Mike Ward, a Houston Chronicle reporter, resigns amid allegations he made up sources

From Nancy Barnes, the Chronicle's Executive Editor:

 

Houston Chronicle reporter Mike Ward resigned today. He's now under investigation to determine whether he made up sources. Ward spent a long time at the Austin American Statesman, too.

https://www.chron.com/local/article/A-note-from-the-editor-of-the-Houston-Chronicle-13218790.php

"Ward joined the Chronicle in 2014 after a long career with the Austin American-Statesman. Specifically, questions were raised about whether individuals quoted in one of his stories were real people.

Our own researchers, after an initial review, had difficulty finding a number of sources cited in Ward's most recent reports.

Ward has insisted that his work was truthful, that his work involved real people, and that we would eventually find the individuals behind his "man-on-the-street" interviews. However, given the questions this review raised, he offered to resign and I accepted that resignation last week. If we were in another business, that might be enough.

...

To help us ferret this out, we have hired an independent, highly respected journalist to review Ward's work for the last year, or further, if necessary, and determine whether any reporting transgressions occurred. We have given that journalist full access to our archives and promised access to our editors as well."​

 

Beat you by two minutes on this one

Mike Ward, a Houston Chronicle reporter, resigns amid allegations he made up sources

 

Good news, he’s just been hired by the Athletic

 

The tipoff was when he quoted a Houstonian who doesn't like guns.