Dear Reader,
This Independence Day, many of us are celebrating with family traditions, parades and fireworks. It’s also a moment to reflect on the values at the heart of our country’s founding.
While the freedoms proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence were not initially extended to everyone, it advanced an enduring principle: that those who hold power should answer to the people.
Two hundred and fifty years later, we can’t lose sight of that.
As I begin my tenure as CEO of VTDigger, I’ve been reflecting on what makes this organization so important.
A free press has never been a luxury. For 250 years, it has been one of America’s oldest civic traditions and one of its most important checks on power. It is America’s first freedom.
The First Amendment protects the press by name, recognizing that an informed public is essential to self-government. Throughout our history, courageous reporting has challenged injustice, exposed corruption and held powerful institutions accountable — from Frederick Douglass’ North Star to the Pentagon Papers, Watergate and countless local investigations that changed communities for the better.
That tradition doesn’t continue on its own. It depends on people who believe independent reporting is worth protecting.
For more than 15 years, VTDigger has put that principle into practice. Digger broke news of the EB-5 fraud at Jay Peak, investigated police accountability in the Tarnished Badge series, examined the Slate Ridge militia training facility and exposed weaknesses in Vermont’s legislative ethics through the Full Disclosure series.
And the work continues. Earlier this week, Brendan Rose published an investigation, built on public records requests, examining how and why Vermont law enforcement agencies have continued using automated license plate reader data despite legislative efforts to limit the practice.
These kinds of stories aren’t about proving someone right or wrong, nor are they about pursuing a political or financial agenda. They’re about asking questions, following the facts and giving Vermonters the information they need to make up their own minds.
Holding powerful institutions accountable is one of our founding principles. It’s work that takes time, persistence and the trust of readers who believe independent journalism is worth investing in.
As we celebrate Independence Day, join us in honoring one of the freedoms that helps protect all the others: a free and independent press.
If you value journalism that follows the facts, asks difficult questions and serves the public interest, please support VTDigger with a donation today.
I’m honored to join a newsroom that believes Vermonters deserve facts they can trust. I look forward to building on that tradition in the years ahead.
With gratitude,
Brendan Kinney
CEO, VTDigger
