Dear Friends of OpenSecrets,
Happy birthday to James Madison! Born on March 16, 1751, Madison was not only the “Father of the Constitution” but also a champion of government transparency and the public’s right to information.
That’s why his birthday marks the start of Sunshine Week, a national celebration of open government and accountability.
Madison believed that an informed citizenry is essential to democracy, famously stating:
"A popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy."
At OpenSecrets, we uphold Madison’s legacy by ensuring access to unbiased data, facts, transparency in campaign finance, lobbying and dark money.
In 2024 alone, we trained thousands of journalists to better track money’s influence in elections, empowering investigative reporting that holds power accountable.
This Sunshine Week let’s celebrate Madison’s vision by committing to transparency and ensuring that government of the people, by the people and for the people remains open to the people.
Join us in shining a light on money in politics!
Best,
Your friends at OpenSecrets.
