Justin Elliott

Reporter

Photo of Justin Elliott

Justin Elliott has been a reporter with ProPublica since 2012, where he covers business and politics.

In recent years, he was on the team of reporters documenting how the rich avoid taxes for “The Secret IRS Files” series. He co-wrote the story revealing tech mogul Peter Thiel’s multibillion-dollar Roth IRA.

Previously, his work on TurboTax-maker Intuit’s misleading marketing tactics led to a settlement that delivered $141 million back to consumers.

He has produced stories for outlets including The New York Times and NPR, and his work has spurred congressional investigations and changes to federal legislation.

He has won numerous awards, including a Gerald Loeb Award for business journalism, the Selden Ring Award, an Investigative Reporters and Editors award for a series on the American Red Cross and, with the “Trump, Inc.” podcast team, a duPont-Columbia Award. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Brown University in history and classics.

He can be reached on Signal and WhatsApp at 774-826-6240.

IRS Office That Targeted Tea Party Also Disclosed Confidential Docs From Conservative Groups

The IRS’s Cincinnati office last year sent ProPublica the unapproved applications for several conservative groups.

House Finance Chair Hensarling Goes on Ski Vacation with Wall Street

Shortly after becoming chair of the powerful House Financial Services Committee, Rep. Jeb Hensarling held a weekend fundraiser with lobbyists in Utah’s swanky Deer Valley.

In Key Senate Job, Ex-Lockheed Exec Replaced by Ex-Lockheed Lobbyist

As military contractors fight budget cuts, they get a friendly face on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Republicans and Dems Come Together — to Keep IRS From Competing with TurboTax

A recently introduced bill would ban the IRS from offering free tax prep software.

Another Layer to Rendell’s Fracking Connections

Ed Rendell, the former Pennsylvania governor who oversaw a boom in the state's natural gas business, is special counsel to a Philadelphia firm deeply involved in the controversial fracking trade.

More Than a Matter of Opinion: Ed Rendell’s Plea for Fracking Fails to Disclose Industry Ties

Rendell, who supported fracking when he was governor of Pennsylvania, urged Andrew Cuomo of New York to get behind the industry in a strongly worded newspaper piece. He left a few details out.

Drilling Deeper: The Wealth of Business Connections for Obama’s Energy Pick

MIT physicist Ernest Moniz is an academic who has also served on boards or advisory councils of large energy companies, including BP

U.N. Think Tank Opening Office in Bahrain, with Bahraini Government Funding

The Gulf kingdom welcomes the International Peace Institute even as it bars some human rights advocates and journalists from the country.

The Drone War Doctrine We Still Know Nothing About

The focus on the targeting of American citizens overlooks many other strikes in which the U.S. doesn’t know who it’s killing.

Big Corporations Put Up Seed Funding for Republican Dark Money Group

IRS files show that some of the biggest companies in the country provided more than a million dollars a decade ago to launch a Republican dark money group.

Ethics Probe: Congressman’s Taiwan Trip Likely Broke the Law

The investigation found evidence that Taiwan’s government paid for the trip by Rep. Bill Owens and his wife.

Taiwan Drops Lobbying Firm in Wake of Congressional Ethics Probe

Former senator Al D’Amato’s Park Strategies loses contract representing Taiwan

Obama’s Flip-Flops on Money in Politics: A Brief History

Critics say the president’s plan for a new nonprofit group to push his second-term agenda opens the door to influence by corporations and other big donors.

Widely Cited Government Study on Iranian Spies 'Pulled for Revisions'

The study on Iran’s intelligence ministry has been taken down.

Revealed: America’s Arms Sales To Bahrain Amid Bloody Crackdown

New Pentagon documents offer a fuller picture of U.S. arms sales to the tiny Mideast nation.

How a Government Report Spread a Questionable Claim About Iran

A study leaked to the media says Iran has 30,000 intelligence operatives. But good luck finding the origins of the figure.

Watchdogs to IRS: Reject Rove Group’s Tax Application

Recognition by the IRS would allow Crossroads GPS, one of the biggest outside spenders of the 2012 elections, to keep its donors secret

House Seats vs. Popular Vote

How Dark Money Helped Republicans Hold the House and Hurt Voters

The GOP control of the House came despite more votes for Democrats. Republicans used dark money to control redistricting in many states, aided by other supposedly nonpartisan groups that leaned heavily to Republicans.

FCC’s Plan for Fixing Its Political Ads Transparency Site? It Won’t Say

The agency’s new system to put political ad spending information online turned out to be deeply flawed.

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