I am a journalist who specializes in features and profiles. I write about the American right; ideologues, intellectuals, and ideas; extremist movements; the culture wars; true crime; and strange events and strange places.
I'm a political culture reporter and feature writer at the Guardian US, where I was also previously the deputy US opinion editor. (I no longer edit opinion: please do not send me op-ed or PR pitches.) I also contribute occasional essays and reviews to the Washington Examiner, NY Magazine, and other publications.
When I work on a long story I work to learn everything I possibly can about a topic and speak to anyone who will talk to me. I take accuracy, fairness, and my responsibility to sources very seriously. I believe that a writer or reporter's preexisting beliefs can influence the questions that they ask but not the answers that they come to. I cannot guarantee that anyone will agree with my conclusions, but I hope that they find them accurate, balanced, thoughtful, and insightful. If you are a source considering talking to me and have any questions about my methods please ask me. (I can be reached at the email form on this site, Twitter DMs, at my publicly available Guardian email, or by phone, WhatsApp, or Signal.)
Conflicts of interest: I declare personal relationships if they are relevant to a story. I have a negative net worth and generally have no financial conflicts to declare.
I’ve written about a Texan vigilante trying to solve his daughter’s murder; conspiracy theorists who attack cops; an American missionary killed trying to convert an isolated island tribe; the Attica prison riot; an environmentalist who burned himself to death to protest climate change; and the Jonestown commune. I’ve also “stormed” Area 51 and shadowed American volunteers on their way to Ukraine.
I've interviewed or profiled Michael Fanone, Dave Ramsey, Ann Coulter, and Mark Lilla, among others.
I'm a political culture reporter and feature writer at the Guardian US, where I was also previously the deputy US opinion editor. (I no longer edit opinion: please do not send me op-ed or PR pitches.) I also contribute occasional essays and reviews to the Washington Examiner, NY Magazine, and other publications.
When I work on a long story I work to learn everything I possibly can about a topic and speak to anyone who will talk to me. I take accuracy, fairness, and my responsibility to sources very seriously. I believe that a writer or reporter's preexisting beliefs can influence the questions that they ask but not the answers that they come to. I cannot guarantee that anyone will agree with my conclusions, but I hope that they find them accurate, balanced, thoughtful, and insightful. If you are a source considering talking to me and have any questions about my methods please ask me. (I can be reached at the email form on this site, Twitter DMs, at my publicly available Guardian email, or by phone, WhatsApp, or Signal.)
Conflicts of interest: I declare personal relationships if they are relevant to a story. I have a negative net worth and generally have no financial conflicts to declare.
I’ve written about a Texan vigilante trying to solve his daughter’s murder; conspiracy theorists who attack cops; an American missionary killed trying to convert an isolated island tribe; the Attica prison riot; an environmentalist who burned himself to death to protest climate change; and the Jonestown commune. I’ve also “stormed” Area 51 and shadowed American volunteers on their way to Ukraine.
I've interviewed or profiled Michael Fanone, Dave Ramsey, Ann Coulter, and Mark Lilla, among others.
