Mary Mapes

Mary Mapes: Biography in Details

Who is Mary Mapes?

Mary Mapes is an American journalist, former television news producer, and writer.

Mary Mapes is well known for breaking the story of the Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse scandal, which won a Peabody Award, and the story of Senator Strom Thurmond’s unacknowledged biracial daughter, Essie Mae Washington.

She was a principal producer for CBS News, primarily the CBS Evening News and Primetime television program 60 Minutes Wednesday.

Early Life of Mary Mapes

Mary Mapes was born on May 9, 1956, as Mary Alice Mapes in Washington, US.

She has four sisters.

Mapes attended Burlington-Edison High School, Burlington, Washington, and graduated in 1974.

After her graduation, she went to the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington to study communications and political science.

Mary Mapes’s Career

After graduating from UW, she worked at CBS affiliate KIRO-TV in Seattle during the 1980s and began her professional career.

In 1989, Mapes went to work for CBS News in Dallas, Texas.

She was hired by CBS in 1999 as a producer assigned to Dan Rather and the program 60 Minutes Wednesday.

On 60 Minutes Wednesday, Mapes produced the story that announced the US military’s investigation of the Abu Ghraib Prison scandal which won a Peabody Award in 2005.

She collected photographs that showed the abuses Iraqi prisoners faced at Abu Ghraib.

Mapes was also involved in the story about Strom Thurmond’s unacknowledged biracial daughter named Essie Mae Washington which exposed him.

She covered plenty of stories about the death penalty and natural disasters which made her win several awards.

In 2004, she was fired from CBS after the Rathergate incident.

Career After CBS

In 2007 and 2008, she worked as a consultant and writer who wrote columns and articles for the news magazine, The Nation.

In May 2019 Mapes wrote a story about Herney Wade’s 1954 conviction of Tommy Lee Walker.

Rathergate controversy

Mapes produced a segment for 60 Minutes Wednesday that criticized President George W. Bush’s military service. The program was hosted by Dan Rather.

Killian documents were shown as evidence. However, CBS did not have any original documents, only faxed copies, as the originals were claimed to be burnt.

As a result of the controversy over the use of the documents, CBS ordered an independent internal investigation.

The report said that some of Bush’s former instructors or colleagues had told Mapes that Bush told them he wanted to go to Vietnam, but that he could not go because there were others ahead of him with more seniority.

Mapes was criticized for failing to air them in the 60 Minutes report to balance the allegation that Bush had applied for service in the Guard to avoid serving in Vietnam.

She was also faulted for calling Joe Lockhart, a senior official in the John Kerry campaign.

prior to the airing of the piece, and offering to put her source, Bill Burkett, in touch with him.

Following the investigation, Mapes, along with others involved, was accused of failure in judgment.

Mapes’s 15-year tenure at CBS ended when she was fired as a result of the scandal along with her three executives.

Mary Mapes as an Author

In 2005, Mapes’ book Truth and Duty: The Press, the President, and the Privilege of Power was published.

The book contains details about the Killian Documents Controversy and her involvement in the case.

In 2015, the book was adapted into a film entitled Truth, about the Killian Documents Controversy, starring Cate Blanchett as Mapes and Robert Redford as Dan Rather.

Net Worth

Mapes’s net worth is estimated to be $100,000 US.

Most earnings came from her journalism career.

You may also know the net worth, body measurements, and career of Maurielle Lue, Maria Stephanos, and Luke Russert.

Mary Mapes's Birthday Dates