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.

Trump Administration Hires Official Whom Five Students Accused of Sexual Assault

As an upperclassman at The Citadel military college several years ago, Steven Munoz allegedly assaulted five freshmen. His hiring at the State Department raises further questions about the Trump administration’s vetting process.

Trump is Hiring Lobbyists and Top Ethics Official Says ‘There’s No Transparency’

In one case, an official working on energy regulation recently lobbied for oil and coal companies — but the White House won't say whether he received an ethics waiver.

Official Involved in Bush-Era Purge of Gay Employees Now in Trump Administration

A government investigation found that Jim Renne was a key player in a scandal in which staff were targeted on the basis of sexual orientation.

How the Trump Administration Responds to Democrats’ Demands for Information: It Doesn’t.

Congressional Democrats’ letters to the Trump administration are going unanswered.

Senators to White House: How Will Kushner Avoid Overlap Between Business Empire and Government Work?

Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Tom Carper wrote the White House after we detailed how Jared Kushner is keeping parts of his family real-estate empire.

Here Are More Than 400 Officials Trump Has Quietly Deployed Across the Government

ProPublica has obtained a list of more than 400 people hired by the Trump administration to fill key roles across the federal government.

Meet the Hundreds of Officials Trump Has Quietly Installed Across the Government

We have obtained a list of more than 400 Trump administration hires, including dozens of lobbyists and some from far-right media.

How the Trump Administration May Be Skirting Its Own Ethics Rules

The hiring of three former lobbyists to work in the White House raises questions about how the Trump administration is enforcing the president’s executive order on ethics.

White House Power Player Jared Kushner Is Keeping Parts of His Real-Estate Empire

Given Kushner’s vast portfolio as an adviser to the president, it’s not clear how he’s going to avoid issues that could affect his bank account. The Trump administration has declined to give details.

Trump Then: ‘I Would Have No Problem’ Banning Lobbyists. Trump Now: You’re Hired!

Donald Trump suggested during the campaign that he would ban lobbyists from his administration. Now they’re working at the very agencies they sought to influence.

Trump’s Watered-Down Ethics Rules Let a Lobbyist Help Run an Agency He Lobbied

President Trump’s executive order on ethics also cites a section of the law that doesn’t exist.

Labor Department Hire Could Presage Collision Between Trump and Construction Unions

The president has cultivated a relationship with the building trades unions. But early hires at the Department of Labor are opponents of wage standards for construction contracts.

A New State Department Order to Revoke Visas Could Have Far-Reaching Effects

Immigration lawyers are scrambling to understand the meaning of a letter first disclosed late Tuesday.

Trump Ban Leaves 12-Year-Old Girl Facing Return to War-Torn Yemen

The girl, whose parents are U.S. citizens, was barred from boarding a plane yesterday and is now in limbo in Djibouti.

Why Trump’s Meetings With CEOs Seeking Mergers Trouble Observers

The president has flouted decades-old norms of antitrust by directly speaking with the executives of companies seeking to merge.

Do You Make Less Than $47,500 a Year? Help Us Investigate Overtime Pay.

Do you make less than $47,500 a year? Help us investigate overtime pay.

How Trump Could Kill a Plan to Get You Overtime Pay

A rule that could get overtime pay for four million workers is in limbo, and Trump will help decide whether it survives.

Trump’s Pick for Labor Secretary Wrote a Deregulatory Manifesto

Andrew Puzder’s co-author told us: “He’ll put in place everything we laid out in the book.”

These Professors Make More Than a Thousand Bucks an Hour Peddling Mega-Mergers

The economists are leveraging their academic prestige with secret reports justifying corporate concentration. Their predictions are often wrong and consumers pay the price.

What We Don’t Know: The Full Effect Of Voter Suppression and Voter ID Laws

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