Gary Webb

Date of Birth: August 31, 1955

Zodiac Sign: Virgo

Date of Death: December 10, 2004

Biography

Gary Webb was an American investigative journalist best known for his 1996 “Dark Alliance” series, which linked the CIA to cocaine trafficking in the United States. Webb was born in Corona, California, and grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. He began his journalism career at the Kentucky Post and later worked for the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the San Jose Mercury News. His groundbreaking series “Dark Alliance” sparked controversy and led to extensive government and media scrutiny. Despite facing intense criticism and professional setbacks, Webb continued to advocate for transparency and accountability in journalism. He published a book, “Dark Alliance: The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion,” in 1998. Webb’s career was marked by his dedication to uncovering the truth, often at great personal and professional cost.

5 Interesting Facts about Gary Webb

1. Gary Webb won a Pulitzer Prize in 1990 as part of a team at the San Jose Mercury News for their coverage of the Loma Prieta earthquake.

2. His “Dark Alliance” series was one of the first major news stories to be published simultaneously online and in print, receiving widespread attention.

3. Webb’s work led to multiple government investigations, including a CIA Inspector General report that confirmed some of his findings.

4. Despite the controversy, Webb never retracted his stories and maintained that his reporting was accurate.

5. Webb’s work has been credited with bringing greater awareness to issues of government accountability and the impact of drug policies on American communities.