Introduction

Don Bolles, an investigative reporter for the Arizona Republic, was fatally injured when his car was bombed on June 2, 1976, as a reprisal for his expose of land fraud activities. This is the story of how a unique team of reporters from diverse, often competing, newspapers, calling themselves the Investigative Reporters and Editors, undertook the project of exposing crime and corruption in Arizona in retaliation for the brutal murder of Bolles.

This is the only account that is apt to emerge for some time-perhaps ever-of the team's work. It is written by Michael F. Wendland, a reporter for the Detroit News. This first behind-the-scenes story of the project is drawn from Wendland's own notes and memory as well as diaries, memoranda, tape recordings, and film provided him by other key reporters on the project.

The reporters who collaborated on the project were often in danger; their personal lives suffered greatly. During the investigation, the Team exposed vast political corruption and an enormous crime network in Arizona, proving the mobster axiom "You don't kill a reporter, it brings too much heat."

Going undercover a as drug dealers or policemen, the reporters were set up for hustles by prostitutes, and chased by armed gunmen across the deserts of Arizona, They dealt with high-powered executives and seasoned con men. And what they discovered was that Arizona is a state in the process of being bought.

This exiting story tells how layers of corruption were uncovered in the Sunbelt State and gives an inside view of how an unprecedented team of journalists worked together.

Michael F. Wendland is an investigative reporter for the Detroit News, the nation's largest evening newspaper. He was one of six full time reporters to stay with the IRE in Arizona from beginning to end. He has received many distinguished awards in journalism, including the Advancement of Justice Award from the American Bar Association for a series on penal reform, the Associated Press Managing Editor's Award for his series on organized crime in the banking community, several awards from the Detroit Press Club, and many individual awards from the Associated Press and Unites Press International. He has been with the Detroit news since 1970 and prior to that he was a reporter for the Bay City Times, Booth newspapers,Inc. He has been a Television and radio reporter as well. He is also the author of a nationally syndicated column "CB Break."

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DE-CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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(602) 966-3540
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(C) 1996 Intelligence Connection