This week marks Sunshine Week, a national initiative dedicated to promoting transparency in government and the public’s right to information.
Journalists, civic organizations, and watchdog groups across the country leverage this week to highlight the importance of open records, accountability, and making sure citizens have the information they need to understand how decisions are made.
At OpenSecrets, that mission is at the core of everything we do.
Every day, thousands of people visit OpenSecrets.org looking for answers. Our website processes tens of thousands of searches each day from people wanting to understand the financial forces shaping elections and public policy.
Here are some of the most common things people search for on OpenSecrets:
🔎 Politicians and candidates
People frequently look up members of Congress and candidates to find their biggest donors.
🔎 Top donors and contributors
Many users want to know which individuals and organizations are giving the most money in elections.
🔎 Industry influence
Users often explore which industries spend the most on campaign contributions and lobbying.
🔎 Lobbying spending
Visitors search our data to learn how companies, trade groups, and advocacy organizations collectively spend billions each year to influence policy decisions.
🔎 Election spending totals
Visitors regularly search for how much money is being spent in federal elections.
These searches reflect a simple but powerful idea: people want to know who and what forces are influencing politics.
OpenSecrets exists to make that information accessible, accurate, and easy to explore.
This Sunshine Week, we invite you to dig into the data and follow the money yourself.
If you believe transparency in politics matters, please consider supporting the work that makes this data available to the public.
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