Eric P. Schmitt

Eric P. Schmitt (born 1959) is a Pulitzer Prize–winning American journalist who writes for the New York Times.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]He has twice shared a Pulitzer Prize,[1] in 2009 with some of his New York Times colleagues for international reporting.

Biography

Schmitt was born November 2, 1959, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and raised in the Bay Area. His B.A., in political science and third world development, was awarded by Williams College in 1982.[8]

He worked reporting on education at the Tri-City Herald of Kennewick, Washington, for a year.[8]

In 1983 he became an employee of the New York Times, and has remained such since. For about his first year, his position was as the clerk of James Reston, the senior columnist. He covering a variety of areas from 1984 to 1990, including an investigation of HUD affairs in Puerto Rico the spring of 1990.[8]

In 1990 he took the title of Pentagon Correspondent, including covering the Gulf War in early 1991, Somalia in December 1992, and Haiti in September 1994.[8]

In 1996 he became a domestic correspondent covering the United States Congress and immigration.[8]

Upon the September 11 attacks in 2001, he returned to covering the Pentagon, focusing on U.S. national security. As of 2010 his assignment is the war on terrorism.[8]

Major reporting

Schmitt is notable for breaking the story that the Obama administration was planning to reverse the Bush policy of holding captives in extrajudicial detention in American internment facilities in Afghanistan, without allowing them to learn why they were being held.[9] On September 12, 2009, Schmitt, quoting officials who did not want to go on the record by name, that Bagram captives would be allowed to request to review and challenge the allegations that lead to their detention.

In 2004 Schmitt reported that on the fears of rape held by female GIs in Iraq at the hands of their fellow GIs.[10][11] Schmitt was interviewed by National Public Radio on the DoD's response to the GI's fears.

Schmitt was one of the New York Times journalists who played a key role in reporting the homicide of several Afghan captives in U.S. custody at the Bagram Air Base internment facility in 2003 and 2004.[12][13]

In 2006 Schmitt and a colleague reported on bribery concerns that involved Major Gloria Davis, an officer in the United States Army who was found dead from a gunshot wound shortly thereafter.[14]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "The New Information Networks: Challenges and Opportunities for Business, Governments, and Media". Salzburg Global Seminar. 2007-03-13. Retrieved 2009-09-13.
  2. ↑ Dorian de Wind (2009-09-08). "Afghanistan: So Few Options, So Many Risks". The Moderate Voice. Archived from the original on 2009-09-13. Not so, in my opinion, a news analysis in the New York Times this morning by Eric Schmitt and Scott Shane, neither a slouch when it comes to national security issues...
  3. ↑ "FO denies alteration allegations". [Pakistani] Daily Times. 2009-08-31. Retrieved 2009-09-13. Pakistan on Sunday 'categorically rejected' accusations levelled against it in an article printed in The New York Times, saying the army had not illegally modified any US-made missiles to increase its land-strike capability. 'No modification has been made to the missiles under reference,' the FO spokesman responded to a question regarding the article, 'US says Pakistan made changes to missiles sold for defence', written by Eric Schmitt and David Sanger. [Commonwealth spelling sic on Daily Times website, tho the headline they cite has the American spelling 'defense' (and has most words capitalized)]
  4. ↑ "The FBI Gone Amok". The American Prospect. August 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-09-13. As Eric Schmitt reports in today’s New York Times, FBI agents have been rushing after thousands of terrorism leads, ranging from a missing 55-gallon drum of radioactive material (it was later found on a loading dock) to threats to shopping malls.
  5. ↑ Todd Zwillich, Lynn Sherr (2009-09-08). "Afghanistan: A Reporter Freed, An Election in Question". The Takeaway. Archived from the original on 2009-09-13. A raid by commandoes in Afghanistan has freed captured New York Times reporter Stephen Farrell. As is standard practice, the Times did not announce that the reporter had been kidnapped until after his release. Eric Schmitt, terrorism correspondent for the Times, gives us the details of the rescue as well as the back story.
  6. ↑ Melissa Block (2008-10-09). "Report: Taliban Gaining Strength In Afghanistan". National Public Radio. Archived from the original on 2009-09-13. Retrieved 2009-08-02. 'For the first time in many years, the intelligence agencies of the U.S. government have come together and have said in the most comprehensive way that the U.S. and allies and Afghan government are in danger of "losing" Afghanistan, essentially,' says Eric Schmitt, who covers terrorism and national security for the Times.
  7. ↑ "The Iraq Wars". PBS Newshour. 2003-10-09. Archived from the original on 2009-09-13.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 "Eric Schmitt", New York Times site.
  9. ↑ Eric Schmitt (2009-09-12). "U.S. to Expand Review of Detainees in Afghan Prison". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2009-09-13.
  10. ↑ Eric Schmitt (2004-02-26). "Military women reporting rapes by U.S. soldiers". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2009-09-13.
  11. ↑ "Interview: Eric Schmitt discusses the armed services\' response to recent allegations of sexual assault on US servicewomen". National Public Radio. 2004-02-26. Archived from the original on 2009-09-13.
  12. ↑ Carlotta Gall, David Rohde, Eric Schmitt (2004-09-17). "THE REACH OF WAR: THE PRISONS; Afghan Abuse Charges Raise New Questions on Authority". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2010-11-06. Retrieved 2007-09-21.
  13. ↑ Carlotta Gall, David Rohde, Eric Schmitt (March 3, 2003). "Threats and Responses: Prisoners; U.S. Military Investigating Death of Afghan in Custody". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-02-09.
  14. ↑ Eric Schmitt, James Glanz (2007-08-01). "U.S. Says Company Bribed Officers for Work in Iraq". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2009-09-13.