Drew Griffin, CNN’s tenacious investigative reporter, died at the age of 60
A veteran of the cable news channel for nearly two decades, Griffin was known for his challenging investigations and tough interviews.
Drew Griffin, a CNN investigative correspondent who had been a fixture on the network for nearly two decades, died this past weekend following a battle with cancer, the network confirmed.
Griffin, who won fame and plaudits for handling tales about corruption, fraud, and wrongdoing, specialized in difficult investigations with a large impact, as well as rigorous interviews that didn’t hold back.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, his reports on nursing facility deaths and looting by certain police officers prompted investigations. His investigation of excessive wait times for care at Veterans Affairs hospitals resulted in the resignation of VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and the passage of reform legislation by Congress. More recently, Griffin spearheaded investigations into election denialism in the wake of Jan. 6, 2021, including an interview challenging MyPillow founder Mike Lindell.
His investigations included extensive dives into Ford vehicle safety issues, sexual assault charges against Uber drivers, Trump University fraud claims, and illegal drift net fishing in Singapore. He reported from New York in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, as well as on how gerrymandering and super PACs have altered the way elections are conducted in the United States. Griffin and his crew also retrieved a man from a pickup truck caught in a flooded river while filming Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
“Drew’s death is a devastating loss to CNN and our entire profession,” CNN CEO Chris Licht wrote in a memo to staff Monday morning. “A highly acclaimed investigative journalist, Drew’s work had an incredible impact and embodied the mission of this organization in every way. He cared about seeking the truth and holding the powerful to account. He was hard-hitting, but always fair.”
“His work ethic was unparalleled,” Licht added. “He spent long hours poring over documents and working the phones. Even as he battled cancer, he refused to give up on the reporting that was so important to him and was even working on an investigation until the day he passed away.”
Griffin, a Chicago native, began his career in journalism as a cameraman and reporter at WICD in nearby Champaign. Following experiences at a number of smaller TV stations, he joined KCBS in Los Angeles in 1994, where he was instrumental in the creation of the west coast flagship station’s investigations team, and worked as a reporter and anchor.
Griffin joined CNN as a correspondent in 2004, based in Atlanta, and quickly established himself as a staple across CNN’s dayparts, with his incisive reporting and investigations on everything from politics to business to sports.
“Whether it was two-hour documentaries or two-minute live shots – and there are a thousand 5-10 minute pieces in between those two things – Drew always always always made an impact,” CNN programming executive Michael Bass wrote in a note to staff. “He was not only gifted but also modest… a wonderful guy who put his head down and did his thing and despite remarkable enterprise and exclusives and journalism of the highest order, never one to blare his own horn. But always one ready to credit the work done by the team around him.”
Along the way, he won multiple Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, an Edward R. Murrow award, and other honors.
“But people mattered more to Drew than prizes,” Licht wrote, noting that he would often send hand-written notes to the subjects of his stories, “even the tough ones,” after they aired.
“His interviews were unwavering, and he gave a voice to those who don’t have one,” said CNN anchor Anderson Cooper in an on-air obituary on Dec. 19.
Griffin’s wife, three children, and two grandchildren survive him.