Aaron Maté
- Selena Shim Award (5k)
- Pierre Sprey Award (10k)
https://www.thepierrespreyaward.org/2022-winners
Top Prize: Aaron Maté
We are awarding the top 2022 Pierre Sprey journalism prize to Aaron Maté for his work published on Real Clear Investigations, the Aaron Maté substack and his Pushback videos on the Grayzone site. Throughout the year, Maté’s reports on Washington’s true objectives in the Ukraine war, such as urging regime change in Russia, Biden exposes US aims in Ukraine and his continued work dissecting establishment propaganda on issues such as Russian interference in U.S. politics, or the war in Syria, have stood in welcome, often unique, contrast to mainstream media. His empiricist reporting give the lie to the charge of “disinformation” routinely levelled by those whose nostrums he challenges. His interviews on Pushback serve as models of informative elucidation, as demonstrated in appearances with former Congressman Dennis Kucinich on the collapse of the progressive peace lobby or with retired Colonel Douglas MacGregor on the U.S. military high command's changing views on the Ukraine war. Notably, he has highlighted the role of social media companies in shaping public perceptions of Russian interference, as in his 12/18/22 article on Twitter’s role in that effort. His reporting of facts belying the allegation that the Syrian government gassed civilians in Douma in 2018, citing credible evidence from whistleblowers has been vehemently denounced by U.S. and other state-supported organs, but never refuted. It is our view that Pierre Sprey would have heartily applauded Maté's work, and that he richly deserves this award.
