#EndorseThis: Remembering The Legendary Reporter Who First Exposed Donald Trump

Wayne Barrett was a legendary investigative journalist, whose early reporting on Donald Trump's "moral larceny" blazed the way for every news outlet that has ever given serious coverage to the 45th president and his misdeeds. Sadly, my old colleague Wayne didn't live to report on Trump's presidency, passing away on the night before his inauguration in January 2017. But now Bold Type Books has issued a new anthology of Wayne's work -- including his pathbreaking stories on Trump and Rudy Giuliani -- with new essays by many of his colleagues (and a preface contributed by me).

Without Compromise: The Brave Journalism That First Exposed Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, and the American Epidemic of Corruption is "indispensable," said New Yorker investigative ace Jane Mayer, who added that Wayne's stories "are essential reading, alive with fresh insights and information illuminating today's politics, and remind us that rigorous journalism is still democracy's best defense."

Recently I discussed Without Compromise and Wayne with Lisa Birnbach, renowned author and journalist, for her superb podcast 5 Things That Make Life Better. If you're interested in how investigative reporters work and why they do their often thankless jobs -- along with other pertinent and impertinent topics -- follow the links to this episode of Lisa's podcast. It's on every podcast platform (and I recommend subscribing).