We’re excited to announce Sludge, a new investigative journalism project focusing on money in politics.
As corporations and interest groups try to hide their lobbying, Sludge is committed to exposing them.
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Sludge is pleased to be part of the “First Fleet” class of newsrooms on Civil. Civil is a blockchain-based, self-governing marketplace that powers a free and sustainable press, while taking advertisers out of the equation. Its platform supports independently run newsrooms focused on producing local, investigative and policy journalism.
Sludge comes from the team behind OpenCongress, which from 2007–2013 was the most-visited non-profit website for tracking bills and money in the U.S. Congress. Co-founders David Moore and Donny Shaw bring over eleven years of expertise in analyzing campaign contribution data, reporting on lobbyist influence, and designing online action tools.
Sludge will focus on the shadowy ways that special interests have captured America’s political system, looking beyond traditional lobbying disclosures and campaign contributions to reveal the hidden networks and conflicts of interest that drive systemic corruption.
Sludge will launch in Spring 2018, with previews of investigations and news roundups rolling out regularly in advance. Join us in digital muckraking:
- Get in touch — we’re always interested in story suggestions and tips.
- We’re seeking a third reporter & researcher to join our team on a paid, part-time basis, working remotely. To apply, simply send us a short introduction and a couple of links to your reporting or blogging work.
- As a startup, Sludge seeks financial supporters for our mission to cover the ways industries launder their agendas through independent groups, the power maps of corporate networks that extend deep into government, how concentrated economic powers dictate public policy, and more. If you think you might know someone interested, get in touch.
Read more about how Civil works, and apply to be part of Civil’s First Fleet.
Get in touch with your ideas for areas to research, we’re easy to reach and excited to create impactful public-interest journalism. Email David & Donny.
