Catherine Turcer, Legislative Director, Ohio Citizen Action, presents the Press Award to Dave Davis, Julie Carr Smyth, and Sandy Theis, Cleveland Plain Dealer.

The trio won for their revealing series of articles on State Auditor Joe Deters and the fund-raising practices of the Hamilton County Republican Party. The research and reporting in this series reflect tenacious ingenuity in the face of political pressure. The articles highlighted how candidates and political parties avoid limits with a "wink wink, nudge nudge."