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OpenSecrets

OpenSecrets
Founded1983 (1983)[1]
Founders
Merger ofCenter for Responsive Politics
National Institute on Money in Politics
TypeResearch
52-1275227[2]
Legal status501(c)(3)[2]
FocusCampaign finance in the United States
Location
Coordinates38°54′13″N 77°01′48″W / 38.9037°N 77.0300°W / 38.9037; -77.0300
Area served
United States
Bert Brandenburg[3]
Hilary Braseth (December 2023 – present)[4][5]
Revenue (2021)
$6,510,987[2]
Expenses (2021)$3,506,004[2]
Employees (2021)
48[2]
Websitewww.opensecrets.org
www.followthemoney.org

OpenSecrets is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. that tracks and publishes data on campaign finance and lobbying, including a revolving door database which documents the individuals who have worked in both the public sector and lobbying firms and may have conflicts of interest.[6][7][8][9] It was created from the 2021 merger of the Center for Responsive Politics (CRP) and the National Institute on Money in Politics (NIMP), both of which were organizations that tracked data on campaign finance in the United States and advocated for stricter regulation and disclosure of political donations.[10][11][12][13][14]

Examples of investigations conducted by the organization include uncovering that Carolina Rising, a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization spent $4.7 million in 2014 on political ads in support of Thom Tillis, Senate candidate from North Carolina[15] and that the Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign was financially related to the rally that preceded the January 6 United States Capitol attack.[16]

The organization is funded by donations; since 2020, the largest donors have been: the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Democracy Fund, the Gaia Fund, Google, the Hewlett Foundation, the Kaphan Foundation, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, the Omidyar Network, Open Society Foundations, the Popplestone Foundation, and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.[17]

In 2021, the organization reported $6.5 million in revenue and $3.5 million in salaries and fundraising expenses. It had $5.2 million in net assets as of December 31, 2021.[2]

  1. ^ Harvey, Kerric (January 2014). Encyclopedia of Social Media and Politics. Sage Publishing. p. 252. ISBN 9781452290263.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Krumholz, Sheila; Thomas, Barry G. (November 15, 2022). Return of organization exempt from income tax 2021: OpenSecrets (PDF) (Form 990). EIN 521275227.
  3. ^ "OpenSecrets: Board of Directors". OpenSecrets.
  4. ^ "OpenSecrets Welcomes Hilary Braseth as New Executive Director".
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference leave was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Wiist, William (March 3, 2010). The Bottom Line or Public Health: Tactics Corporations Use to Influence Health and Health Policy, and What We Can Do to Counter Them. Oxford University Press. p. 149. ISBN 9780199704927.
  7. ^ "Revolving Door". OpenSecrets.
  8. ^ Giorno, Taylor (May 6, 2023). "Over 500 Former Government Officials Are Now Lobbying for Defense Contractors". Truthout.
  9. ^ "Reporting Raises Questions About Washington's Potential Political Conflicts Of Interest". WBUR-FM. June 12, 2019.
  10. ^ Drake, Philip (June 3, 2021). "Helena-based political transparency group merges with another watchdog". Helena Independent Record.
  11. ^ O'Connor, Maura (April 4, 2012). "National Institute on Money in State Politics". Columbia Journalism Review.
  12. ^ Suderman, Alan (May 16, 2014). "Lax state rules provide cover for sponsors of attack ads". Center for Public Integrity.
  13. ^ Farnam, T.W. (January 23, 2013). "Florida group wants to end caps on campaign donations". The Washington Post.
  14. ^ Stassen-Berger, Rachel (December 3, 2014). "Money in State Politics report: Minnesota fails disclosure test, again". Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
  15. ^ Maguire, Robert (October 27, 2015). "Carolina Rising offers new low in campaign finance". The News & Observer.
  16. ^ Fung, Katherine (January 22, 2021). "Trump rally organizers received millions from re-election campaign before Capitol riot". Newsweek.
  17. ^ "Funders". OpenSecrets.

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