top of page

Research Guide

The investigative journalists' cheat sheet to the best places on the web and beyond to find the facts and documents you need.

Substack

Media and Other Open Sources

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png
Substack is a blogging and newsletter platform. The website provides writers with hosting and distribution services and serves as a search engine and recommendation system for users to find similar newsletters and writing. You can use this website to find writing and information on specific topics.

Area of Investigation:

Social Media, Associated People

Supreme Court Gift Rules

Federal Records

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png

Use this source to learn more about the regulations on gifts for Supreme Court Members. This website has information on the rules surrounding giving, solicitation, or acceptance of certain gifts by members of the judicial branch. 

Area of Investigation:

Legislator Gifts, Political History

TLO

Proprietary Databases

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png

TLO is a proprietary database that aggregates information from “credit headers,” or the portion of a credit report without financial information, as well as other public and private data. A TLO comprehensive report provides identifying details, address history, associated phone numbers and email addresses and possible employers, among other information. As a proprietary database, TLO is a secondary source, and anything significant in a TLO report must be verified independently. TLO data should only be used to identify leads for further investigation but never as an authoritative source itself. Because of the wide range of data that TLO provides, obtaining and reviewing a TLO report on an individual is almost always the first step to be taken in any new project. The database offers leads on an individual’s family connections, professional licenses, employment history and associated companies. It can also provide insights into the individual’s voter registration history, property ownership and vehicle registrations. For legal matters, TLO can offer leads on criminal cases, civil judgments, bankruptcy filings and traffic infractions.

Area of Investigation:

Background and Family, Professional History, Political History, Personal Finances, Civil Litigation and Criminal Cases

Tax Assessors

State and Local Records

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png
Property owners in all 50 states and the District of Columbia owe taxes on real property. Generally, it is the county that collects these taxes, but in some states it is the town. The County Tax Assessor, sometimes referred to as the County Treasurer or by some other name, is responsible for valuing real property in the county and assessing property owners the appropriate amount of tax. Thus, the County Tax Assessor keeps up-to-date information on the current ownership of properties, their boundaries and features, and the taxes owed by property owners. In most counties, the tax assessor provides an online database that can be searched by property address, parcel ID, or owner name. In some states, such as California, assessors do not provide the names of property owners because of privacy laws. In many states, assessors provide a satellite map of properties that identifies their owners and boundaries. Many states offer homestead exemptions, which reduce the property taxes owed on properties that the owner uses as a primary residence. Consider whether any homestead exemptions claimed by an individual are consistent with the individual’s voter registration or claimed residence. In addition to taxing real property, many states also tax ‘personal property,’ or any property that is moveable, such as cars, watercraft, product inventory and office equipment. Determine whether the individual lives in such a state and whether personal property tax records are publicly available.

Area of Investigation:

Professional History, Personal Finances, Associated People

Link will vary depending on jurisdiction.

Telegram

Media and Other Open Sources

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png
Telegram is a messaging app that notably hosts a number of public or members-only groups and channels, which post and discuss content on specific topics or with an emphasis on specific members. Telegram channels that you can subscribe to can be searched on the app. The app may be useful for identifying connections to an individual and finding online discussion of them among groups that do not post on mainstream social media.

Area of Investigation:

Social Media, Associated People

Texas Ethics Commission Lobby Database

State and Local Records

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png

Visit Texas Ethics Commission's Lobby Database to search for lobby registrations and activities reports. Search lobby registration lists going back to 1999, and lobby activities lists dating back to 2005. 

Area of Investigation:

Political History, Lobbying

TinEye

Media and Other Open Sources

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png
TinEye is a reverse image search engine. When uploading an image, you can find out where it came from, how it’s being used, if modified versions of the image exist, or if there are higher resolution versions.

Area of Investigation:

Background and Family, Educational History, Professional History, Political History, Civil Litigation and Criminal Cases, Nonprofits, Campaign Finance, Personal Finances, Social Media, Associated People

Trulia

Media and Other Open Sources

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png
Trulia is a search engine for real estate listings. It provides information about properties for sale or for rent in a specified geographic area. It also provides information about prior sales and transactions concerning a given property.

Area of Investigation:

Background and Family

Truth Social

Media and Other Open Sources

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png
Truth Social is a social media platform built for conservatives and is owned by Donald Trump’s Trump Media & Technology Group. It boasts free speech protections and light moderation and is a home for many politicians trying to reach conservative voters. The site has a feed similar to X and a catalog of topic-specific groups. You must be logged in to browse the platform and search it by keyword. It may be useful for identifying connections to an individual and finding online discussion of them among groups that do not post on mainstream social media.

Area of Investigation:

Social Media, Associated People

Tumblr

Media and Other Open Sources

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png
This is a microblogging and social media site encouraging short- and medium- format posts and media hosting (mostly images). The site can provide insight into a subject’s personal views or personal media.

Area of Investigation:

Social Media, Associated People

Twitter/X

Media and Other Open Sources

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png
Use Twitter’s advanced search to find specific terms in an individual’s tweets. You can narrow searches by time frame and search for tweets from a specific user that mention another user. Some tweets have geolocation tags, which can help track an individual’s movements over time. Explore these features to look for patterns in an individual’s Twitter activity.

Area of Investigation:

Social Media, Associated People

U.S. House Clerk Gift Travel Filings

Federal Records

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png

Members of Congress are required to file reports that detail any travel-related expenses reimbursed by non-government sources. Use this database to search travel disclosure reports dating back to 2018. You can search by member name, travel dates, sponsor, or destination. The disclosure reports provide information on travel expenses, any accompanying individuals, destination, and purpose of travel.  

Area of Investigation:

Legislator Gifts, Political History

U.S. House Gifts Guidance

Federal Records

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png

The Committee on Ethics provides guidance on what gifts are and are not acceptable as a House Member. Various rules and clauses permit acceptance of certain gifts, such as food and refreshments or gifts from relatives and personal friends. Use this website to explore the exceptions applicable to U.S. House Members. 

Area of Investigation:

Political History, Legislator Gifts

U.S. Senate Gift Rule/Outside Paid Travel Database

Federal Records

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png

Use this database to search for travel reimbursements of Senators. Senators who plan to accept reimbursed travel are required to submit a travel package. When searching these documents, you can find information on the cost of travel, destination, dates, other individuals who accompanied the trip, and the private sponsors.  

Area of Investigation:

Political History, Legislator Gifts

U.S. Tax Court

Federal Records

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png
The U.S. Tax Court is where taxpayers can petition for adjudication of disputes with the IRS. Search for any petitions that an individual has filed in this court and review any available records for information on any tax disputes involving the individual.

Area of Investigation:

Civil Litigation and Criminal Cases

US Coast Guard Port State Information Exchange

Federal Records

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png
This database is searchable by the name or other identifying details on a specific vessel, but not by owner name. Note that many vessels are titled with a state authority, often the DMV, so they may not appear in this database.

Area of Investigation:

Personal Finances

US Court of Federal Claims

Federal Records

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png
The U.S. Court of Federal Claims is a venue for citizens filing claims against the federal government. There are two search resources for opinions and orders from this court. First, run a keyword search of all opinions and orders from 2014 to present here. Second, run a keyword search of opinions and orders from before 2014 at this website.

Area of Investigation:

Civil Litigation and Criminal Cases

USASpending.Gov

Federal Records

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png
This database is maintained by the Department of the Treasury Bureau of Fiscal Service, and it has data on federal contract awards dating back to at least 2008. Use it to find government contracts awarded to a candidate or their companies, Small Business Administration loans disbursed to them (such as Paycheck Protection Program loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans), and government contracts awarded to a candidate’s donors, an individual’s business associates, or relatives.

Area of Investigation:

Professional History, Associated People

USPTO Patent Search

Federal Records

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png
This database allows searches by inventor name, applicant name and assignee name, among other options. Use it to identify patents registered by or assigned to an individual or their companies. An individual’s business associates may appear with the candidate on patent documents.

Area of Investigation:

Professional History, Associated People

USPTO Trademark Search

Federal Records

Sunlight Magnifying Glass Line.png
The United States Patent and Trademark Office database allows searches by trademark name, owner name and owner address. Use it to find any trademarks registered to an individual, their businesses or their addresses.

Area of Investigation:

Professional History

Is our Research Guide missing a resource?

Share your suggestions with us here.

bottom of page