1. General Disclaimer
CapitolExposed is an informational public interest project dedicated to government transparency. All content provided on this website, including data visualizations, analyses, investigation dossiers, and structured reports, is for educational and research purposes only.
The information presented on CapitolExposed should not be used as the sole basis for making any financial, legal, or other professional decisions. Users are encouraged to independently verify information and consult qualified professionals before acting on any content found on this platform.
2. Not Financial or Investment Advice
Important
CapitolExposed is NOT a registered broker-dealer, investment adviser, or financial planner. We are not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), or any state securities regulatory authority.
Nothing on this website constitutes investment advice, financial guidance, a recommendation, or a solicitation to buy, sell, or hold any security, cryptocurrency, or other financial instrument. Any discussion of specific securities, trades, or financial patterns is provided solely for informational and educational purposes.
Past performance of any member of Congress's trading activity does not predict or guarantee future results. The copy-trade simulator feature provides hypothetical backtesting only and does not represent actual investment returns or account performance.
Before making any investment decisions, you should consult a qualified financial professional who is aware of your specific financial situation, objectives, and risk tolerance.
3. Not Legal Advice, No Allegations of Wrongdoing
Important
Conflict scores are algorithmic assessments based on statistical correlations in publicly available data. A high conflict score does NOT mean that a member of Congress has violated any law, engaged in insider trading, or committed any form of misconduct.
Nothing on CapitolExposed constitutes legal advice or should be interpreted as an allegation of wrongdoing, illegality, or unethical behavior by any individual or entity. Correlation does not equal causation. The presence of a statistical pattern between a member's trading activity and their legislative duties does not establish intent, knowledge, or culpability.
Users should consult qualified legal professionals before drawing any legal conclusions from data or analyses presented on this platform. CapitolExposed does not provide legal opinions, and no attorney-client relationship is created by use of this website.
4. Data Accuracy and Sources
All data presented on CapitolExposed is sourced from publicly available government records and databases, including:
| Source | Data Type |
|---|---|
| House Clerk (PTR Filings) | STOCK Act financial disclosures |
| Senate EFD Search | Senate periodic transaction reports |
| Federal Election Commission (FEC) | Campaign finance data and donations |
| Senate LDA | Lobbying disclosure filings |
| Congress.gov | Vote records and bill information |
| ICIJ Offshore Leaks | Offshore entity data (under ODbL) |
| OpenSanctions | Sanctions and PEP data |
| FinCEN | Financial crimes enforcement data |
Data is provided "as-is" from these government and third-party sources and may contain errors, omissions, or inaccuracies originating from the original filings. Members of Congress self-report their financial transactions, and the underlying source data may be incomplete, delayed, or contain clerical errors.
We make reasonable efforts to ensure accuracy in our data processing and presentation, but we cannot guarantee the completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of any information on this platform.
5. Conflict Scoring Methodology
CapitolExposed uses a 5-component weighted scoring model to identify statistical patterns between members' financial activities and their legislative duties:
30%
Committee Overlap
Trades in companies under a member's committee jurisdiction
25%
Timing Proximity
Trades occurring near committee hearings, votes, or briefings
20%
Lobbying Connections
Lobbying filings from companies in which a member trades
15%
Donation Patterns
Campaign contributions from industries in which a member trades
10%
Trade Size
Relative magnitude of transactions compared to typical trading patterns
These scores are transparency metrics designed to surface patterns in publicly available data. They are not indicators of misconduct, wrongdoing, or illegal activity. All inputs to the scoring model are derived exclusively from public records.
For a detailed breakdown of the methodology, including how each component is computed and how scores should be interpreted, see our Methodology page.
6. Investigation Dossiers and Articles
Investigative content published on CapitolExposed, including evidence dossiers, news articles, and analysis pieces, surfaces patterns and connections found in publicly available records. Every factual claim in our investigative content references specific filings, documents, or data points with source citations.
CapitolExposed does not allege wrongdoing by any individual or entity. Investigative content reflects our analysis and interpretation of publicly available data. Conclusions drawn from this content are the reader's own responsibility.
7. Fair Reporting and Public Interest
CapitolExposed exercises its First Amendment rights to report on the financial activities of public officials using information obtained from public records. Content about public officials' financial disclosures relates to matters of legitimate public concern.
Our reporting falls within the fair reporting privilege, which protects the accurate reporting of information contained in official government records and proceedings. All data presented on CapitolExposed is sourced from official government filings, databases, and publicly available records.
8. State-Level Data
Washington State financial disclosure data is sourced from the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) via data.wa.gov. Holdings, income, and real estate data reflects filings as submitted by state officials and may not be independently verified by CapitolExposed.
State-level data is subject to the same limitations as federal data: it is self-reported by officials, may contain errors from original filings, and should not be used as the sole basis for drawing conclusions about any individual.
9. Third-Party Links and Data
CapitolExposed links to external sources including government databases, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), OpenSanctions, and other third-party websites. These links are provided for reference and convenience.
We are not responsible for the accuracy, content, privacy practices, or availability of third-party websites. The inclusion of a link does not imply endorsement of or affiliation with the linked site. Users access third-party sites at their own risk and should review those sites' own terms and privacy policies.
10. No Endorsement or Political Affiliation
CapitolExposed is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any political party, political candidate, political action committee (PAC), Super PAC, or government agency. The platform is entirely nonpartisan and examines the financial activities of all members of Congress regardless of party affiliation.
Donations made to CapitolExposed via our donate page are contributions to support the operation of this public interest project. They are not political contributions and are not directed to any candidate, party, or political organization.
11. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, CapitolExposed, its operators, contributors, and affiliates shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from or related to your use of this website or reliance on any information provided herein.
This includes, without limitation, damages arising from investment decisions, trading activity, legal actions, or any other decisions made based on data or analyses available through this platform. For the full limitation of liability terms, please refer to our Terms of Service.
12. Contact
If you believe any data on CapitolExposed is inaccurate or requires correction, or if you have questions about this disclaimer:
- • Data corrections: hello@capitolexposed.com
- • Legal inquiries: legal@capitolexposed.com
- • Contact form: capitolexposed.com/contact
We aim to respond to data correction requests within 7 business days and will update or annotate records where appropriate.