I'm Grateful for You

Wishing my readers an abundance of blessings, good health, and good times.

I wanted to send a quick note.

To be perfectly honest, I was nervous to jump to Substack. I figured that in an era of rising costs and over-subscriptions to other news outlets and streaming services, few would be interested in an investigative newsletter. In April, I launched this Substack and have been overwhelmed with gratitude by the people who have joined me in this endeavor. 

In recent years, the political climate has made independent-minded journalism particularly difficult. Major newspapers and small alternative magazines alike have seen newsrooms consumed by waves of polarization, especially on hot-button social and political issues. It’s expected that journalists “read the room” and conform to the latest cultural consensus. As many of you know, I have refused. I remain respectful and open to any disagreement, but twisting my reporting into compliance with the latest fashionable trend is a red line.

Journalism is a dying profession. The death of local newspapers and the rise of clickbait farms has made old school reporting difficult. That makes this work all the more vital. I provide a mix of original reporting, analysis, and investigative reports with no partisan spin. Much of the work I pursue is document-driven and time-consuming. The targets of my reporting span the political spectrum. I serve no interest group, only the public interest.

Since launching this site, I have broken stories on Barack Obama’s taxes and Nikki Haley’s newfound wealth. I have revealed the private spies infiltrating chat rooms and the consultants that quietly shape Wikipedia. I’ve published documents uncovering influence peddling by the electric utilities, drug companies, Silicon Valley, and the weapons industry. Over the last eight months, I’ve reported on foreign influence, from Saudi Arabia to Ukraine, as well as government meddling in elections, the hawkish interests pushing for new wars, and much more.

This reporting has led to congressional reports and recently, a petition to the Supreme Court, and has been widely picked up by other media, from the New York Times to the New York Post. I’ve also had an opportunity to discuss this reporting with many writers I admire, including Andrew Sullivan, Ethan Strauss, Razib Khan and Glenn Greenwald, and on alternative video news platforms such as Rising and Breaking Points. Some of my writing now appears with RealClearInvestigations and Unherd, among other sites. 

But none of this would be possible without your support. I appreciate all the feedback, from words of encouragement to constructive criticism. I’m deeply grateful for your support and for your subscription. 

Happy Thanksgiving.