Dear friend of OpenSecrets,

In a letter from Thomas Jefferson to Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin in 1802, Jefferson said “we might hope to see the finances of the Union as clear and intelligible as a merchant’s books.” Not just so that every member of Congress could understand them, the President desired that “every [man] of any mind in the Union should be able to comprehend them.”

Fast forward 217 years—our Founding Fathers could not have imagined the extent or complexity of money in politics today: “Dark” or “gray” money groups funded by wealthy, secret donors; a blitz of “issue ads” targeting candidates, both Democrats and Republicans, a year before the 2020 primaries; a president fundraising for his reelection beginning in his first month in office ([link removed]) . These are just some of the examples that illustrate the outsize role that money plays in our democracy today.

Since the Center’s founding in 1983, we have strived to uphold transparency in government and empower citizens by providing unique resources and reliable data on money in politics—tracking lobbying activity, campaign contributions, the revolving door and other data that allows citizens to monitor for potential conflicts of interest.

And we’re proud to report having just received our seventh consecutive 4-star rating—the highest possible—from Charity Navigator ([link removed]) , so you can rest assured of our financial efficiency and commitment to accountability and transparency. Please help us to illuminate the halls of power to ensure transparency in American government, too. ([link removed])

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Thank you for partnering with CRP on this profoundly important day of commemoration.

Sincerely,
Sheila Krumholz
Executive Director, Center for Responsive Politics

PS: For Independence Day, if you aren’t currently supporting OpenSecrets.org, please help us maintain our independence by considering committing to a $4 monthly donation ([link removed]) so that we can champion transparency for years to come.
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