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Anna Wolfe

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Anna Wolfe is an American investigative journalist known for her work covering corruption in Mississippi's restitution centers and the welfare funds scandal. In 2023, Wolfe won the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting.

Early life and education

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Wolfe was born in Washington state[1] and grew up in Tacoma.[2] In 2012, she obtained an AA degree from Pierce College (Washington).[1] In that same year, Wolfe moved to Mississippi to attend Mississippi State University (MSU). While at MSU, Wolfe was a staff reporter for the student newspaper – The Reflector.[3] After graduating in 2014 with a BA degree in communication and journalism,[3] she relocated to Jackson.[1] As of 2023, Wolfe was serving on MSU's print and digital journalism advisory board in the journalism department.[3]

Career

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Wolfe is an investigative journalist with Mississippi Today.[4] She and Michelle Liu won the February 2020 Sidney Award and the 2021 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting for their investigation in conjunction with The Marshall Project, of Mississippi's restitution centers.[5][6]

In 2023, Wolfe won a Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting, a Livingston Award and a Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting for the second time for her work on The Backchannel[a] series.[5][7][4] Wolfe's series unearthed new evidence about former Mississippi governor Phil Bryant’s role in the Mississippi welfare funds scandal, inspiring multiple court defendants to come forward with allegations against Bryant or publicly insist Bryant be held accountable.[5] The series also exposed key new players in the scandal like former National Football League quarterback Brett Favre, patterns of political nepotism and coercion, and proof that powerful figures kept millions from people who needed it most.[5]

Journalism positions

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Awards

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Defamation lawsuit

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In May 2023, former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant gave notice of his intent to sue Deep South Today, doing business as Mississippi Today, and its chief executive officer Margaret White for defamation relative to comments she made at a Knight Foundation conference promoting Anna Wolfe's award-winning Backchannel series.[16] White's comments implied that the former governor misused $77 million in welfare funds and accused him of funneling millions of those welfare dollars to family and friends, even though Bryant had not been charged with any crime.[16][17]

Shortly after Bryant had given notice of his intent to sue, CEO White issued a public apology stating that she misspoke at a recent media conference, that her remarks were not appropriate, and that the former governor had not been charged with any crime.[18] Nevertheless, Bryant proceeded with his civil action (Case: 45CI1:23-cv-00238-JM, Document # 9-2) which was filed in the circuit court of Madison County, Mississippi on July 26, 2023.[16] In the filing, Bryant requested all documents and communications that Anna Wolfe had access to during the writing of her series on the Mississippi welfare scandal.[19]

In July 2024, Mississippi Today requested that the Mississippi Supreme Court reverse a court order requiring the news outlet to turn over Wolfe's welfare scandal documents and the names of her confidential sources to a judge, who would determine if the evidence had relevance to Bryant's defamation case.[17] On December 6, 2024, the Mississippi Supreme Court rejected Mississippi Today's appeal in a 6–2 majority opinion.[20] Mississippi has not enacted shield laws that protect a reporter's privilege.[21]

Footnotes

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  1. ^ The Backchannel is a five-part series on corruption in Mississippi welfare programs published in Mississippi Today (April 2022).

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Wolfe, Anna. "Anna Wolfe Profile". Linkedin. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  2. ^ a b c d "The 2023 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Local Reporting|Anna Wolfe of Mississippi Today, Ridgeland, Miss". pulitzer.org. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  3. ^ a b c "Breaking News: Communication Alumna Earns Pulitzer Prize". Alumnus Magazine | Mississippi State University. Summer 2023. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
  4. ^ a b "Anna Wolfe wins Pulitzer Prize for her coverage of Brett Favre, Mississippi welfare scandal". NBC Sports. 2023-05-09. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Mississippi Today's Anna Wolfe wins 2023 Goldsmith Prize". Hattiesburg Patriot News Media. 2023-03-15. Retrieved 2024-07-07.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ^ a b "Anna Wolfe and Michelle Liu win February Sidney Award". The Marshall Project. 2020-02-12. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  7. ^ a b Currie, Alexis (2023-06-13). "Announcing the 2023 Livingston Award Winners". Wallace House Center for Journalists. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  8. ^ "Anna Wolfe | Stories | JFP Mobile | Jackson, Mississippi". m.jacksonfreepress.com. Retrieved 2024-09-15.
  9. ^ Wolfe, Anna (2015-11-09). "Mississippi gets D- grade in 2015 State Integrity Investigation". Center for Public Integrity. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  10. ^ "The Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award (2020)". Online Journalism Awards. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
  11. ^ "2020 Poverty and Inequality Awards: The Winners". National Press Foundation. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
  12. ^ "2020 Winners | Green Eyeshade Awards". Retrieved 2024-09-18.
  13. ^ "2021 winners | Green Eyeshade Awards". Retrieved 2024-09-18.
  14. ^ "Collier Prize Winners 2021". UF College of Journalism and Communications. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
  15. ^ "Mississippi Today/Marshall Project and ProPublica Win 2021 Harry Frank Guggenheim Excellence in Criminal Justice Reporting Awards | John Jay College of Criminal Justice". www.jjay.cuny.edu. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
  16. ^ a b c Latino, Russ (2023-07-27). "Bryant was not bluffing Mississippi Today". Magnolia Tribune. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
  17. ^ a b Dilanian, Ken; Strickler, Laura (2024-07-02). "She exposed how the nation's poorest state spent federal welfare money. Now she might go to jail". NBC News. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  18. ^ Latino, Russ (2023-05-18). "Mississippi Today CEO issues public apology to Phil Bryant". Magnolia Tribune. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
  19. ^ "Phil Bryant (Plaintiff) vs Mary Margaret White & Deep South Today dba Mississippi Today (Defendants)|Civil Action #23-238-JM in the Circuit Court of Madison County, Mississippi" (PDF). mississippifreepress.org. July 26, 2023. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
  20. ^ Pittman, Ashton (2024-12-06). "High Court Denies Publication's Appeal in Defamation Case". Mississippi Free Press. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
  21. ^ Corder, Frank (2024-12-05). "State Supreme Court denies Mississippi Today appeal in Bryant defamation case". Magnolia Tribune. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
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"The Backchannel". Mississippi Today. 2023-12-19. Retrieved 2024-09-13.

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