Help Me Take on The National Security State

I just quit my job as a reporter for The Intercept because they, like the news media in general, are broken.

The news media has failed at its job of informing you because they don't write for you. They write for their sources in Washington, for the industries they cover, for rich people, and for fancy awards committees. Just take a look at the ads they run: for investment banks, defense contractors, oil companies. Unless you’re in the market for any of these products, they aren’t writing for you.

I want to write for you.

With your support, I want to build up a news fortress impervious to the instruments of influence the powerful use to shape news coverage in their interests. I'll never accept controlling money from billionaires and foundations; but because of that, I'll need your help.

With journalism delivered directly to your inbox, I want to take on the billionaires, expose the fraud and avarice of the national security state and the corporation. I'm coming for the powerful interests that shape our lives with impunity they've bought by buying up or otherwise bankrolling the press.

But I can only do this with your help, so please, contribute whatever you can. Any amount helps.

My goal is to make everything I write available to all subscribers without a paywall. Your contributions will more than just me; it will allow me to hire the legendary national security reporter Bill Arkin, who will be the site’s editor; to hire my attorney and friend Beth Bourdon to help with FOIA requests; and to find administrative and research assistants, as well as some young journalists and freelancers to work alongside.

— Ken