The Josh Marshall Podcast The One With the History of TPM
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Nov 17, 2025 
Join Catherine Thompson, a features editor at The Cut and former TPM reporter, Paul Kiel from ProPublica, editorial strategist David Kurtz, and ex-TPM Capitol Hill reporter Evan McMorris-Santoro for a deep dive into the history of TPM. They reminisce about their early days, the challenges of establishing an investigative edge, and critical coverage of right-wing movements and extremism. The panel highlights TPM's foresight in covering Trump's rise and militia groups, offering insightful reflections on journalism's evolution over 25 years.
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Early Days Of TPM Reporting
- Paul Kiel was hired in 2006 as TPM's first dedicated investigative reporter and started TPM Muckraker covering Abramoff and other scandals.
- He recalled sitting on an empty office floor waiting for furniture and learning to present TPM as a legitimate news outlet to sources.
From Law Practice To TPM Editor
- David Kurtz began as a remote contributor feeding documents and links before taking weekend duties and later leaving law to join TPM full time.
- He described flying to pick up an International Press Freedom Award and meeting colleagues in person for the first time in 2008.
Faster, Connected Political Coverage
- TPM stitched together scattered local reporting into continuous national narratives, giving readers near–real-time context.
- David Kurtz said TPM delivered about 85% of big outlets' reporting many hours earlier, creating a competitive edge.