David Cay Johnston, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for the New York Times, will present a free public lecture on “How We Got Here: The Great Recession’s Causes and Solutions” at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 2 in Room 104 of Royall Hall, 800 E. 52nd St. The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Student Government Association and College of Arts and Sciences Student Council are sponsoring Johnston’s appearance as part of the UMKC Economics Club Speaker Series. The lecture will be followed by a book signing, and Johnston’s books will be on sale at Rainy Day Books, 2706 W 53rd St.

As a reporter for The New York Times, Johnston revealed that Enron did not pay taxes, that some companies use overseas mailing addresses to escape American taxes and that Congress raises peoples’ income taxes if they become seriously ill – using the money to finance tax cuts for the richest Americans. In April of 2008 – after 13 years there – Johnston retired from The New York Times. His reporting prompted the only major tax policy change made by the Bush Administration, which dropped a stealth plan to cut taxes on the super rich by a quarter of a trillion dollars over 10 years.

Johnston’s latest book – Free Lunch – is a national best-seller that exposes massive transfers of wealth from the poor, middle class and affluent to the super rich. Johnston also is the author of Perfectly Legal, a national best-seller that won the 2004 Investigative Book of the Year award.

Today, Johnston teaches at Syracuse University College of Law and is a columnist for Tax Notes magazine.

The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), one of four University of Missouri campuses, is a public university serving more than 14,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. UMKC engages with the community and economy based on a four-part mission: life and health sciences; visual and performing arts; urban issues and education; and a vibrant learning and campus life experience.