Who Governs Maryland?
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews ANNAPOLIS — Every year, for 90 days, Maryland's General Assembly convenes, passes several...
Dark Money
Moore raised $7 million — but that may be the smallest number in the story
A line-by-line review of Maryland’s campaign finance database shows a sophisticated, nationally connected fundraising...
Who Was Running Total Wine? Records Contradict Trone’s Claims of Arm’s-Length Management
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews For years, David Trone has offered voters a reassuring story: when he went to Congress, he...
Blind Date at the Ballot Box: Inside the Money Network Behind Montgomery County’s Judicial Elections
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Most voters can name their governor. Some can name their state delegate. Fewer can name...
The Airpark Influence Network: Donations, Oversight, and the Questions Facing Montgomery County
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews GAITHERSBURG, Md. — What began as a local dispute over aircraft noise and safety at the...
The Davis Money Web: How Jim Davis’ Personal Checks, Business Entities, and Foundation Footprint Extend Political Power in Maryland and Beyond
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Jim Davis is not just another wealthy donor writing the occasional campaign check. He is...
Inside the Trone Donor Network: How Family, In-Laws, and Coordinated Giving Amplify Political Influence in Maryland
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Campaign finance reports are often treated like a bureaucratic afterthought. They are...
The Annapolis Money Machine in 2026: Who’s Spending, Who’s Benefiting, and What Should Raise Eyebrows
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews If you want to understand Maryland politics, stop listening to the speeches about...
Jamie Raskin’s Political Money Machine: Millions Raised, Millions Spent — and Questions About Where It All Goes
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Rep. Jamie Raskin has built a national profile as one of the Democratic Party’s most...
The Annapolis Money Machine: How Maryland Campaign Cash Circulates Among Political Insiders
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Maryland politicians like to talk about transparency, accountability, and reform. But if...
The Ferguson Network: Money, Power, and the Architecture of Maryland’s Political Machine
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews In Maryland politics, power rarely reveals itself through a single headline or a dramatic...
Out-of-State Money Is Reshaping Maryland Elections — And Voters Rarely Hear About It
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Maryland likes to present itself as a state driven by grassroots politics and local values....
Sarah Elfreth’s Rising Profile Comes With Rising Questions
Sarah Elfreth, Maryland’s freshman Representative, has enjoyed a rapid rise in Democratic politics. But with that rise...
The Postcard From L.A.: How “Field Team 6” Turns Hollywood Money and a Super PAC Loophole Into Voter Registration Machinery
When a Virginia voter opened the mailbox to find a glossy postcard postmarked Los Angeles urging them—via a QR code—to...