John Wilke
Encyclopedia
John Wilke was an American
investigative reporter and news editor in the Washington bureau of The Wall Street Journal
for two decades, beginning in 1989 and lasting until his death in 2009.
Wilke earned his Bachelor's degree
with a double major in psychology
and biology
from New College
in Sarasota, Florida
. He earned his M.A. from the Columbia University
Graduate School of Journalism.
He began his career in 1983 as an intern at The Washington Post
. He joined BusinessWeek
as a Washington correspondent in 1984 and became a staff writer for The Boston Globe
in 1986.
In July 1989, Wilke joined the Wall Street Journals Boston bureau, covering technology. He moved to the Washington bureau in May 1995, covering economics and the Federal Reserve Bank
until December 1996, when he began covering government technology policy, the Federal Trade Commission
and the United States Department of Justice
.
In 2006, private fraud investigator Harry Markopolos
gave extensive details about the Bernard Madoff
Ponzi scheme
to Wilke, who showed interest in the story. According to Markopolos, Wilke's editors did not allow him to pursue the story.
From his obituary in the Journal: "In recent years, [Wilke] specialized in articles about deals cut by members of Congress to win special appropriations, known as earmarks
, for friends, supporters and business associates back home. One of his investigations helped lead to last year's indictment of then-Rep. Rick Renzi
(R., Ariz.), who is accused of receiving favors from developers and copper-mining executives in return for congressional help. Another revealed the broad range of earmarks a powerful Democrat, Rep. John Murtha
, used to bring federal contracts to his Pennsylvania district."
, Wilke and his San Francisco-based colleague, David Bank, won a Computer Press Association award. Wilke's coverage of earmarks won him the Everett McKinley Dirksen (2007) prize for "distinguished coverage of Congress".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
investigative reporter and news editor in the Washington bureau of The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
for two decades, beginning in 1989 and lasting until his death in 2009.
Wilke earned his Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
with a double major in psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
and biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
from New College
New College of Florida
New College of Florida is a public liberal arts college located in Sarasota, Florida. It was founded originally as a private institution and is now an autonomous honors college of the State University System of Florida.-History:...
in Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
. He earned his M.A. from the Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
Graduate School of Journalism.
He began his career in 1983 as an intern at The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
. He joined BusinessWeek
BusinessWeek
Bloomberg Businessweek, commonly and formerly known as BusinessWeek, is a weekly business magazine published by Bloomberg L.P. It is currently headquartered in New York City.- History :...
as a Washington correspondent in 1984 and became a staff writer for The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
in 1986.
In July 1989, Wilke joined the Wall Street Journals Boston bureau, covering technology. He moved to the Washington bureau in May 1995, covering economics and the Federal Reserve Bank
Federal Reserve Bank
The twelve Federal Reserve Banks form a major part of the Federal Reserve System, the central banking system of the United States. The twelve federal reserve banks together divide the nation into twelve Federal Reserve Districts, the twelve banking districts created by the Federal Reserve Act of...
until December 1996, when he began covering government technology policy, the Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
and the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
.
In 2006, private fraud investigator Harry Markopolos
Harry Markopolos
Harry M. Markopolos is a former securities industry executive and independent financial fraud investigator for institutional investors and others seeking forensic accounting expertise. He has received public acclaim for uncovering evidence over a period of nine years that Bernard Madoff's wealth...
gave extensive details about the Bernard Madoff
Bernard Madoff
Bernard Lawrence "Bernie" Madoff is a former American businessman, stockbroker, investment advisor, and financier. He is the former non-executive chairman of the NASDAQ stock market, and the admitted operator of a Ponzi scheme that is considered to be the largest financial fraud in U.S...
Ponzi scheme
Ponzi scheme
A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that pays returns to its investors from their own money or the money paid by subsequent investors, rather than from any actual profit earned by the individual or organization running the operation...
to Wilke, who showed interest in the story. According to Markopolos, Wilke's editors did not allow him to pursue the story.
From his obituary in the Journal: "In recent years, [Wilke] specialized in articles about deals cut by members of Congress to win special appropriations, known as earmarks
Earmark (politics)
In United States politics, an earmark is a legislative provision that directs approved funds to be spent on specific projects, or that directs specific exemptions from taxes or mandated fees...
, for friends, supporters and business associates back home. One of his investigations helped lead to last year's indictment of then-Rep. Rick Renzi
Rick Renzi
Richard George "Rick" Renzi is a former American politician and was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives representing . Renzi has pending Federal criminal charges against him for his involvement in a land-swap deal. On April 19, 2007, the FBI raided his family...
(R., Ariz.), who is accused of receiving favors from developers and copper-mining executives in return for congressional help. Another revealed the broad range of earmarks a powerful Democrat, Rep. John Murtha
John Murtha
John Patrick "Jack" Murtha, Jr. was an American politician from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Murtha, a Democrat, represented Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1974 until his death in 2010....
, used to bring federal contracts to his Pennsylvania district."
Awards
For his coverage of MicrosoftMicrosoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
, Wilke and his San Francisco-based colleague, David Bank, won a Computer Press Association award. Wilke's coverage of earmarks won him the Everett McKinley Dirksen (2007) prize for "distinguished coverage of Congress".
External links
- Washington Post report of Wilke's death
- Wall Street Journal online
- UCLA site
- CJR report of Wilke's death
- JRW site, with reminiscences
- Nocera, Joe, reminiscence "In Praise of John Wilke" Executive Suite blog, The New York Times, 5/5/09. Retrieved 5/5/09.