Intelligence Synthesis · April 20, 2026
Research Brief
Autonomous analysis · 1 entities · AI-generated from primary source database
Entity Handoff: OpenSecrets

External Handoff Ingest

Entity: OpenSecrets Date: 2026-04-20T03:28:57.509Z Source: External LLM (manual handoff)

Overall Assessment

OpenSecrets is the preeminent, nonpartisan data utility for understanding money's influence in American politics, serving as the definitive public resource on campaign finance and lobbying transparency. Its 2021 merger consolidated decades of expertise, making it an indispensable tool for journalists, watchdogs, and citizens seeking to hold power to account. While its reliance on funding from major philanthropic and corporate donors introduces potential perception challenges, the organization's robust methodology and commitment to open data have cemented its role as a cornerstone of the U.S. transparency infrastructure.

Stage Notes

facts

  • status: success
  • items: 10
  • summary: OpenSecrets is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that tracks and publishes data on campaign finance and lobbying in the United States. It was formed in 2021 through the merger of the Center for Responsive Politics (CRP) and the National Institute on Money in Politics (NIMP), building on a legacy dating back to 1983. The organization operates the website OpenSecrets.org, which provides the most comprehensive public resource for federal and state campaign contributions, lobbying data, and revolving door information. It is a 501(c)(3) charity with an annual revenue of approximately $7.9 million and a staff of about 37 people.

sources

  • status: success
  • items: 6
  • summary: Primary sources include the official OpenSecrets website, IRS Form 990 filings, Charity Navigator ratings, and Wikipedia. Secondary sources include Ballotpedia, Apollo.io, and news articles.

connections

  • status: success
  • items: 8
  • summary: OpenSecrets is a central hub for money-in-politics data, connecting to a vast network of government databases, media outlets, and other transparency organizations. It consumes data from the Senate Office of Public Records, FEC, and IRS, and its data is used by organizations like Booz Allen Hamilton for compliance and by journalists and watchdog groups for investigations.

public_data_ingest

  • status: success
  • items: 5
  • summary: OpenSecrets is not a filing entity in SEC EDGAR, USASpending, FEC, or LDA. It is a data aggregator and publisher. Its own organizational data is available through IRS Form 990 filings, Guidestar, and Charity Navigator. No court records were found directly involving the organization.

contradictions

  • status: success
  • items: 1
  • summary: No explicit contradictions were identified in OpenSecrets' public statements or operations. The organization's data and methodology are generally well-regarded, though its funding sources from large philanthropic foundations and tech companies (e.g., Google, Omidyar Network) have been noted by some critics as a potential source of bias, given these donors' own interests in political and regulatory outcomes. OpenSecrets maintains a strict nonpartisan stance and editorial independence.

closed_loops

  • status: success
  • items: 3
  • summary: OpenSecrets is a critical node in a self-reinforcing circuit of political transparency. It aggregates and disseminates data on campaign finance and lobbying, which is then used by journalists, watchdog groups, and academics to scrutinize political influence. This scrutiny, in turn, pressures lawmakers and lobbyists to adhere to disclosure requirements, generating more data that OpenSecrets can collect and publish. The organization's funding model, reliant on grants and donations from entities that are themselves subjects of its data, creates a complex feedback loop between transparency advocacy and the interests of the political and economic elite.

silences

  • status: success
  • items: 2
  • summary: OpenSecrets does not publicly disclose the specific terms of its data licensing agreements with commercial clients. It also does not comment on the political activities or motivations of its individual donors beyond publishing the names of institutional supporters. The organization has not issued public statements regarding the specific details of its data security practices or the measures it takes to protect sensitive personal information in its databases.

voting_records

  • status: empty_expected
  • items: 0
  • summary: Not applicable. OpenSecrets is a nonprofit organization, not an elected official.

donor_interests

  • status: empty_expected
  • items: 0
  • summary: Not applicable. OpenSecrets is a nonprofit organization that tracks donors; it is not itself a political donor.

eo_metrics

  • status: empty_expected
  • items: 0
  • summary: Not applicable. OpenSecrets does not issue executive orders or hold regulatory authority.

preparedness_scan

  • status: empty_expected
  • items: 0
  • summary: Not applicable. OpenSecrets is an organization, not a person, and does not exhibit personal preparedness signals.

home_stats_eligibility

  • status: empty_expected
  • items: 0
  • summary: Not applicable. OpenSecrets is a Washington, D.C.-based organization, not an individual.

Ingest Summary

  • Facts created: 10
  • Sources created: 5
  • Connections created: 1 (7 skipped)
  • Stages marked: 12
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