John Dougherty (Journalist)
Encyclopedia
John Dougherty, is an award winning American freelance investigative journalist. Subjects he has reported on include: the Keating Five
scandal and the S&L crisis
, Arizona Governor Fife Symington III
, the FLDS Church
and its leader Warren Jeffs
, and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio
. In 2010, he ran as a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Arizona.
. He attended Arizona State University
from 1974 to 1981. He graduated with two degrees: B.S. Journalism (1978) and B.S. Economics (1981).
broke the story of the Keating Five
. His source was Edwin J. Gray, former chair of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board. The subsequent congressional ethics committee hearings of Senators Alan Cranston
, Dennis DeConcini
, John Glenn
, John McCain
, and Donald W. Riegle began in November of that year.
in Mesa, Arizona and was still very interested in the connections between politicians and the S&L crisis
. He began looking into Arizona governor Fife Symington III
and his role as a board member of Southwest Savings and Loan. He continued his coverage of Symington for over ten years, writing more than 66 articles on Symington. His coverage foreshadowed Symington's 1997 conviction on federal bank and wire fraud charges and resignation as Arizona governor.
for the Phoenix New Times
when he became sheriff in 1993. Dougherty was involved in a series of court cases with Arpaio that culminated in a 2008 decision to award the Phoenix New Times $40,000 in legal fees.
, and exposed the actions of their leader Warren Jeffs
. He wrote over 35 articles, appearing in the Phoenix New Times
, The New York Times
, and The Arizona Republic
. This series garnered him national attention, including an interview on National Public Radio, and won him the Casey Medal in 2006.
Keating Five
The Keating Five were five United States Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The five senators – Alan Cranston , Dennis DeConcini, John Glenn , John McCain , and Donald W. Riegle,...
scandal and the S&L crisis
Savings and Loan crisis
The savings and loan crisis of the 1980s and 1990s was the failure of about 747 out of the 3,234 savings and loan associations in the United States...
, Arizona Governor Fife Symington III
Fife Symington III
John Fife Symington III is an American businessman and the former Governor of the U.S. state of Arizona from 1991 until his resignation in 1997.-Background:...
, the FLDS Church
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is one of the largest Mormon fundamentalist denominations and one of the largest organizations in the United States whose members practice polygamy. The FLDS Church emerged in the early twentieth century when its founding members left...
and its leader Warren Jeffs
Warren Jeffs
Warren Steed Jeffs was the president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints . In 2011, Jeffs was convicted of two felony counts of child sexual assault....
, and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Joe Arpaio
Joseph M. "Joe" Arpaio is the elected Sheriff of Maricopa County in the U.S. state of Arizona. First voted into office in 1992, Arpaio is responsible for law enforcement in Maricopa County. This includes management of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, county jail, courtroom security,...
. In 2010, he ran as a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Arizona.
Early life and education
Dougherty was raised in Fairfax, VirginiaFairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
. He attended Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
from 1974 to 1981. He graduated with two degrees: B.S. Journalism (1978) and B.S. Economics (1981).
Career
- Phoenix New TimesPhoenix New TimesThe Phoenix New Times is a free, weekly Phoenix, Arizona newspaper, put out every Thursday. It is the founding publication of the New Times Media , but The Village Voice is now the flagship publication of that company....
from March 1, 1993 to September 1, 2006 - The Southwest Sage from August 1, 1992 to February 28, 1993
- East Valley TribuneEast Valley TribuneThe East Valley Tribune is a publication concentrating on cities within the East Valley region of metropolitan Phoenix, including Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert and Queen Creek....
from August 1, 1991 to July 31, 1992 - Half Moon Bay Review from August 1, 1990 to July 31, 1991
- Dayton Daily NewsDayton Daily NewsThe Dayton Daily News is a daily newspaper published in Dayton, Ohio. It is owned by Cox Enterprises. In the 2010 Associated Press Society of Ohio newspaper competition that takes place every year, DaytonDailyNews.com was named "the best large-newspaper web site in Ohio".-History:On August 15,...
from January 15, 1989 to August 1990 - East Valley TribuneEast Valley TribuneThe East Valley Tribune is a publication concentrating on cities within the East Valley region of metropolitan Phoenix, including Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert and Queen Creek....
from April 1, 1988 to January 15, 1989 - The Phoenix Gazette from June 1984 to April 1988
- The Washington PostThe Washington PostThe 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...
intermittently from September 1978 to March 1984
The Keating Five
John Dougherty's May 21, 1989 front page piece in the Dayton Daily NewsDayton Daily News
The Dayton Daily News is a daily newspaper published in Dayton, Ohio. It is owned by Cox Enterprises. In the 2010 Associated Press Society of Ohio newspaper competition that takes place every year, DaytonDailyNews.com was named "the best large-newspaper web site in Ohio".-History:On August 15,...
broke the story of the Keating Five
Keating Five
The Keating Five were five United States Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The five senators – Alan Cranston , Dennis DeConcini, John Glenn , John McCain , and Donald W. Riegle,...
. His source was Edwin J. Gray, former chair of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board. The subsequent congressional ethics committee hearings of Senators Alan Cranston
Alan Cranston
Alan MacGregor Cranston was an American journalist and Democratic Senator from California.-Education:Cranston earned his high school diploma from the old Mountain View High School, where among other things, he was a track star...
, Dennis DeConcini
Dennis DeConcini
Dennis Webster DeConcini is a former Democratic U.S. Senator from Arizona. Son of former Arizona Supreme Court Judge Evo Anton DeConcini, he represented Arizona in the United States Senate from 1977 until 1995....
, John Glenn
John Glenn
John Herschel Glenn, Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States senator who was the first American to orbit the Earth and the third American in space. Glenn was a Marine Corps fighter pilot before joining NASA's Mercury program as a member of NASA's original...
, John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
, and Donald W. Riegle began in November of that year.
Governor Fife Symington
Two years later in 1991, John Dougherty was working for the East Valley TribuneEast Valley Tribune
The East Valley Tribune is a publication concentrating on cities within the East Valley region of metropolitan Phoenix, including Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert and Queen Creek....
in Mesa, Arizona and was still very interested in the connections between politicians and the S&L crisis
Savings and Loan crisis
The savings and loan crisis of the 1980s and 1990s was the failure of about 747 out of the 3,234 savings and loan associations in the United States...
. He began looking into Arizona governor Fife Symington III
Fife Symington III
John Fife Symington III is an American businessman and the former Governor of the U.S. state of Arizona from 1991 until his resignation in 1997.-Background:...
and his role as a board member of Southwest Savings and Loan. He continued his coverage of Symington for over ten years, writing more than 66 articles on Symington. His coverage foreshadowed Symington's 1997 conviction on federal bank and wire fraud charges and resignation as Arizona governor.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio
John Dougherty began covering Joe ArpaioJoe Arpaio
Joseph M. "Joe" Arpaio is the elected Sheriff of Maricopa County in the U.S. state of Arizona. First voted into office in 1992, Arpaio is responsible for law enforcement in Maricopa County. This includes management of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, county jail, courtroom security,...
for the Phoenix New Times
Phoenix New Times
The Phoenix New Times is a free, weekly Phoenix, Arizona newspaper, put out every Thursday. It is the founding publication of the New Times Media , but The Village Voice is now the flagship publication of that company....
when he became sheriff in 1993. Dougherty was involved in a series of court cases with Arpaio that culminated in a 2008 decision to award the Phoenix New Times $40,000 in legal fees.
FLDS and Warren Jeffs
From 2002 through 2008, Dougherty investigated and reported heavily on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day SaintsFundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is one of the largest Mormon fundamentalist denominations and one of the largest organizations in the United States whose members practice polygamy. The FLDS Church emerged in the early twentieth century when its founding members left...
, and exposed the actions of their leader Warren Jeffs
Warren Jeffs
Warren Steed Jeffs was the president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints . In 2011, Jeffs was convicted of two felony counts of child sexual assault....
. He wrote over 35 articles, appearing in the Phoenix New Times
Phoenix New Times
The Phoenix New Times is a free, weekly Phoenix, Arizona newspaper, put out every Thursday. It is the founding publication of the New Times Media , but The Village Voice is now the flagship publication of that company....
, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, and The Arizona Republic
The Arizona Republic
The Arizona Republic is a daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. It was ranked tenth in US daily newspapers by circulation in 2007.-Early years:The newspaper was founded...
. This series garnered him national attention, including an interview on National Public Radio, and won him the Casey Medal in 2006.
Awards
- 1992, Arizona Press Club's Virg Hill Journalist of the Year
- 1994, Arizona Press Club's Virg Hill Journalist of the Year
- 1995, Arizona Press Club's Virg Hill Journalist of the Year
- 2 time winner of the Arizona Press Club's Don Bolles Award for Investigative Reporting
- 1996, inducted into the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism Hall of Fame
- 2006, Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism
2010 Senate campaign
Dougherty finished third in the four-way 2010 Arizona Democratic Senate primary with 24 percent of the vote.External links
- John Dougherty for U.S Senate official campaign site
- Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
- Investigative Media
- Articles by year in the Phoenix New TimesPhoenix New TimesThe Phoenix New Times is a free, weekly Phoenix, Arizona newspaper, put out every Thursday. It is the founding publication of the New Times Media , but The Village Voice is now the flagship publication of that company....