Drew Griffin, CNN Investigative Journalist, Dies at 60 - The New York Times

Media|Drew Griffin, CNN Investigative Journalist, Dies astatine 60

Drew Griffin, the investigative writer whose reporting for CNN connected delayed attraction astatine Veterans Affairs hospitals prompted the resignation of the caput of the department, died connected Saturday. He was 60.

The origin of decease was not instantly made public, but Mr. Griffin had cancer, Chris Licht, CNN’s main executive, said successful a email to unit members connected Monday. Mr. Griffin was surviving successful the Atlanta country and died astatine location with his family, according to CNN.

“Drew’s decease is simply a devastating nonaccomplishment to CNN and our full profession,” Mr. Licht said. “Drew’s enactment had unthinkable interaction and embodied the ngo of this enactment successful each way. He cared astir seeking the information and holding the almighty to account.”

Mr. Griffin joined CNN successful May 2004. During his clip with the network, helium covered a scope of issues, including intersexual battle allegations against Uber drivers, fraud claims against Trump University during Donald Trump’s 2016 statesmanlike campaign, and the aftermath of the Jan. 6 onslaught connected the United States Capitol. His enactment connected the Capitol onslaught was cited successful tribunal filings by the U.S. Department of Justice, according to CNN.

“His enactment ethic was unparalleled,” Mr. Licht said. “Even arsenic helium battled cancer, helium refused to springiness up connected the reporting that was truthful important to him and was adjacent moving connected an probe until the time helium passed away.”

In January 2014, Mr. Griffin led an investigative squad that broke a communicative astir astatine slightest 19 subject veterans who died aft their appointments astatine Veteran Affairs hospitals had been delayed. Thousands of different veterans were experiencing akin delays for treatment.

After CNN’s reporting, Eric Shinseki resigned arsenic caput of the Department of Veterans Affairs, facing unit implicit the hold successful attraction for veterans. Other section officials were aboriginal fired.

“We don’t person clip for distractions,” President Barack Obama said erstwhile helium announced Mr. Shinseki’s departure. “We request to hole the problem.”

The assemblage of enactment connected the veterans, “CNN Investigative Reports: Crisis astatine the VA,” earned a Peabody Award, 1 of the astir prestigious recognitions successful tv and radio, successful 2014. The reporting besides earned an Edward R. Murrow Award.

“Our extremity successful this reporting wasn’t conscionable to shed airy connected this problem,” Mr. Griffin said erstwhile helium accepted the Peabody Award. “We wanted to effect change, to clasp these politicians and bureaucrats responsible.”

Mr. Griffin besides earned a National Press Foundation Award successful 2007, and Emmy Awards successful 2005, 2006 and 2007, according to CNN.

Mr. Griffin’s enactment centered connected investigations, but helium would besides unpaid to screen breaking quality stories, CNN said.

While covering Hurricane Harvey from Beaumont, Texas, successful 2017, Mr. Griffin was astir bash a unrecorded study connected CNN erstwhile a antheral adjacent drove a motortruck into flood water. Mr. Griffin and a photojournalist ran to rescue the antheral from the motortruck arsenic it began to sink, a infinitesimal that was aired live.

Drew Griffin was calved connected Oct. 21, 1962.

He earned a bachelor’s grade successful communications from the University of Illinois astatine Urbana-Champaign and began his vocation successful journalism arsenic a newsman and cameraman for WICD-TV successful Champaign, Ill. He went connected to enactment successful Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina and Washington, according to CNN.

In January 1994, Mr. Griffin joined CBS 2 News successful Los Angeles, wherever helium was a newsman and anchor, and helped make an investigative reporting team. While with CBS 2 News, Mr. Griffin reported from New York City to screen the Sept. 11 violent attacks, and helium earned a fig of section awards for his investigative reporting.

Mr. Griffin is survived by his woman Margot; 3 children, Ele, Louis and Miles; 2 grandchildren; and 2 brothers.