Investigative Journalists

The journalists who hold power accountable — uncovering the systems of money, influence, and secrecy that shape American democracy and inform active citizenship.

Jane Mayer
View Profile

Jane Mayer

Staff Writer, The New Yorker

Investigative journalist exposing the hidden systems of political power and money in America

Ryan Grim
View Profile

Ryan Grim

Co-Founder, Drop Site News

Political reporter uncovering the inner workings of Congress, the progressive movement, and institutional power

Glenn Greenwald
View Profile

Glenn Greenwald

Co-Founder, The Intercept

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who broke the Edward Snowden NSA surveillance story

The Washington Post

View Profile

Bob Woodward

The Washington Post

The most famous investigative journalist of the Watergate era, uncovering the Nixon administration's abuses of power and transforming American journalism.

RAND Corporation / The Pentagon Papers

View Profile

Daniel Ellsberg

RAND Corporation / The Pentagon Papers

The military analyst who leaked the Pentagon Papers — the secret history of the Vietnam War — changing the course of American history and defining whistleblowing for a generation.

The Washington Post

View Profile

Carl Bernstein

The Washington Post

The Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post reporter who, alongside Bob Woodward, uncovered the Watergate scandal that brought down a presidency.

Gil Duran
View Profile

Gil Duran

Independent Journalist — The Nerd Reich

Investigative journalist tracking the rise of tech authoritarianism and how Silicon Valley billionaires are working to replace democracy with corporate autocracy.

Ken Klippenstein
View Profile

Ken Klippenstein

Independent Journalist (formerly The Intercept)

Investigative reporter exposing national security secrets through FOIA battles and deep-source reporting

Krystal Ball
View Profile

Krystal Ball

Co-host, Breaking Points

Co-host of Breaking Points — the fastest-growing independent news show in America — and former MSNBC host fighting for a working-class political revolution.

Kyle Kulinski
View Profile

Kyle Kulinski

Host, Secular Talk — Co-founder, Justice Democrats

Host of The Kyle Kulinski Show (Secular Talk) and co-founder of Justice Democrats — a leading progressive voice holding both parties accountable.

Mehdi Hasan
View Profile

Mehdi Hasan

Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Zeteo

Award-winning British-American journalist, founder of Zeteo, former MSNBC anchor — known for his relentless, fact-driven interview style that holds power accountable.

Cenk Uygur
View Profile

Cenk Uygur

Founder & CEO, TYT Network

Founder and host of The Young Turks — the largest online news show in the world — and co-founder of Justice Democrats, the PAC that launched the progressive wave.

Ana Kasparian
View Profile

Ana Kasparian

Co-host & Executive Producer, The Young Turks

Co-host and executive producer of The Young Turks — a leading progressive voice known for sharp commentary on politics, media, and social justice.

Anderson Cooper
View Profile

Anderson Cooper

Anchor, CNN — Anderson Cooper 360°

Anchor of Anderson Cooper 360° & 60 Minutes correspondent

Hemu Rahman
View Profile

Hemu Rahman

Interval News

Founder of Interval News — fighting censorship and surfacing suppressed headlines that mainstream media won't touch.

Why This Matters for Civic Literacy

A functioning democracy depends on a free press that investigates power, exposes corruption, and informs the public. Understanding who holds power — and how they use it — is the foundation of informed citizenship.

Back to Home