Resources for covering money in politics
Reporting on campaign finance is essential for transparency in the democratic process. And journalists play a crucial role in informing the public about how money influences politics.
OpenSecrets’ research experts Anna Massoglia and Pete Quist offered tips for journalists during a National Press Club Journalism Institute webinar on Oct. 20:
- Learn the basics of campaign finance. To effectively cover campaign finance, it’s crucial to have a solid understanding of: what campaign contributions are; the rules and regulations governing them (such as contribution limits and disclosure requirements), and the differences between federal and state campaign finance laws.
- Utilize available data tools. Familiarize yourself with websites like opensecrets.org and followthemoney.org to access relevant information, track campaign funding trends, and identify major donors and spenders at the federal and state levels.
- Analyze historical campaign finance patterns. For instance, examining the cost of elections over the past few decades reveals that running for federal office has become significantly more expensive. This trend is attributed to both increased candidate fundraising and the growing role of independent expenditures.
- Explore trends of dark money in politics. Dark money refers to political spending by groups that do not fully disclose their donors, making it challenging to trace the origins of campaign funds. To dig deeper, look at insights into Super PACs and political action committees that disclose their funding to the Federal Election Commission.
Additional resources from OpenSecrets can be found here.
About the speakers
Anna Massoglia manages editorial content and investigations at OpenSecrets as well as dark money and foreign influence research. She holds degrees in psychology and political science from North Carolina State University and a J.D. from the University of the District of Columbia School of Law. Massoglia has more than a decade of research, writing and editing experience. She first joined OpenSecrets in 2015 as a political nonprofits researcher.
Pete Quist joined OpenSecrets in the 2021 when The Center for Responsive Politics and the National Institute on Money in State Politics merged. Quist had been the research director at NIMP since 2013, after serving five years as a researcher. At NIMP, he focused on best practices for disclosure of money in state politics. Before joining the Institute in 2008, Quist spent two years at Project Vote Smart, where he tracked the progress of congressional and state legislation, summarized key bills in plain language, and compiled voting records. Quist earned a bachelor of political science from South Dakota State University.
About the National Press Club Journalism Institute
The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. As the non-profit affiliate of the National Press Club, the Institute powers journalism in the public interest.
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