Investigative multimedia series will examine the influence of special-interest spending on the presidential candidates
New York, NY, and Washington, D.C. – October 15, 2015, Al Jazeera America and the Center for Public Integrity today announced a new partnership that will investigate the flow of dark money in American political campaigns. Drawing on the deep investigative resources and storytelling capacities of both organizations, the project will produce coverage running on AJAM, on air and online, during the run-up to the 2016 election.
“The Buying of the President 2016” will include in-depth financial profiles of the top candidates as well as investigative stories that look into the world of Super PACs and political non-profits made possible by the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission U.S. Supreme Court decision.
“We’re pleased to partner with the Center for Public Integrity to bring greater transparency to an area of interest for many voters – the role of dark money in the Presidential election,” said Kate O’Brian, President of Al Jazeera America. “This new partnership fits into Al Jazeera America’s mission of bringing audiences original, in-depth journalism that sheds new light on critical issues.”
“We’ve brought back a great Center brand – ‘The Buying of the President’ – to support the Center’s 2016 presidential coverage which will focus on the money behind the candidates and show what it has bought in the past and what donors stand to gain in the future,” said Peter Bale, CEO of the Center for Public Integrity. “The agreement with Al Jazeera America is ground-breaking for the Center for Public Integrity and the business of creating powerful investigative journalism.”
The project builds on a strong record of investigative work by both organizations. AJAM is committed to digging into issues that others shy away from, such as the disproportionate rate of police shootings among Native Americans. Likewise, the Center for Public Integrity was founded on a mission to reveal abuses of power and most recently won the Pulitzer Prize in 2014 for exposing how some doctors and lawyers worked with the coal industry to deny sick miners black-lung medical benefits.
About Al Jazeera America
Al Jazeera America is the U.S. news channel that provides both domestic and international news for American audiences. Headquartered in New York City with bureaus in 12 cities across the United States, AJAM carries an award-winning mix of live news, special programming, documentaries and more. To find AJAM in your area, visit www.aljazeera.com/getajam. Visit AJAM online at http://www.aljazeera.com/america. Like us on Facebook and follow @AJAM, @AJAMCorp on Twitter for the latest news and updates. Join the conversation using #AJAM.
About the Center for Public Integrity
Founded in 1989 by journalist Charles Lewis, the Center for Public Integrity is one of the country's oldest and largest nonpartisan, nonprofit investigative news organizations. Our mission: to enhance democracy by revealing abuses of power, corruption and betrayal of trust by powerful public and private institutions, using the tools of investigative journalism. For more information, visit the Center for Public Integrity website at http://www.publicintegrity.org
Contacts:
Mallory Weinberg
AJAM
Mallory.Weinberg@aljazeera.net
(646) 805-2043
William Gray
The Center for Public Integrity
(202) 481-1232
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