David Hasemyer: A Career of High-Stakes Investigative Journalism
From uncovering local police corruption to exposing global corporate secrets, David Hasemyer has spent over three decades at the forefront of investigative journalism. His career is defined by a commitment to accountability, whether tracking down international fugitives or analyzing complex climate data to challenge some of the world's largest corporations.
Early Career and the San Diego Union-Tribune
Hasemyer began his professional journey at The San Diego Evening Tribune shortly after graduation. He remained with the publication through its 1991 merger, which formed The San Diego Union-Tribune. Over a 30-year tenure as an investigative reporter, Hasemyer tackled a diverse array of high-pressure assignments before leaving the organization in 2009 due to massive layoffs.
One of his most notable early pursuits involved J. David Dominelli, who had orchestrated a Ponzi scheme—a fraudulent investing scam—that cheated investors out of approximately 80 million dollars. Following a tip from Nancy Hoover, the former mayor of Del Mar, Hasemyer traveled to Montserrat in the Caribbean to track Dominelli down. Despite a contentious battle with other reporters and initial refusals from the fugitive, Hasemyer eventually secured an interview, continuing his coverage until U.S. Marshals took Dominelli into custody in Miami.
Hasemyer's impact extended to the legal system in 1997. Collaborating with Joe Cantlupe, he authored a series of reports exposing prosecutorial misconduct by District Attorney Edward Cervantes and Deputy District Attorney Keith Burt, as well as police corruption. These reports were cited in court and led to the reversal of convictions for four men in 1994.
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Transition to Environmental Journalism and InsideClimate News
In 2013, Hasemyer joined InsideClimate News, where he rose to the position of senior correspondent. During this period, he also contributed his expertise to FEMA as an on-call public information officer, specializing in strategy and messaging during the response to Hurricane Sandy in New York.
The Dilbit Disaster and the Pulitzer Prize
Hasemyer, alongside Lisa Song and Elizabeth McGowan, won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for their investigation into the Kalamazoo River oil spill. The reporting focused on dilbit, a thick Canadian hydrocarbon known as bitumen that is diluted with liquid chemicals to allow it to flow through pipelines.
The investigation revealed critical safety failures: the pipeline suffered from corrosion, and pipeline operators failed to notify first responders that dilbit was involved. Unlike standard oil, the chemicals in dilbit evaporate, causing the heavy residue to sink to the bottom of water bodies, making cleanup exceptionally difficult. This work established InsideClimate News, then a "scrappy" digital startup, as a major force in journalism.
Exposing the Eagle Ford Shale
In 2014, Hasemyer and his colleagues investigated the Eagle Ford Shale play, a massive drilling region in South Texas spanning 400 miles in length and 50 miles in width. The series, "Big Oil, Bad Air," highlighted the health risks faced by residents living near more than 7,000 unregulated oil and gas structures. This work earned multiple accolades, including the Philip Meyer Journalism Award for Social Science and the Thomas L. Stokes Award.
The Exxon Climate Investigation
In 2016, Hasemyer was part of a team that became finalists for the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for the series "Exxon: The Road Not Taken." This eight-month investigation involved analyzing hundreds of internal documents and company memos dating back to the 1970s.
The reporting alleged that Exxon's own scientists had confirmed the role of fossil fuels in global warming decades ago, yet the company spent years publicly discrediting climate science. The fallout from these revelations led the Attorney General of New York to issue a subpoena to Exxon to investigate potential fraud. While ExxonMobil has denied wrongdoing and disputes the reporting via its own timeline and legal experts, the series received the Edgar A. Poe Award, presented by President Barack Obama.
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Key Facts
- Pulitzer Prize Winner: Won the 2013 Pulitzer for National Reporting regarding the Kalamazoo River dilbit spill.
- Corporate Accountability: Led investigations into Exxon's historical knowledge of climate change.
- Legal Impact: His reporting on San Diego officials led to the reversal of four criminal convictions.
- Specialized Reporting: Expert in "dilbit" (diluted bitumen) and the environmental impacts of the Eagle Ford Shale.
- Public Service: Served as a FEMA public information officer during Hurricane Sandy.
| Series/Topic | Key Focus | Major Outcome/Award |
|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo River Spill | Dilbit pipeline safety | 2013 Pulitzer Prize |
| Eagle Ford Shale | Health risks of fracking | Philip Meyer Journalism Award |
| Exxon: The Road Not Taken | Climate change denial | NY Attorney General Subpoena |
| San Diego Corruption | Police and prosecutorial misconduct | Reversal of 4 convictions |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is dilbit and why is it dangerous?
Dilbit is bitumen (a thick Canadian hydrocarbon) diluted with liquid chemicals to make it flow through pipelines. It is particularly dangerous during spills because the chemicals evaporate, causing the remaining thick oil to sink to the bottom, which makes it much harder to clean up than conventional oil.
What was the impact of the "Exxon: The Road Not Taken" series?
The series revealed that Exxon's own internal research confirmed the link between fossil fuels and global warming as early as the 1970s. This led to a subpoena from the New York Attorney General to investigate whether the company committed fraud by misleading the public.
How did Hasemyer's reporting affect the San Diego legal system?
By exposing corruption within the police department and misconduct by District Attorney Edward Cervantes and Deputy DA Keith Burt, Hasemyer's work provided the basis for court arguments that resulted in the reversal of convictions for four men in 1994.
What is the Eagle Ford Shale play?
The Eagle Ford Shale is one of the most active drilling sites in the U.S., located in South Texas. It is a region roughly 400 miles long and 50 miles wide containing over 7,000 oil and gas wells and structures.
Which prestigious award did President Obama present to Hasemyer's team?
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama presented the team with the Edgar A. Poe Award during the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner for their reporting on Exxon.