Our mission is to explore, analyze and illuminate the people, ideas and connections that shape our world through unbiased independent research, data-driven insights and clear, understandable content.
We present sourced facts and attributed statements: recorded actions, relationships, dates and amounts.
We preserve quotations and identify who made a statement. Allegations, denials, court decisions, agency findings, estimates and proposed transactions retain their recorded status.
Reports do not add the writer’s judgment about what a link proves, fails to prove or means, or about corruption, innocence, intent or causation.
We apply the same writing standard to every person, party, company and organization.
Sources accompany the records. Corrections preserve a version history.
Unfinished research leads and unsupported connections remain in working notes.
We check factual claims as research enters our collection, before publication. Statements by politicians and other public figures receive the same checks regardless of party or affiliation.
We preserve who said what, when they said it, and the source. We compare factual assertions with relevant original records, measurements, official results and documented findings. A recording or transcript establishes the words spoken; the facts within those words receive their own check.
When reliable evidence demonstrates that a statement is false, we identify the affected words and show False statement with the contradictory data or a direct source link. We do not add a “true” label. A missing label does not certify a statement.
We keep opinions, predictions, allegations and established findings distinct. Missing evidence alone does not establish falsity. Unresolved claims retain their attributed status and are not presented as established facts.
The report, visualizer, timeline and exported report use the same linked evidence records. Corrections update those records and their associated checks. We retain the source, review date and correction history.
Readers can direct their own research and follow additional leads. The same factual and source standards apply.
Political research considers donors, campaign contributions, political action committees, independent spending, lobbying and relevant disclosed financial interests across all parties. Financial records retain their sources, dates, amounts or ranges and transaction types. Comparisons distinguish original contributions from onward transfers and use matching reporting periods.
Family records are included only when relevant to public office, disclosed finances, documented business interests or public proceedings. Family membership alone does not authorize a personal investigation. We do not request or publish private home addresses, personal contact details, private family information or current personal whereabouts.
Maps use relevant public offices, institutions and documented business or event locations. A former U.S. president is anchored at Washington, D.C., for the presidency. Family records without a relevant public location may be arranged around that anchor as relationships; the arrangement does not identify residences.
How we apply these rules
This standard applies to report text, database descriptions, node and relationship labels, shared reading panels and downloadable reports. General presentation rules belong here; individual reports present the data and its sources.