Norton Mourns Loss of Benjamin Bradlee, Father of Investigative Journalism

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today offered condolences to the family of Benjamin C. Bradlee, the Washington Post's most distinguished editor, and called him "the father of investigative journalism." Bradlee spent twenty-six years at the Washington Post, beginning in 1965, and saw the paper through such historic events as the Watergate scandal and the Pentagon Papers. Bradlee went on to win a Public Service award for the Watergate coverage. Norton commended his commitment to the First Amendment and to government accountability and transparency.

"As editor of our hometown newspaper, Benjamin Bradlee defined an era of reporting that gave birth to investigative journalism as we now know it," Norton said. "He will be remembered for his fearless journalism, for building a team of pathbreaking journalists, and for giving them the freedom to do what seemed to be the impossible. Bradlee, his publisher Katharine Graham, and his reporters lived among the powerful in Washington, but were completely undaunted by them, including the President. Outside of the newsroom, Bradlee did not forget our community, raising millions of dollars for the District's Children's National Medical Center. Nearly one year ago, Bradlee was awarded by President Obama the Presidential Medal of Freedom, our nation's highest civilian honor, for his life's work. I send my condolences to his wife, Sally Quinn, to his entire family, and to the countless people who he inspired, mentored, and loved."