Busted: A Tale of Corruption and Betrayal in the City of Brotherly Love

If you have ever wondered why newspaper reporters continue to work for low pay, under terrible conditions, and in an industry that is reportedly on hospice, then this excellent book will tell you. Especially one line on page 72. "Barbara (Laker) began to feel the endorphins of a reporter's high, a blend of panic attack, sugar rush, too much caffeine, and great sex." Ms. Laker and her "slime sista" colleague, Wendy Ruderman, demonstrate while we need newspapers willing to commit to investigative reporting. This fast paced, easy to read book shows that some times the only thing protecting the public from corrupt officials is reporters willing to take risks, absorb physical and mental abuse, and make sacrifices that can damage their personal lives. Ms. Laker and Ms. Ruderman are reporters for the Philadelphia Daily News, a feisty tabloid proud to be known as The People Paper. The Daily News, and its sister broadsheet,The Philadelphia Inquirer, are struggling financially like all other big city papers. As the two work on their "Tainted Justice" series of stories, rumors abound that the papers will be sold or the Daily News shuttered or some other disaster awaits just after the next edition. They must put aside this daily dose of despair and focus on what they know how to do; follow a story wherever it takes them. And this is quite a story indeed. It is filled with real life characters right out of Damon Runyon. There is Benny Martinez, the whining, drug-addicted police informant who garners little sympathy; Jeff Cujdik, a cop willing to bend and break the rules to raise his arrest scores; Lady Gonzalez and Dagma Rodriquez, two brave women willing to put it on the line to stop a serial sexual molester with a badge, Tom Tolstoy; and Brian Tierney, CEO of the Inquirer and Daily News, who strives to maintain local ownership of the papers. (Full disclosure, Tierney is a long-time personal friend.) There are villians on both sides of the law in this story. Low-life drug dealers selling their merchandise near school yards and cops willing to steal from innocent shop keepers who are trying to eke out a living in some the city's worst neighborhoods. The villains here will most likely infuriate readers, but there are heroes who will inspire. There is Gar Joseph, who reminds me of the first city editor I had at a newspaper now long gone. There is Michael Day, Daily News editor, who is willing to commit the resources to Laker and Ruderman's work. There is "Ray," a great Philadelphia cop who despises what bad cops can do to the reputations of all police officers. There is Laker's protective neighbor Dutch, who knows the dangers she faces. And there is "Seven," Laker's dog who has to endure late feedings as she works countless hours. The story is even more interesting as Laker and Ruderman write about the damage that journalism can do to their personal lives. Laker is recovering from the end of her 25-year-old marriage and Ruderman's husband and two sons question her priorities. (In an afterward, Ruderman notes that her marriage did end, in no small way because of her commitment to her career.) Newspapers are wonderful places to work. I spent 17 of my younger years as a reporter and editor. Thomas Wolfe once wrote that to be a reporter on the trail of a great story is to feel rush to the cerebral cortex that is orgasmic. The real hero of the story isThe Daily News and papers like it across the country. If our nation's newspapers die we will lose an important protection many take for granted. Without the work these two women did, a few Philadelphia cops would still be putting innocent people in jail and stealing from hard-working shopkeeprs trying to get by in the rough neighborhoods of the Philadelphia Badlands. No one would know of women sexually assaulted by a cop during drug busts. In 2010 Laker and Ruderman won the coveted Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Journalism. It was only the third time in the paper's history that it won the highest journalistic honor. No one familiar with the challenges of journalism would deny that they deserved the award. Today they both still work at adjoining desks at The Daily News, although Ruderman did spend a year as a police reporter for The New York Times before returning to her roots in Philadelphia. They still deal with the rumors that their paper is on the verge of joining others in the newspaper graveyard. And they are still doing what they love. Being damn good newspaper reporters.

Been locked into corrupt cop books for a year or so and kindle suggested this book. Glad they did, this story is the reason we need newspapers in the US. A lot of random crimes by cops that only a reporter could weave together. A snitch and a bad cop who made a lot of money and came for selfish reasons. Worth your time to read.

You may already be aware that Busted is a harrowing tale of Wendy Ruderman and Barbara Laker's dog-on-a-bone pursuit of one of the biggest police corruption stories in Philadelphia history (even regular history), a feat that won them the Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting, while at a scrappy beleaguered "regional" tabloid that was in bankruptcy and hanging on for life. And that's all true. But what wowed me most about the book were other things entirely: The glorious writing; the gorgeously drawn characters (from pimps to editors, not always the same thing); the humor (omg, the humor!); the best depiction I've ever read about the adrenaline rush, kinda like sex, that is reporting; and the BALLS. Pure balls. What these two did in pursuit of a story leaves me in awe and makes me, a fellow journalist, feel like schlepper. BUT BUT, the best part? Don't take this the wrong way because I mean it as the utmost compliment: but this is a chick book of the finest order. At its heart, it's the story of two incredibly fabulous, wacky, brilliant, quirky, fearless broads--and best friends--who pull off the ultimate prize, while also navigating their complicated personal lives (husbands, ex-husbands, children, Match.com dates--I mean, hilarious Match.com dates--etc), all of which they write about with the same passion and candor as they devote to their pursuit of "justice." This is Thelma and Louise for journalists (without anyone going off a cliff). This is Watergate for chicks (and dudes too). This book is extraordinary. Oh, and it's not just a Philly book. Buy it. Savor it. Love it.

This was a good read but I felt like the author was really stretching to fill out space. Line after line about stuff that was not related to the story. Sure, it provided context, but it was not needed. I felt the 'juicy' details were over before they really heated up. It was a breeze to read, as well- you could read this in a good afternoon. Liked the story, wish it was more.

As a citizen who has lived his entire life in Philadelphia I found Wendy Ruderman & Barbara Laker to be two incredibly courageous women who put their lives on the line to report an important story. Their relentless pursuit to expose the corrupt behavior of a segment of the Philadelphia Police Department is to be commended. Their story unfolds in a concise, earthy and explosive form that captures the attention of the reader. A page turning expose of big city corruption at its ugliest!

A fantastic tale of underdog reporters for an underdog publication in an underdog industry from an underdog city busting their hides to uncover corruption, give voice to the powerless, and (hopefully) effect real change. A vivid reminder of why we as a society need independent, investigative journalism. This story inspires on many levels - at once a fantastic tale of crime and punishment in a gritty American city, a tale of great friendship and loyalty, and a tale of struggle, triumph, and more struggle for one of the great pillars of our democracy. I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to be entertained, inspired, and reminded of what true journalism is and why we need it (hint - it ain't to be found on Twitter, Reddit, Yahoo, etc).

This is a fantastic book. Both Barbara Laker and Wendy Ruderman had the balls to expose the truth and the rampant corruption of some Philadelphia police officers. The women refused to be intimidated or deterred-in fact it only fueled their passion to bring justice to the many victims of rogue policing. "Busted" exposes how the cop/informant relationship can turn toxic, with the lines between cop and criminal becoming indistinguishable. The authors displayed a rare feat not found in journalism today, which involves taking risks, speaking for the defenseless, and having the guts to do the dirty work i.e., going into the hood. Not surprisingly both Ruderman and Laker won the Pulitzer Prize, which they rightfully deserved. I truly enjoyed reading this book.

In terms of the scale of seriousness of crimes committed by the cops in the history of the city of brotherly love, the book spins a relatively minor set of offenses into a great yarn. I can't help but feel that the reporters were bamboozled by the drug using narc to chase ghosts and half truths in their pursuit of sensational tabloid journalism and street "justice for the little guy". Part salacious details, part sad print journalism business commentary, part knee slapping funny, The cops in this story are clearly are over the line of legal and ethical police work, but the author is overly sympathetic toward the criminals and drug consumers who are really behind the destruction of neighborhoods and lives in Philly. The writer ironically describes in detail the dangerous and horrible conditions of the streets they frequent in search of their subject matter, only to ignore the contribution of these criminals in the condition of the streets. Typical liberal big city journalism..."the man is holding the neighborhood down" and the cops are the enemy of the poor and minorities.