BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation today announced that veteran writer Stephen Gutowski, founder of The Reload, is the recipient of its Journalist of the Year award for 2021.

Formerly a staff writer at the Washington Free Beacon, Gutowski’s byline has also been seen in the National Review, The Atlantic, The Capitol City Project, MRCTV and Washington Examiner. At his website, he also notes his work “has been read by millions of people and featured on major media outlets from ABC to The New York Times, to USA Today to CBS,” plus the Drudge Report and Fox News.

Gutowski has won two Telly Awards, and was named as one of BuzzFeed’s “19 People Who Forced Their Way into The Political Conversation Through Twitter.” He is a previous recipient of the SAF Journalist of the Year award, in 2016 and a member of Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE), and has been credentialed by the Senate Gallery.

Gutowski founded The Reload early in 2021 because he wanted more flexibility to broaden his news coverage with an independent publication. As he explained the move, it has become easier for people with a track record for quality reporting to start their own media outlet, and he is making the most of it. The Reload is a subscriber-supported publication which is devoted to accurately reporting major firearms-related stories with information not to be found anywhere else. It offers news, analysis and serious reporting.

“No pun intended,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb, “journalists of Stephen Gutowski’s caliber just aren’t found in very many newsrooms. He knows how to dig out the facts, present them in attention-grabbing stories and hold a reader’s interest.”

“I think it’s wonderful,” Gutowski said, upon notification of his SAF award. “It is always really rewarding when other people take notice of your reporting and acknowledge your accomplishments. I’m thankful.”

The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation's oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.