Center for Responsive Politics

The Center for Responsive Politics (CRP) (Open Secrets) is a non-partisan, non-profit research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics, and its effect on elections and public policy. Entering a corporation name on their website will tell how much money the company gave to Democrats versus Republicans. According to the group, "The Center conducts computer-based research on campaign finance issues for the news media, academics, activists, and the public at large. The Center's work is aimed at creating a more educated voter, an involved citizenry, and a more responsive government."

Overview
OpenSecrets.org is the website of Center for Responsive Politics. The organization provides information on "who gives" and "who gets" (which includes 527s), voting records, and election results. Lobbying money is also tracked for corporations and other groups.

According to CRP, "The Center for Responsive Politics (CRP) launched the website following the 1996 elections. Before that time, CRP, founded in 1983 by U.S. Senators Frank Church (D-Idaho) and Hugh Scott (R-Pa.), published its work tracking money in politics and its effect on elections and public policy in extensive reports and books. The first Open Secrets book, published in 1990, was a massive 1,300 pages and analyzed contributions by political action committees (PACs) in the 1988 congressional elections. Featuring contributor profiles for every member of Congress, it was an unprecedented resource that illuminated money's role in congressional elections and policymaking. Open Secrets also profiled the spending patterns of interest groups and major industries, and included an extensive "Big Picture" section on the patterns of PAC spending and the flow of PAC dollars to each congressional committee. The second edition of Open Secrets, published in 1992, added an analysis of large individual donations—a mammoth task that had never before been attempted."

OpenSecrets.org has "data and analysis on multiple aspects of money in politics—the independent interest groups called 527s committees, federal lobbying, Washington's "revolving door", privately sponsored congressional travel and the personal finances of members of Congress, the president and other officials."

Staff
As of December 2010:
 * Sheila Krumholz, Executive Director
 * Dave Levinthal, Communications Director
 * Other Staff Biographies

Board of Directors
Source
 * Robert A. Weinberger, Chairman. Senior Fellow, Aspen Institute
 * Mark Ranalli, Vice Chairman
 * Sonia Jarvis
 * Ellen S. Miller
 * John Purcell
 * Frank P. Reiche
 * Whitney North Seymour, Jr.

Older list of Board of Directors

 * Paul Hoff, Chairman
 * Charles McC. Mathias
 * John G. Murphy
 * Spencer Overton
 * Jeff Malachowsky
 * Charles McC. Mathias
 * Abner Mikva, judge
 * Ellen S. Miller, Executive Director, Public Campaign; CRP executive director 1984-1996
 * John G. Murphy
 * Frank P. Reiche
 * Whitney North Seymour, Jr.
 * Paul Simon
 * Tom Asher, chaired the Center for Responsive Politics Board from 1994-1999.

Former:
 * Larry Noble

Funding
"Support for the Center comes from a combination of foundation grants and individual contributions. The Center accepts no contributions from businesses or labor unions."

Major Funders


 * The Ford Foundation (currently under a three year grant of $1,000,000)
 * The Pew Charitable Trusts (currently under a two year grant of $550,000)
 * The Carnegie Corporation (currently under a three year grant of $450,000)
 * The Joyce Foundation (currently under a two-year grant of $350,000)

Contact details
The Center for Responsive Politics 1101 14th St., NW Suite 1030 Washington, DC 20005-5635 Phone: 202-857-0044 Fax: 202-857-7809 Email: info AT crp.org Web: http://www.opensecrets.org

Related SourceWatch articles

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 * New Democrat Network
 * Progressive Donor Network
 * soft money