[W]e use old-fashioned reporting methods at VTDigger: We ask for public records to get at the truth.
Seeking documents from state government, however, has become increasingly difficult.
We were finally able to get at the truth about the state’s EB-5 program in March — after a protracted battle with the Vermont Attorney General’s office.
The records show that the federal government threatened to shut down the Vermont EB-5 Regional Center in August of last year because of the $200 million fraud at Jay Peak Resort.
We were able to get that information because we fought hard for the public’s right to know — in spite of silence, stalling tactics, full-page redactions and legal attacks.
VTDigger’s investigative reporting on EB-5 is the result of a sustained effort over a period of three years. We broke allegations of fraud in 2014 and have published more than 150 stories about the case as it has unfolded. Records have been critical to that reporting.
Without reader support we wouldn’t have had the resources to continue VTDigger’s ongoing coverage of EB-5 developments.
We need to raise $113,184 by June 15 to keep VTDigger strong in 2017.
We thank readers who have already contributed to our spring membership drive, and we are especially grateful to readers who give on a monthly basis. For our spring drive, we need raise a total of $200,000 to stay on budget for 2017.
About 40 percent of our funding comes from readers. We limit our donation solicitation campaigns to two times a year — spring and late fall. It’s because of reader support that we now have a 13 person newsroom that covers daily statewide news in Montpelier, the Burlington area, Rutland, Bennington, Windham County and beyond. We also have a Washington, D.C., reporter who is covering Vermont’s congressional delegation and the impact of Trump’s agenda on Vermont.
We have invested in news staff because rigorous daily reporting on matters of public interest is essential to a functioning democracy.
VTDigger.org is a project of The Vermont Journalism Trust, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our Tax ID number is 27-1553931. Your gift is fully tax-deductible. Checks may be mailed to VTDigger, 26 State St., Suite 8, Montpelier VT 05602. For our 2015 annual report, click here.
