Daily News reporters win investigative Pulitzer Prize

The newsroom was quiet this afternoon, save for the sound of a nervous editor repeatedly clicking his mouse while staring at a computer screen.

Refresh. Refresh. Refresh.

Finally, at 3 o'clock, the silence was pierced by a euphoric cry of, "YES!"

With that, word spread instantly: Daily News reporters Barbara Laker and Wendy Ruderman were named winners of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting for the "Tainted Justice" series, their takedown of allegedly corrupt narcotics cops.

Their investigation into Officer Jeffrey Cujdik and other members of the Narcotics Field Unit began last February, when an informant told the reporters that the cops sometimes lied on search warrants.

Other serious allegations were uncovered during their reporting, which prompted an FBI investigation and numerous changes to police policy.

More than 50 convicted drug dealers are now fighting for new trials, alleging that officers fabricated evidence against them.

Laker, 52, and Ruderman, 40, are the third and fourth journalists to win a Pulitzer in the Daily News' 85-year history.

Inquirer cartoonist Tony Auth today was also named a Pulitzer finalist for his work.

Laker and Ruderman were visibly overwhelmed by the news of their award. They hugged, laughed and jumped up and down while colleagues cheered wildly around them.

"I always felt like this is something that happens to other people, and not us," said Laker, who joined the People Paper in 1993.

"We couldn't have done it without our police sources, who were fantastic and who I adore," added Ruderman, who joined the paper in 2007, following a five-year stint at the Inquirer.

Brian Tierney, CEO of Philadelphia Media Holdings, which owns the Daily News, said he was "bursting with pride. I am so thrilled for these folks."

Daily News editor Michael Days said he believed all along that Laker and Ruderman deserved the Pulitzer Prize for the investigative work they did on "Tainted Justice."

"They went through thousands of search warrants and knocked on hundreds of doors," he said. "Nobody worked harder than those two."