N&O reporter up for $25,000 prize

Andy Curliss, a reporter for the Raleigh News & Observer, is one of six finalists for the $25,000 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting. The winner will be announced in March at the Harvard Kennedy School. Here?s the official release text:

J. Andrew Curliss and Staff
The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC)
?Executive Privilege: The Perks of Power?

The News & Observer?s year-long investigation of
former North Carolina Governor Mike Easley exposed pay-to-play politics
at its worst. Their reporting revealed how Easley accepted numerous
unreported gifts from supporters in return for political influence and
?sweet deals.? The facts uncovered in this series launched state and
federal criminal investigations, led to resignations and firings,
exposed election law violations and spurred government reforms.