They Arrested Him.
For 11 years, Karl Ashanti represented New York City cops in civil-rights cases. Then he was charged with a crime he didn’t commit.
Top FEC Official’s Undisclosed Ties to Trump Raise Concerns Over Agency Neutrality
A top Federal Election Commission official, whose division regulates campaign cash, has shown support for President Trump and has close ties to his 2016 campaign attorney, Don McGahn. Experts said the actions raise questions about impartiality.
The DOGE 100: Musk Is Out, but More Than 100 of His Followers Remain to Implement Trump’s Blueprint
At least 38 DOGE members work, or have worked, for one of Elon Musk’s companies. Meanwhile, nearly two dozen DOGE officials are making cuts to the same federal agencies that regulate the industries that employed them.
Impact: Senators Call on DOJ to Investigate Potential DOGE Conflicts of Interest After ProPublica Report
Citing ProPublica’s reporting on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Democratic senators argued that the potential conflicts “underscore what appears to be a pervasive problem with Elon Musk and DOGE employees trampling ethics rules and laws.”
Musk Adviser May Make as Much as $1 Million a Year While Helping to Dismantle Agency That Regulates Tesla and X
Records show that Chris Young is simultaneously working as a political adviser to Musk while serving in the Department of Government Efficiency, helping to gut the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
DOGE Aide Who Helped Gut CFPB Was Warned About Potential Conflicts of Interest
Before he helped fire most Consumer Financial Protection Bureau staffers, DOGE’s Gavin Kliger was warned about his investments and advised to not take any actions that could benefit him personally, according to a person familiar with the situation.
A DOGE Aide Involved in Dismantling Consumer Bureau Owns Stock in Companies That Could Benefit From the Cuts
Gavin Kliger helped oversee mass firings at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau while holding stock in companies that experts say likely stand to benefit from dismantling that agency — a potential violation of federal ethics laws.
Have You Recently Sought Help From the CFPB? ProPublica Wants to Hear From You.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is walking away from cases that might have helped return money to consumers across the U.S. We want to hear from people who feel left behind.
Fend for Yourself: Under Trump, Consumer Protection Bureau’s Probes of Big Tech and Finance Firms Freeze Up
Companies may avoid consequences for alleged wrongdoing as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau drops lawsuits against Capital One and Rocket Homes and pauses investigations into Meta and others — including providers of medical credit cards.
The Courts Blocked Trump’s Federal Funding Freeze. Agencies Are Withholding Money Anyway.
Agencies continue to suspend funding, despite multiple court orders blocking the federal freeze. Experts say the Trump administration’s actions set the stage for challenges to Congress’ authority — and the limits of the presidency.
New York Attorney General Launches Investigation of Guardianship Providers
Investigators for the state’s top law enforcement official have begun probing the practices of several organizations that serve as guardians to hundreds of New York’s most vulnerable residents. The inquiry follows a ProPublica investigation.
Courts Appoint Special Counsel to Oversee Reform of New York’s Troubled Guardianship System
Judicial leaders in New York created two new oversight positions as they work to reform the state’s guardianship system. The personnel additions follow a ProPublica investigation that spotlighted lax monitoring of court-appointed guardians.