On July 23, I launched Popular Information. I started with no email list, no investors, and no backup plan. But I had a conviction that independent, ad-free, accountability journalism could find an audience and make a difference.
151 days later, over 36,000 people have signed up for Popular Information and we are making things happen. Thank you for being a part of this experiment.
Here's some of the impact Popular Information has had in less than 5 months:
Popular Information has broken several major stories related to the election fraud investigation in North Carolina's 9th District. I exclusively obtained 162 absentee ballot envelopes from Bladen county and my analysis revealed, for the first time, the participants and tactics of the ballot harvesting operation. I was also the first to report on the criminal history of the man at the center of the scandal, Leslie McCrae Dowless. This reporting was credited in the New York Times, CNN, the New Yorker, and the Charlotte Observer. The state election board is expected to order a new election next month.
I scoured the FEC reports of Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), who was captured on video saying she'd attend a public hanging, and exposed the corporations supporting her campaign. Many of the nation's most powerful corporations, including Google, Walmart, Pfizer, and Major League Baseball took the unprecedented step of demanding a refund of their contributions. Popular Information's reporting was credited in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, CNBC and many other outlets. Hyde-Smith narrowly won her election, but is now reportedly out of cash.
After Congressman Steve King (R-IA) endorsed a white nationalist mayoral candidate, I dug into his corporate sponsors. As a direct result of this reporting, several major corporations highlighted by Popular Information -- including Intel, Purina, AT&T, and Land 'O Lakes -- announced they would no longer support King. CNN, Bloomberg, the New York Times, and the Des Moines Register covered the story, along with many other national and local media outlets. King, who cruised to a 20-point victory in 2016, defeated his Democratic opponent by just 3 points and is considered vulnerable in 2020.
If you value this work, please consider becoming a paid subscriber today. There are no corporate sponsors or wealthy donors behind Popular Information. It is powered exclusively by readers.
As a paid subscriber, you'll be supporting journalism that makes a difference. You'll receive all four editions of Popular Information each week -- every one packed with research and insight into the political news that matters most.
Popular Information is just getting started. In 2019, independent journalism that focuses on holding the powerful accountable will be more important than ever. I need your support to keep going and expand my work.
I'd love to hear your thoughts about what Popular Information has done in 2018 or what you'd like to see next year. Email me at judd@popular.info.
Thank you for reading and best wishes for the new year.
— Judd
