Preview

I have been at the Prospect in some capacity since Joe Biden’s inauguration. But 2022 was my first full year as a writing fellow. My favorite stories from the year range across labor, politics, the campaign trail, and regulatory updates. The following stories best capture the moments of the year where as a journalist, I elucidated a deeper understanding of how power operates in Washington, the corporate boardroom, and how the rest of us live with those consequences.

Democratic Leadership Still Supporting the House’s Only Anti-Abortion Democrat: Just before the Supreme Court officially overturned Roe v. Wade, Democrats had already dropped the ball in every way possible. They had no plan in place anticipating a post-Roe world. But one instance early on most exemplified the limitations of “vote blue no matter who!” Democratic leadership doubled down in its support for the House’s only anti-choice Democrat: Henry Cuellar. What didn’t catch as much traction but was equally important was how support for Cuellar went further than lawmakers. Some of the DCCC’s premiere firms had worked on behalf of Cuellar too.

Hell in Amy’s Kitchen: This piece encapsulated the insincerity wage workers endure from companies that love to call themselves a “family.” News flash! Family doesn’t try to crush your unionization efforts. But Amy’s Kitchen does.

Welcome to Hell: Covering labor is one of the most gratifying experiences I’ve had as a journalist. My monthslong investigation into Mars, Inc.’s (yes, the candy company) empire of veterinary hospitals across the country began almost a year ago. In January 2022, I was tipped about the suicide of a former Mars Petcare employee. Most coverage of the veterinary medicine industry has focused on veterinarians and private equity’s entryway into the space. But the real juggernaut is Mars, Inc., and the indignities suffered by the industry’s technicians and assistants. During a series of interviews conducted over a monthlong stretch, workers described a toxic environment that included gaslighting, physical exhaustion, psychological decay, and suicidal ideation. The company says they’ve made proactive steps to rectify this environment; meanwhile, the workers say otherwise.

Buy Now, Pay Later Overextends and Spies on Consumers: Earlier this year, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced that it was investigating the business and data collection practices of the leading buy now, pay later companies. I wrote about the pending report earlier this year, but when the actual report was released, the reality of the BNPL industry was worse than onlookers and the CFPB expected.

Churros in the American Dystopia: At the Colorado State Fair, most people didn’t care about the day-to-day horse race of American politics. Nor could they fit neatly into any defined box of Democrat, Republican, progressive, etc. My dispatch allowed people to express their passionate, messy, and sometimes contradictory views of why they feel America is on the wrong track.

Republicans Seize on Congressional Stock Trading Ban: For a couple of months this year, it seemed like Congress could pass a bipartisan congressional stock trading ban. But in the weeks leading up to the midterms, Speaker Nancy Pelosi sabotaged the best chance of a passable bill. Republicans, of course, took the opportunity to slam Democrats as corrupt on the campaign trail, even as most of their members had no real commitment to passing a congressional stock trading ban.

Sen. Gillibrand Hires Former Crypto Lawyer: Crypto’s collapse is probably the least surprising thing that happened this year. As the industry reaches a low point, you’d expect Washington to distance itself from crypto. Instead, a former crypto lawyer is now on Capitol Hill, suggesting that the industry’s influence will not be waning anytime soon.