Welcome back.
Two weeks ago, we examined everyday citizen experts and the role of crowdsourcing criminology in missing person cases.
Today: the decline of trust in traditional experts. Specifically, the institutional corruption of money in politics.
Meet Jack Abramoff. For years, he was one of the most influential lobbyists in Washington. He shaped policy, moved millions, and had nearly 25% of Congress in his pocket.
Until he didn't.
His fall wasn't about one bad actor. It was about a system designed to be gamed. And here's the terrifying part: most of what he did was legal. This is a story about institutional corruption—and why the trust crisis is worse than you think.
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IN THIS ISSUE | December 11, 2025
📖 FEATURED STORY
Jack Abramoff Got Out of Prison. I Asked Him About Alexander Ovechkin: Hockey wasn’t his hobby. It was how he bought access to power.
🎓 RESEARCH + RESOURCES
13-minute podcast: The 6 tactics Abramoff used to influence Congress—most legal, all corrupt. PLUS: Academic article: "Crowdsourcing Criminology" (for those who prefer to read)
👀 NEXT ISSUE (Dec 18)
UAPs. (Yes, talking aliens.) The question won't be whether we're alone. It'll be whether we believe the experts who tell us we're not.
