NMFOG News:

ALBUQUERQUE — The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, the New Mexico Press Association and the New Mexico Broadcasters Association are pleased to announce the winner of the first-ever Bob Johnson Excellence in Journalism Award is Ed Williams from Searchlight New Mexico for his article published Feb. 25, 2025 on how a well-financed PAC successfully lobbied to block medical malpractice changes.

“I selected this piece for its strong focus on following the money and bringing greater transparency to how policy can be influenced,” said Belinda Mills, a member of the selection committee and president of the New Mexico Press Association. “It connects key information in a clear and meaningful way, helping readers better understand a complex issue and its impact on New Mexicans.”

The Bob Johnson Award, which comes with a $5,000 cash prize, is a new honor recognizing outstanding reporting from the previous year that exams the link between money and power in New Mexico. The award is grounded in an age-old investigative journalism principle “follow the money” and celebrates journalists who inform the public on how on government leaders are influenced or how public money is spent.

The award honors Robert “Bob” Johnson, a founder of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government and its first executive director, who led the organization for 16 years until his death in 2007.