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 "527s" ...
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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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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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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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Political Nonprofits: Hidden money, hidden agendas
This tipsheet is essentially all about 527s: political nonprofits that have a major effect on politics but are confusing and hard to understand. Pilhofer discusses the various laws concerning the groups, how the organizations affect elections, and how to report on them in a way that will keep a reader's attention.
Tags: Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act; nonprofits; 527s; elections; voting; politics; politicians
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Covering Campaign Finance and Money in Politics
This tipsheet offers usable definitions and clear examples of various terms associated with campaign finance, like 527 groups, issue ads and reporting schedule.
Tags: election cycle; opensecrets.org; FEC; campaign donations
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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
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Covering Campaign Finance and Money in Politics
The perfect tipsheet for anyone just getting into political finance reporting, or someone who needs a detailed reminder. This six-page tipsheet defines basic terms, shows reporters where to go for more information and provides details on how to research different groups.
Tags: politics; government; campaign finance; money; funding; hard money; soft money
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State and Local Campaign Finance
"This is the first election cycle that state parties are without national party soft money, which accounted for about 25 percent of their contributions during 2001-02." Because of this, it is important to track both federal and state campaign financing. Willis offers rules for state party funding as well as story ideas.
Tags: election; contributions; Levin funds; local parties; soft money; campaign