Wyatt Buchanan to lead investigative reporting team for The Republic
The Arizona Republic has named a new editor for its award-winning investigative reporting team.
Wyatt Buchanan, who previously served as The Republic and azcentral .com’s editor for state government and politics at the Arizona Capitol, will now lead the reporters who do indepth research and reporting on individuals and institutions to uncover wrongdoing and check abuses of power.
“Wyatt’s stellar work leading state politics reporting has grounded him in the issues most important to Arizonans. He’s proven sharp, focused and fair in his oversight of coverage at a time of intense political divisiveness,” Greg Burton, Republic executive editor, said.
“Wyatt and his team will listen closely to members of the community and work hard to spotlight information often kept hidden that undermines quality of life in the state.”
Buchanan has worked at The Republic for nine years, leading the state coverage for the past six. He shepherded investigations into former Gov. Doug Ducey’s false claims about eliminating regulations, the stacking of justices on the Arizona Supreme Court and sexual harassment at the Capitol.
The work he has edited has won multiple top awards, including twice for “Story of the Year” from the Arizona Newspapers Association for stories about the dubious “Border Strike Force” and vacant city-owned land neglected by Phoenix. He was a key part of the team that won the Scripps Howard Award for distinguished service to the First Amendment for coverage of efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Arizona.
“The investigative team at The Republic has a long history of exposing wrongdoing at the highest levels and looking out for some of the most vulnerable people in our state,” Buchanan said. “I feel honored and humbled by the news organization putting its faith in me to help continue that tradition. I want our readers and Arizonans to know that I will work aggressively on their behalf to hold the powerful accountable and to highlight deep-rooted problems facing residents here.”
Buchanan, 43, has worked in journalism for more than two decades. Before joining The Republic, he spent 10 years as a reporter covering state politics and other issues for the San Francisco Chronicle. He’s a native of Idaho.
Michael Braga, who previously served as The Republic’s investigative editor, has moved into a new role as an investigative reporter. Also on the team are reporters Robert Anglen, Kunle Falayi, Andrew Ford, Sahana Jayaraman, Caitlin McGlade and Richard Ruelas.
The Republic’s investigative team has won multiple national awards, most recently for exposing a Valleybased medical company that was sued by clients and the U.S. Department of Justice for endangering lives with unnecessary procedures and another series that showed how the state exploits the labor of prisoners. Other recent work includes a series examining resident harm in senior-living facilities.