Reporter Raquel Rutledge named 2018 Distinguished Wisconsin Watchdog
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigative reporter Raquel Rutledge has been named the winner of the 2018 Distinguished Wisconsin Watchdog Award. Rutledge was recognized for her work on a wide range of investigative stories that have had a major impact on the state, including her work exposing rampant fraud in the state welfare system that won a Pulitzer Prize.
The Distinguished Wisconsin Watchdog Award is presented jointly by the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, the Madison Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, Wisconsin Broadcasters Association and University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Rutledge will be honored April 19 at an awards dinner in Madison.
In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, Rutledge has won numerous major journalism awards for investigations into contaminated baby wipes at a local firm that led to the death of a Houston toddler, the perils of the chemical diacetyl in the coffee and vaping industries, and nationwide problems with undercover stings by agents with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
Last year, Rutledge led a team of Journal Sentinel reporters that exposed dangerous working conditions in the barrel refurbishing industry and — in an ongoing investigation — her work exposed problems with alcohol-related blackouts at resorts in Mexico.
The investigation on the barrel refurbishing industry recently won a top award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers.
Meanwhile, the Mexico blackouts investigation has been recognized by the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Scripps Howard Journalism Awards. It is a finalist for a public service journalism award from the American Society of News Editors.
Previous winners of the Distinguished Wisconsin Watchdog Award include Journal Sentinel reporters Meg Kissinger (2015) and Dave Umhoefer (2014). Umhoefer is now director of the O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism program at Marquette University.