Investigations
Follow the money. In-depth reporting on the donors, PACs, lobbyists, and networks that shape American policy — with every dollar amount sourced from federal filings.
PowerMap investigations follow the money from donor to politician to policy outcome. Each investigation is built on public filings, FEC data, lobbying disclosures, and government contract records — cross-referenced and analyzed to reveal the hidden connections between wealth and power.
Our team has traced over $15 billion in political spending across the 2024 cycle, identifying patterns of influence that traditional reporting misses. From quid pro quo arrangements hidden behind layers of PACs to revolving-door officials who write rules for their future employers — these investigations expose the machinery of modern political corruption.
Currently tracking 23 investigations across 6 categories. New investigations are published as patterns emerge from the data.
From PayPal to the Vice Presidency
How Peter Thiel built a political machine that put his protégé in the Vice Presidency and doubled Palantir's government contracts to nearly $1 billion.
The $548M Koch Machine
Inside the most sophisticated private political operation in America — from AFP to i360, the Koch network spent $548 million in a single cycle to reshape American policy.
The Soros Network in Transition
George Soros transferred $18 billion to Open Society Foundations. Now his son Alex is reshaping the empire — making it more political, more aggressive, and more focused.
The Revolving Door: 500+ Officials Now Lobby for Their Former Bosses
How 80% of retiring generals and admirals go to work for defense contractors, creating a $1.06 trillion feedback loop between the Pentagon and the companies it awards contracts to.
Trump's Pay-to-Play: From Donor to Ambassador
Inside the $400 million White House ballroom where 37 megadonors secured ambassadorships, regulatory favors, and direct policy influence in exchange for their contributions.
Silicon Valley's Political Split: Tech Money Goes Both Ways
Reid Hoffman versus Marc Andreessen, David Sacks, Peter Thiel, and Elon Musk — how Silicon Valley's political civil war poured billions into both parties and reshaped American politics.
Private Equity's Quiet Power: Schwarzman, KKR, and Carried Interest
How the $13 trillion private equity industry spends $400 million annually on lobbying and campaign contributions to protect the carried interest loophole — saving billionaire fund managers billions in taxes.
The $400 Million Ballroom: 37 Donors and What They Got
A donor-by-donor investigation of the 37 individuals and corporations who each gave $1 million or more to Trump's record-shattering inaugural fund — and the government favors that followed.