David Cay Johnston

David Cay Johnston, long one of America's top investigative reporters, engages audiences with his tales of the people who are reshaping our economy and his plain English explanations of complex government policies and economic concepts and how they affect your pocketbook.

Johnston joined The New York Times in 1995, where he won a Pulitzer Prize in 2001 for his reporting on the U.S. tax code. He has been a finalist for the Pulitzer three other times since 2000. His extensive experience also includes time at The Los Angeles Times, from 1976 to 1988, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, from 1988 to 1994, covering a broad range of issues from police misconduct to corporate financial practices. His best-selling book, "Perfectly Legal," chosen as Book of the Year in 2004 by Investigative Reporters and Editors, brought to light several tax abuses and influenced legislative changes. His subsequent works, including "Free Lunch" and "The Fine Print," delve deeper into economic inequality and deceptive corporate practices.

Johnston’s career began in 1968 at The San Jose Mercury News, followed by investigative work at The Detroit Free Press from 1973 to 1976. His reporting has consistently revealed the consequences of deregulation and corporate malpractices, reshaping public understanding and policy. Born in San Francisco on December 24, 1948, and educated in economics at the University of Chicago, Johnston continues to share his expertise in lectures on corporate tax evasion, government subsidies, and economic inequality, effectively illuminating the intersections of policy, economy, and justice.