Center for Responsive Politics (Open Secrets) – Bias and Credibility

These sources have minimal bias and use very few loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by appealing to emotion or stereotypes).  The reporting is factual and usually sourced.  These are the most credible media sources. See all Least Biased Sources.

• Overall, we rate The Center for Responsive Politics (Open Secrets) Least Biased and Very High for fact factual reporting due to excellent sourcing of information and being an official source for fact-checkers.

Detailed Report

Bias Rating: LEAST BIASED
Factual Reporting: VERY HIGH
Country: USA
Press Freedom Rank: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Organization/Foundation
Traffic/Popularity: Medium Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY

History

Founded in 1983, The Center for Responsive Politics (Open Secrets) is nonpartisan, independent, and nonprofit; they are the nation’s premier research group tracking money in U.S. politics and its effect on elections and public policy.

Funded by / Ownership

Open Secrets is a non-profit that is funded through donations. Some notable donors include the Sunlight Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Open Society Foundations, the Joyce Foundation, and the Ford Foundation.

Analysis / Bias

In review, The Center for Responsive Politics (Open Secrets) provides a database that allows users to view “federal campaign contributions and lobbying by lobbying firms, individual lobbyists, industry, a federal agency, and bills. Other resources include the personal financial disclosures of all members of the U.S. Congress, the president, and top members of the administration.”

Open Secrets also publishes news related to spending that utilizes minimal bias, such as this The 9/11 victim compensation bill special interests aren’t interested in. Like most on the website, this article is properly sourced to credible media outlets such as NPR, NBC News, and congress.gov. Although some of the large donors tend to lean left, the information and content on the website remain low biased and factual.

Failed Fact Checks

• A factual search reveals they have not failed a fact check. In fact, Open Secrets is used as a resource by IFCN fact-checkers and the Media Bias Fact Check website.

Overall, we rate The Center for Responsive Politics (Open Secrets) Least Biased and Very High for fact factual reporting due to excellent sourcing of information and being an official source for fact-checkers. (D. Van Zandt 6/16/2016) Updated (05/29/2022)

Source: http://www.opensecrets.org/