How political influence actually works

Why political money is hard to track: the six legal structures that shield spending from public view, what each one hides, and what disclosure still shows.

• The short version
• Super PACs
• “Dark money” nonprofits
• LLCs & shell companies
• Trade associations
• The SEC disclosure gap
• Why enforcement stalls
• What we can and can’t show you

Influence travels through relationships as much as money: the revolving door, access vs. expertise, family networks — and why the seat matters more than the person. Companion to the Revolving Door data.

• The short version
• The revolving door, mechanically
• Access or expertise?
• Family & dynasty
• Seats, not people
• What our data shows

The civics-class version of lawmaking is the exception. How bills really move (with base rates), how to read one without being misled, why titles are marketing, and who actually writes the text.

• The short version
• The real pipeline, with base rates
• Reading a bill without being misled
• Why titles mislead
• Must-pass vehicles & riders
• Who actually writes the text
• Does money buy votes?
• What our data shows

Insider trading by members is real and illegal — and most disclosed trades are ordinary. What the STOCK Act requires, what the research actually finds, and why the headlines mislead. Companion to the Trades data.

• The short version
• What the STOCK Act does
• What the research finds
• Why headlines mislead
• Where real signal might live
• What our data shows

Where every number on this site comes from, how the computed views are built, and what the data can and cannot tell you.

• What this site does
• Data sources
• Revolving-door method
• Editorial standards
• Known limitations
• Updates & corrections

The rules we hold ourselves to: non-partisan by design, every claim source-linked, corrections made publicly.