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MAPLight.org Media Fact Sheet

Media Fact Sheet

MAPlight.org believes including data about supporters' and opponents' campaign contributions to news stories about legislative voting outcomes adds a layer of depth and realism to media coverage.

Media Contact: 

Michele Horaney APR
Communications Director 
Phone (510) 868-0894 
michele@maplight.org

Mailing Address:

2223 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94704

Who We Are: 

MAPLight.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization that provides government transparency tools to shine a light on our broken system of money-dominated politics. We track all campaign contributions given to members of Congress and how every member of Congress votes on every bill, revealing connections between money and politics never before possible to see.

What We Do: 

Elected officials collect large sums of money to run their campaigns, and they often pay back campaign contributors with special access and favorable laws. This common practice is contrary to the public interest, yet legal. MAPLight.org government transparency tools provide journalists, bloggers and citizen activists with hard data to hold legislators accountable.

Our Methodology: 

MAPLight.org’s research department uses Web 2.0 data mashup technology to combine three data sets: campaign contribution data from the Center for Responsive Politics (OpenSecrets.org) and National Institute on Money in State Politics; legislative voting records and bill information (GovTrack.us); and special interest support and opposition for each bill in Congress (MAPLight.org research team).

MAPLight.org's research department reveals how contributions correlate with legislation so that citizens have key information needed to draw their own conclusions about how campaign contributions affect policy. Campaign contributions are only one factor affecting legislator behavior. The correlations we highlight between industry and union giving and legislative outcomes do not show that one caused the other, and we do not make this claim. We do make the claim, however, that campaign contributions bias our legislative system. Simply put, candidates who take positions contrary to industry interests are unlikely to receive industry funds and thus have fewer resources for their election campaigns than those whose votes favor industry interests.

Awards:

  • Best of Free Reference 2008 from Library Journal - April, 2009
  • James Madison Freedom of Information Award from the Northern California Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists - March, 2009
  • Knight-Batten Award for Innovations in Journalism, 2008 – Honorable Mention 
  • Webby Award Nomination for Best Politics Website, 2008
  • Stockholm Challenge Award, 2008 – Finalist
  • U.N. World Summit Award for e.Government, 2007 – Winner
  • NetSquared Innovation Award, 2007 – First Prize

Funding Sources:

http://maplight.org/foundations

http://maplight.org/individuals

Budget:

http://maplight.org/income

Board and Advisory Board: 

http://maplight.org/board

http://maplight.org/advisoryboard

About MAPLight.org:

MAPLight.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization based in Berkeley, California. Its search engine at MAPLight.org illuminates the connection between Money And Politics (MAP) via a database of campaign contributions and legislative outcomes. Data sources include: GovTrack.us; Center for Responsive Politics (OpenSecrets.org); Federal Election Commission (FEC); and National Institute on Money in State Politics (NIMSP). Support and opposition data is obtained through testimony at public hearings, proprietary news databases and public statements on the websites of trade associations and other groups. To learn more visit MAPLight.org.