Tactical Research

a guide to getting the goods

TACTICAL INVESTIGATIONSInformation = Power

• Purpose: To expose the target’s weaknesses

• Essential to the campaign, not a luxury

• Investigations develop information into “intelligence”

“the product that results from the collection, evaluation, analysis, integration, and interpretation of all available information that is immediately or potentially significant to planning an assault on the target”

(from a military training manual)

Tactical or Opposition?• Tactical Research is necessary in all

issue campaigns: provide the “intelligence” necessary to plan effective strategies

• Opposition Research is used primarily in election campaign against the opposing candidate. Some consider it “dirty” but it is a rare candidate who doesn’t have some information on the opponents even if it is never released to the press.

The Goal of Tactical Investigations

• Identify the official(s) whose work undermines the public interest because she or he:• Lied• Failed to enforce the law or regulations• Had a major conflict of interest (ethics)• Misspent public money (or investors’ money)• Issued inaccurate reports

Erin BrockovichWithout a formal law school education, Brockovich was instrumental in constructing a case against the $30 billion Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E), of California in 1993. The case alleged heavy metal contamination of drinking water in Hinkley, Cal.

The case was settled in 1996 for $333 million, the largest settlement ever paid in a direct action lawsuit in U.S. history.

Brockovich went on to participate in other anti-pollution lawsuits. One accuses Whitman Corporation of chromium contamination in Willits, California. Another lawsuit alleges contamination near PG&E's Kettleman Hills Compressor Station in Kings County, California, along the same pipeline as the Hinkley site.

After experiencing problems with mold contamination in her own home in the Conejo Valley, Brockovich became a prominent activist and educator in this area as well.

Reconnaissance • Scoping out a situation - a government

agency, a company, an organization - is also necessary

• Wigs and sunglasses never look right; use subterfuge only as the very last resort

• Talk to employees, the secretarial and janitorial staff pick up more info than management often realizes

Planning the Investigation

Open-ended research produces mush. It might be fun, but lacks meaning without purpose or context

ASK:• What real-world result do you want?• What info are you looking for?• Where can you find it?• What is the timeline for investigation?

Public Records Are BestStandard background checks, using public

records, will reveal a public official’s:• financial disclosure statements• real estate, businesses owned or

operated, vehicle ownership, aircraft & watercraft ownership

• liens, judgments, criminal record, lawsuits, bankruptcy

• military records, professional licenses, and education verification

FOLLOW THE MONEYAre officials influenced by donors or private-

sector groups? Are donors rewarded with positions or votes?• Who participated in Vice President Cheney’s

meetings on energy policy?• What businesses and PACS have contributed

to Governor Erhlich’s gubernatorial campaign?• Are developers contributing to Montgomery

County candidates who support the ICC?• Who’s funding the conservative newspaper on

campus? Who paid for the research on the new FDA approved drug?

“What did he say?”

Nothing is more powerful than a person’s own words. Research the paper trail: Changes in the message may signal a relationship between campaign contributions and policy positions

2 Cardinal Rules for Investigation

•Rule #1: You can always get the information you need.• Corollary A

•Someone already has the information or research

• Corollary B•Someone will get the information or

do the research for you

2 Cardinal Rules for Investigation

•Rule #2: It’s Your Right!• Don’t be overwhelmed or intimidated by

officials• You’re legally entitled at least 95% of the

information you seek (Invoke FOIA) • “What are you trying to hide?” “What are

they hiding?” are questions you can (and should) ask

Verify everything. Twice.• Document your sources.

Substantiate your info through written documents or corroborated interviews.

• The internet is not always accurate! Even public records posted on the web may require further corroboration.

2 Quick Tips for Investigations

1. Set a time limit. Sure there’s a lot out there but don’t get bogged down with “one more thing.”

2. Remember you’re only looking at public records and information. You don’t work for HP.

Searching Campaign Contributions in MD

Maryland Voter Information Clearinghouse

• http://mdelections.umbc.edu/• http://mdelections.umbc.edu/campai

gn_finance/contributions1.php

Federal Candidates

• Use the Federal Elections Committee website

• http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/disclosure_data_search.shtml

• Try Albert Wynn or Donna Edwards

Search MVIC for Contributions to Specific Candidates

Example:

Rushern Baker III, candidate for PG County ExecutiveFriends of Rushern Baker III, Committee For Political Change

Pre-Primary Contributions to Baker

Receipts

Contributions 18,941.00

Ticket Purchases 0.00

Federal Committees 0.00

Political Clubs 3,000.00

Maryland Candidates and Slate Accounts 0.00

Maryland Party Central Committees 0.00

Maryland Political Action Committee Accounts 3,000.00

Non-Federal Out-of-State Committees 3,000.00

Other 0.00

Loans 200,000.00

Total 227,941.00

Another Use for the MVIC:

• Use as a reverse directory to determine if (for example) there’s a relationship between appointments and political contributions

• Let’s look at the UMS Board of Regents

Board of Regents Members2006 - 2007 Members

Clifford M. Kendall, Chairman

Robert L. Pevenstein, Vice Chairman

James T. Brady

Thomas B. Finan, Jr.

Patricia S. Florestano, Assistant Treasurer

R. Michael Gill, Treasurer

Alicia Coro Hoffman, Assistant Secretary

Orlan M. Johnson

The Hon. Francis X. Kelly, Jr.Cheryl G. KrongardThe Hon. Marvin MandelRobert L. Mitchell, SecretaryDavid H. NevinsA. Dwight Pettit, EsqThe Hon. Lewis R. Riley, ex officioCaitlin E. Heidemann, Student

Regent*

* Term expires 6/30/2007

Clifford M. Kendall, Chairman

• Your search identified 19 contributions. -- Create a CSV file

• Total contribution amount is $7,600.00

• No contributions to Ehrlich

Robert L. Pevenstein, Vice Chair

• Search shows no contributions “Pevenstein”

• However, under the name of his firm, Princeville Partners, shows:

• Ehrlich, Bob For Maryland Committee from Princeville Partners (Timonium, MD, 21093)

• $4,000.00 on 11/20/2003 Business Entity

• and $500 total in contributions in earlier campaigns

James T. Brady• Your search identified 39

contributions. • Total contribution amount is

$14,213.00• The maximum contribution

is $2,500.00• The minimum contribution is

$2.00• Money for Ehrlich?

Thomas B. Finan, Jr., Treasurer

• Your search identified 36 contributions. Total contribution amount is $19,980.00

• The maximum contribution is $2,000.00

• The minimum contribution is $60.00• $6000 total to Martin O’Malley

($2000 in ‘06)

R. Michael Gill• MVIC shows 67

contributions, but a closer look shows these are many different people

• Need add more parameters to ensure correct person.

Gill, cont’d• Include his residence in

Lutherville:• Your search identified 5

contributions. • Total contribution

amount is $4,350.00• The maximum

contribution is $2,500.00

• The minimum contribution is $100.00

• Also check Gill’s company: Hoyt Capital

• Your search identified 4 contributions.

• Total contribution amount is $9,000.00

• The maximum contribution is $4,000.00

• The minimum contribution is $1,000.00

Francis X. Kelly, Jr.• Ehrlich, Bob For Maryland

Committee $1,000.00 12/07/2005• Ehrlich, Bob For Maryland

Committee $1,000.00 10/28/2004• Ehrlich, Bob For Maryland

Committee $4,000.00 05/10/2003• Ehrlich, Bob For Maryland

Committee $1,000.00 10/22/2002

A. Dwight Pettit, Esq.

Your search identified 11 contributions.

• Total contribution amount is $3,990.00

• The maximum contribution is $1,250.00

• The minimum contribution is $100.00

Orlan Johnson• Your search identified 20 contributions. • Total contribution amount is $11,400.00• The maximum contribution is $2,000.00• The minimum contribution is $100.00• Primarily to Baker, Rushern III Friends Of-

Comm For Pol Change (CPC)• and one to Steele, Michael For Maryland

Committee $500.0001/07/2003

Alicia Coro Hoffman• Your search identified 36

contributions. • Total contribution amount

is $3,770.00• The maximum contribution

is $500.00• The minimum contribution

is $5.00

But now look at Alicia Coro’s bio

• Appointed November 2005• Senior Executive in U.S. Department of Education before retiring

in 1998. Positions included: Director of School Improvement Programs in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (1988-1996); Director of the Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs (1987-88); Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (1985-87); Director of the Horace Mann Center (1980-85), managing career development programs for Department of Education employees, including senior executives. Recipient of Senior Executive Presidential Rank Award, the highest performance award of the U.S. Civil Service. M.Ed. in Foreign Language Teaching and Linguistics from the University of Maryland, College Park. Listed among the 25 Top Latinas in Education in U.S. by Hispanic Magazine in 2005. Served on Maryland Higher Education Commission 2004-05. Member of the Dorchester County Arts Center Board.

CHERYL GORDON KRONGARD

Appointed to Board of Regents: Appointed June 2006

• Your search identified 1 contribution• Total contribution amount is $2,000.00• The maximum contribution is $2,000.00• The minimum contribution is $2,000.00• Ehrlich, Bob For Maryland Committee

Cheryl Krongard (Lutherville, MD, 21093-3712) $2,000.00 10/28/2005