Mike Baker

Mike Baker is a national reporter for The New York Times, based in Seattle. He covers a range of subjects, often pursuing coverage of national issues and trends such as housing costs, homelessness, gun violence, natural disasters, water supplies, climate impacts, extremism and inequality. He has also covered major news events and investigative projects across the United States. Baker is particularly interested in exposing malfeasance and neglect in order to hold powerful people and institutions accountable. Before joining The Times in 2020, he was an investigative reporter at The Seattle Times and worked on both coasts for The Associated Press. He has been part of two Pulitzer Prize-winning teams: one that investigated a landslide in Oso, Wash., in 2014, and another that investigated defects in Boeing's 737 MAX in 2019. In 2016, he won the Livingston Award for national reporting for an investigation of Warren Buffett's mobile home business. In 2018, he won the Selden Ring Award for an investigation of a neuroscience institute in Seattle. As a journalist, Baker is committed to upholding the standards outlined in The New York Times' extensive ethics policy. He prioritizes conversations with a wide range of people from different communities to find stories that would not otherwise be told and to better understand the issues and regions he reports on. His investigative work at times involves confidential sources who take great risk to share sensitive information that cannot be obtained in other ways. He takes great care in protecting the identities of confidential sources.

Biography:  https://www.nytimes.com/by/mike-baker

63%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermines the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
Analysis.OverallConflictOfInterestScore * 0.3F + Analysis.OverallBiasScore * 0.3F + Analysis.DeceptivenessScore * 0.3F + Analysis.ReadabilityScore * 0.1F

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

The Daily's Verdict

This author has a mixed reputation for journalistic standards. It is advisable to fact-check, scrutinize for bias, and check for conflicts of interest before relying on the author's reporting.

Bias

85%

Examples:

  • Republicans in recent years have used that requirement to their advantage, walking off the job in order to stall bills on climate policy, taxes and abortion.
  • Some of the senators challenged the new rules in court. Before the State Supreme Court, they contended that the new restrictions allowed senators to serve one more term after their current term expired.

Conflicts of Interest

50%

Examples:

  • The statement 'Republicans have been using their right to boycott legislative sessions to stall bills on climate policy, taxes and abortion' is also misleading as it implies that these issues were not being addressed before the walkouts began when in reality they had already been debated extensively.
  • The statement 'voters had approved an initiative to prohibit lawmaker walkouts' is misleading as it implies that voters directly voted for such a measure when in reality they passed a constitutional amendment which was then used to pass legislation banning walkouts.

Contradictions

85%

Examples:

  • Homicides and overdoses soared in Portland during Schmidt's tenure as prosecutor. Car thefts dropped rapidly and homicides were coming down from record highs in the last year under Schmidt's leadership.
  • Nathan Vasquez blamed Mike Schmidt for Portland's recent problems with drugs and crime during a debate.
  • The majority of Oregon's Republican state senators are prohibited from running for re-election as a result of their repeated walkouts last year.

Deceptions

50%

Examples:

  • The statement 'Republicans have been using their right to boycott legislative sessions to stall bills on climate policy, taxes and abortion' is also misleading as it implies that these issues were not being addressed before the walkouts began when in reality they had already been debated extensively.
  • The statement 'voters had approved an initiative to prohibit lawmaker walkouts' is misleading as it implies that voters directly voted for such a measure when in reality they passed a constitutional amendment which was then used to pass legislation banning walkouts.

Recent Articles

Seattle's 'Belltown Hellcat': Man Faces Reckless Driving and Stalking Charges in Court

Seattle's 'Belltown Hellcat': Man Faces Reckless Driving and Stalking Charges in Court

Broke On: Monday, 29 July 2024 Seattle's 'Belltown Hellcat', Miles Hudson, faced a contentious court hearing on July 29, 2024, for reckless driving and stalking allegations. Despite religious attire and denial of release due to past domestic violence arrest, Hudson was ordered not to drive or post online. Known for his souped-up Dodge Charger Hellcat SRT causing disturbance with excessive noise, Hudson also faced accusations of stalking an ex-girlfriend and harassment.
Makah Tribe Receives Green Light to Resume Whale Hunting after 25-Year Hiatus

Makah Tribe Receives Green Light to Resume Whale Hunting after 25-Year Hiatus

Broke On: Thursday, 13 June 2024 The Makah Tribe in Washington State, known for its long-standing cultural tradition of whale hunting, has received approval from the US government to resume the practice after a hiatus of nearly 25 years. NOAA Fisheries granted the tribe a waiver under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, allowing them to hunt up to 25 eastern North Pacific gray whales over a decade. The decision marks a significant victory for the Makah Tribe, whose cultural identity is deeply rooted in whaling practices dating back over a thousand years.
West Coast Voters Frustrated with Progressive DAs: Mike Schmidt Recalled in Portland, Pamela Price Faces Backlash in Alameda County

West Coast Voters Frustrated with Progressive DAs: Mike Schmidt Recalled in Portland, Pamela Price Faces Backlash in Alameda County

Broke On: Thursday, 23 May 2024 Progressive district attorneys in deep-blue metro areas along the West Coast, including Portland, Oregon and San Francisco, California, are facing voter backlash due to more lenient approaches to crime. Mike Schmidt was defeated by Nathan Vasquez in Portland's May 2024 DA race over concerns about drug decriminalization and public safety. Similar frustration emerged against Pamela Price in Alameda County and George Gascón in Los Angeles, with critics accusing reformers of capitalizing on post-pandemic challenges.
Fire Safety Report: Heroic Firefighting Efforts Amidst Maui's Deadly Wildfires, but Preparation and Communication Lacked

Fire Safety Report: Heroic Firefighting Efforts Amidst Maui's Deadly Wildfires, but Preparation and Communication Lacked

Broke On: Wednesday, 17 April 2024 Last August, the town of Lahaina on Maui experienced a devastating wildfire that claimed 101 lives and caused extensive damage. A new report by the Fire Safety Research Institute reveals heroic firefighter efforts but also highlights missed opportunities for prevention. Despite red flag warnings and evidence of earlier fires, the Maui Fire Department was slow to prepare crews and equipment. Poor communication between emergency officials further hindered response efforts, potentially contributing to delays in deploying resources. An investigation by the Hawaii Attorney General's office suggests a downed powerline may have caused the fire.
Oregon Supreme Court Rules Against Republican Senators Who Boycotted Legislative Sessions

Oregon Supreme Court Rules Against Republican Senators Who Boycotted Legislative Sessions

Broke On: Saturday, 03 February 2024 The Oregon Supreme Court has ruled that 10 Republican state senators cannot run for re-election after repeatedly boycotting legislative sessions. The court upheld a constitutional provision designed to penalize absent lawmakers, enforcing the rule that any legislator with more than 10 unexcused absences during a session is disqualified from holding office in the subsequent term.