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Wondering who’s shaping our politics behind the scenes? Every week, OpenSecrets breaks down the real stories about money and influence in Washington. Sign up for our newsletter and get the facts opensecrets.org/newsletter/sig…

Sunshine Week: As we near the nation’s 250th, Exec. Dir. Hilary Braseth argues in her op-ed that an independent account of how money flows in politics is vital to the next 250 years of self-government. Read & share her op‑ed below: opensecrets.org/news/2026/03/b…

Follow his reporting at OpenSecrets (1/3)

Tips or story ideas? Send them to jmccreary@opensecrets.org (3/3)

We’re excited to welcome @JoedyMcCreary as senior reporter. From his days at @MedillSchool to tracking House & Senate races in N.C., Joedy’s work following the money was sparked by a discovery about an ESPN anchor’s political donations. (1/3)

This St. Patrick’s Day 🍀 we’re spotlighting how British company @Diageo_News , the owner of Bailey's and Guinness, is using political spending and lobbying to influence policy here stateside. Read more: opensecrets.org/federal-lobbyi…

#SunshineWeek 🌞underscores a core democratic principle: the public has a right to know. Transparent campaign finance, accessible lobbying disclosures, and enforceable open records laws strengthen accountability and public trust. We believe transparency is fundamental to good governance.

In honor of Pi Day 🥧 we’re spotlighting @314action, a PAC supporting candidates with STEM backgrounds. 🧪🔬 See its donors & activity below: opensecrets.org/political-acti…

Please note that we made a color mistake. Majority Committee PAC should be red, not blue.

CHART OF THE WEEK: '23-'24 data shows the 791 leadership PACs active during that election cycle collectively donated $80 million to candidates: $47.6 million going to Rs & $31.7 million to Ds. These are used by ambitious pols to gain goodwill among colleagues via donations.

President Trump has tapped @SenMullin to lead @DHSgov. His record includes support for hardline immigration policies, limited DHS oversight experience, and notable fundraising from energy industry donors. Read more: opensecrets.org/news/2026/03/t…

For @iCivics’ Civic Learning Week, we are highlighting our Learning Center: a hub for educators with an FAQ, a money-in-politics glossary & the Follow the Money Handbook. #civiclearningweek Equip your classroom to start learning here: opensecrets.org/resources/lear…

In honor of #WomensHistoryMonth & #IWD ♀️, we’re highlighting our 2024 collab with Rutgers' Center for American Women and Politics. We provided data for Women, Money & Politics Watch, analyzing female candidate fundraising & donor demographics. cawp.rutgers.edu/research/cawp-…

As we “spring forward” on our clocks this weekend, let’s take a look back at some of our reporting on the lobbying fight around Daylight Saving Time. ⌚️ Read more: opensecrets.org/news/2023/03/i…

If you are attending NICAR26 this weekend, make sure you go to the OpenSecrets session Sunday morning. Brendan Glavin, our director of insights and one of the nations's preeminent experts on money in politics, will lead a hands-on session on how to cover campaign data. #NICAR26

CHART OF THE WEEK: 24 states have asked Congress to propose a constitutional amendment restoring authority to limit election spending. SCOTUS decisions including Citizens United enabled unlimited outside spending. Oklahoma is the latest, per @usapromise.

Our latest: National parties spent heavily on direct mail in '24. @DNC & RNC (@GOP) each reported $43M+ on printing & mailing; House and Senate party arms spent $18M+ each. Mail spending will remain high during the '26 election. @dscc @dccc @NRSC @NRCC opensecrets.org/news/2026/03/w…

Last week @AnthropicAI gave up a $200M Pentagon contract rather than cede on AI guardrails. It also gave $20M to Public First, which gave the money to super PACs, which in turn spent $2.8M in early primaries. More on the push to influence midterms: opensecrets.org/news/2026/03/a…

Imagine it's 2028. How far would your political donation actually go? 💵 Our new interactive quiz shows you how your dollars stack up agains the biggest donors. Take the quiz: opensecrets.org/news/2026/02/h…

OpenSecrets in the News This week, journalists cited OpenSecrets data and analysis in coverage of campaign finance, lobbying, and political influence. Check out the stories below from @nytimes @notusreports @latimes @thewrap