The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. Add to that more than 3,000 tipsheets from our national conferences on how to cover specific beats or do specific stories and you have a resource that no reporter or editor should be without. These stories and tipsheets are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Logged-in members can view the tipsheets free online:
Search results for "PAC" ...
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THE NEW SOFT MONEY Citizens United, 527s, 501(c)s and the Rise of Super PACs
Allison lays out how the rules have changed since the Citizens United case and how to cover Super PACS and 501(c)s.
Tags: campaign finance; election; 2012; superPACs
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Center for Responsive Politics guide to covering the 2012 election
With the 2012 election promising to be the most expensive on record, Novak offers helpful questions to ask yourself when covering the candidates' spending as well as outside groups' such as SuperPACs.
Tags: campaign finance; election; 2012; superPACs
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HealthCare Money --- finding stories in elections that can have local and national focus
This extensive tipsheet will provide you with everything you need to follow the money going to healthcare reform this campaign season. Included are dozens and dozens of websites and tips on how to cover PACs.
Tags: campaign finance; politics; money; PACs; healthcare
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Investigating Political Influence
Baker provides a list of questions one should consider - and ask their sources - when covering influence at government agencies. Included are useful links for deciphering the puzzle of influence: lobbying disclosure forms; IRS filings and disclosures; earmark data; and much more.
Tags: politics; lobbying; earmarks; political action committees (PACs); campaign finance;
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Campaign Finance: Tracking the Money
This tipsheet outlines important facts for those reporting on campaign finance and outlines information reporters should look at when analyzing campaign finance information. It also provides links to several useful sites/organizations who track campaign finance information, including some that provide data for download.It also touches on lobbying information.
Tags: campaign finance; lobbying; Federal Election Commission; FEC; PAC; political action committees; Center for Responsive Politics; Sunlight Foundation; Political Party Time; Internal Revenue Service; IRS; National Institute on Money in State Politics; TransparencyData.com; Congrelate.org
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Ten Things to Look For Next Month - Midyear campaign finance filings
This list looks at what to look for in the midyear filings for both campaign finance and lobbying. From largest contributors and opponents' fundraising to new registrations and issues in the news.
Tags: campaign finance; lobbying; PAC; donations; contributions; political action committees
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OpenSecret.org's Core Databases -- and Some Questions They Can Answer
This tipsheet lists seven story ideas that reporters can pursue with data from opensecrets.org. The ideas range from personal financial disclosure to 527s and PACs.
Tags: story ideas; federal government; political investigations; campaign finance
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Tipsheet: Money in Politics
The author suggests resources and story ideas for reporters covering campaign finance.
Tags: political campaigns; Sunlight Foundation; PAC; Political Action Committees; story ideas
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www.opensecrets.org
www.opensecrets.org helps track congressional money. It provides databases for contributions, 527s, lobbying, PACs, personal financial disclosures, revolving door, and travel.
Tags: database; government; congress; money; funds; spending
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PACs and 527s; hard money, soft money
This in-depth tipsheet explores the nuances of federal election laws. Palmer discusses the differences between hard money and soft money, and how to find good investigative stories in each category. The tipsheet includes lots of screen shots to show how campaign finance information is available online.
Tags: PACs; campaign donations; federal elections; election cycle; expenditures; campaign laws; FEC; McCain-Feingold Bill; Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002