Press Center

For media inquiries, please contact:
Gabriela Schneider, Communications Director
202/742-1520 ext 236 or gschneider at sunlightfoundation dot com

press releases
May 13, 2008Sunlight’s New ‘Fortune 535’ Site Details the Growth of Lawmakers’ Net Worth
WASHINGTON, DC - Just as members of Congress are filing their latest annual personal disclosure reports, the Sunlight Foundation today launched a new Web site-Fortune 535. This new Web site lets citizens see how much, or how little, lawmakers' wealth has grown in the past 11 years-the period of time from which lawmakers' personal financial data is available.
Mar 31, 2008Sunlight Invites Collaboration on New Transparency Bill
WASHINGTON, DC -Today, the Sunlight Foundation launched a new Web site -- PublicMarkup.org -- to invite the public to review and further shape an omnibus transparency bill the Foundation drafted.
Mar 6, 2008Lessig to Launch beta of Change Congress Project in Sunshine Week Lecture
Professor Lawrence Lessig, renowned expert in intellectual property, has a new mission: to combat the influence of money in American democracy. Bolstered by the recent "Draft Lessig" movement that almost convinced him to run for Congress, Lessig will further his mission by launching a new "Change Congress" project in a Sunshine Week lecture sponsored by the Sunlight Foundation and Omidyar Network.
Mar 5, 2008Citizen Journalists at the SuperDelegate Transparency Project Produce Only Fully Sourced, Detailed Reporting on SuperDelegates
WASHINGTON, DC - The group of citizen journalists, bloggers and activists convened at the SuperDelegate Transparency Project have produced the only reporting on SuperDelegate commitments in the race for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination that is fully broken down by delegate, by state, congressional district and has full and transparent sourcing. No major news organization provides such detail or provides their sources.
Feb 14, 2008Sunlight Empowers Internet Entrepreneurs with Mini-grants
WASHINGTON, DC -Today, the Sunlight Foundation is announcing new mini-grants as part of its commitment to support original ideas, tools, Web sites, and bloggers that further the organization's mission of using the Internet to foster a more open government.

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For media inquiries, please contact:
Gabriela Schneider, Communications Director
202/742-1520 ext 236 or gschneider at sunlightfoundation dot com

press articles
May 14, 2008
Clinton tops Senate in wealth increase
McClatchy Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON - Propelled by her husband's post-White House earnings, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's net worth soared from red ink to $30.7 million between 2000 and 2006, the fastest financial climb among members of Congress who arrived without assets, a watchdog group said Tuesday
May 14, 2008
Clinton wealth growing fastest
Greg Gordon, McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON - Propelled by her husband's post-White House earnings, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's average net worth soared from red ink to $30.7 million between 2000 and 2006, the fastest financial climb among members of Congress who arrived without assets, a watchdog group reported Tuesday.
May 13, 2008
How much is that congressman worth?
Lesley Clark
The Sunlight Foundation is making it a little easier to find out. The open government advocacy group has launched a new web site Fortune 535 to let constituents see "how much - or how little -" lawmakers' wealth has grown in the last 11 years - the period of time from which lawmakers' personal financial data is available
May 13, 2008
K Street in Brief
J.S.,Hill Staff

The Sunlight Foundation , a group dedicated to pulling back the curtain on how government operates, launched a new website that lets voters sneak a peek at how well members of Congress have done for themselves in the past 11 years.

That's how long personal financial data has been available. Sunlight is putting it online on its new site, Fortune 535 .

The site also lets viewers compare the net worth of each lawmaker to that of the average American family and will list the wealthiest lawmakers.

Ellen Miller, executive director of Sunlight, said the information may surprise some people.

"Even though popular stereotypes tell us that lawmakers are all millionaires and get more wealthy the longer they serve in Congress, we found that every lawmaker profile is different," Miller said in a release.

May 13, 2008
Report analyzes lawmakers’ net worth
David Goldstein
WASHINGTON | It almost looks like life on a game show: Some congressional members make millions, while others leave with little more than the experience.

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