The Los Angeles Times reporters Benjamin Oreskes, Kevin Rector, Noah Bierman, Melanie Mason and Cameron Joseph have won the 2023 Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress for their coverage of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, which National Press Foundation judges praised as “tough reporting that was also sensitive.”

When Sen. Feinstein missed several Judiciary Committee votes while home in San Francisco with shingles, many Democrats feared that her prolonged absence would hamper the confirmation of judges nominated by President Biden. The reporters examined these worries and were the first to reveal what Feinstein’s constituent services team was telling residents about her absence. The journalists also questioned what level of obligation Feinstein had to voters to provide transparency about her health.

“The LA Times served its hometown readership with those stories,” NPF judges said. “It’s easy to be unkind or callous. [The reporters] raised legitimate questions, but in a really human way – and that is hard to do.”

Photo Credit: Kent Nishimura, Los Angeles Times

The judging panel also noted that the series married “fascinating … behind the scenes” reporting with “engaging” photojournalism and design to create “the total package.”

The Dirksen Award was created in 1980 in honor of the late Republican senator from Illinois. It recognizes journalists whose work shows thoughtful appraisal and insight into the workings of the U.S. Congress.

The journalists were recognized at NPF’s Annual Awards Dinner on February 15, 2024.

The Dirksen Award carries a cash prize of $5,000. Previous winners can be found here.