TRACER Case Studies

This is a page where Wiki Researchers and Contributors will share their experiences in research and walk those desiring to learn more in either how we do research or how to do research themselves.

Intro

CASE STUDIES: Positively IDing Individual Donors, Independent Expenditure Committees, and Their Special Interests

WHY: TRACER, FEC, and municipal clerk filings only tell so much about each donor, but what is given are clues to figuring out more.

What is important to know up front is sometimes searches may need to be broadened to find what you are looking for. Also do not go with the first person you find who approximates the person in the filing. It may more often than not end up with being misidentified. It is advised to first either rule in or rule out a person in order to secure confirmation.

When ID and special interests are both confirmed, cite your sources. For something like the following case study, it may require multiple citations in order to see the connections and verification.

We recommend opening new tabs and following along with the tutorial and do the searches and go to the sites mentioned.

Individual Direct Campaign Contributors

DPS 2017

(This specific example may pertain to a school board race in an odd year, but the principles and methods can apply to any race in any year.)

This example involves the [DPS election], specifically for District 1, with the contribution being outlined going to Angela Cobian who went on to win by 6 points).

Go to Angela Cobian 10/17/17 filing

Click on "View Contributions". You may need to temporarily disable ad or pop-up blockers, or simply click "Allow" when prompted by the program.

At the bottom right, there's a "10". Click on it and select "50". Then go up top to "Aggregate" and click on it twice to get a descending order based on the Aggregate column.

(Aggregate figures are the total amount that specific donor has given throughout the current election cycle for that office, which is the sum of what was given that filing plus what was given in previous filings to that candidate for that cycle.)

One of the $1,000 contributions belongs to a Caroline Matthews, given 9/20/17.

Normally a number with a comma is a decent barometer for special interests (and why we recommend sorting with Aggregate by descending order and working your way down), but that much more curiously so when given by someone who describes their occupation as "Retired" or "self-employed" or "unemployed". But individuals or groups connected to special interests can give amounts both big and small.

First step in verification is to check voter registration.

http://socolorado.com/VOTER/voter_query.php

Only one Caroline Matthews. Caroline Brown Matthews.

Two addresses are given, residential and mailing, both in Edwards, CO. (Editorial Note: Though both addresses are public record, the editor posting this case study is exercising discretion in not posting either address on here.)

Search "Caroline Matthews Edwards Colorado". Quickly scan through the results to find anything that sticks out. There is a LinkedIn page https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-junkin-matthews/

Data scientist at IMB, previously Dell, Disney/ABC, The New York Times. Sounds fairly special interest-y. But must find more to confirm both interests AND identity. Never believe the first source right off the bat. Verify. (Not to mention that anyone can simply create a LinkedIn page, so it is not to be used on its own for confirmation. It needs a stronger source. LinkedIn may support other sources.)

So let's step back and apply a major piece of advice first mentioned above--broaden the search a bit and work our way in from there. "Caroline Matthews Colorado"

In the search, there is a Bloomberg listing of a Caroline S. Matthews.

https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=1465389&privcapId=160077

(NOTE: For unknown reasons, suddenly the link above reroutes to an entirely different page. This provides opportunity to teach another small trick of searching--Cache copies. Directly underneath the hyperlink to the page there is the URL. Next to the URL is a triangle/arrow pointing down. Click on that icon. Click on "Cached". It takes you direct to what the page used to be. Here's is the link to the cached copy: Cached Bloomberg Page)

(NOTE 2: If this tutorial is being viewed when the Cached Copy above does not have info on Caroline S. Matthews, then copy the ORIGINAL URL--NOT the cached version-- and put it into the search bar of the Wayback Machine and search for a snapshot that brings you to the direct page needed. Unfortunately there is no such snapshot available for that page, but for a different search the Wayback Machine may come in handy. Another tool for the toolkit.)

The state given is Indiana, but that is not indicative of Ms. Matthew's residence. It is of the corporate HQ of Anthem.

Under Ms. Matthews' background, listed are Qwest Communications (which a quick search will also inform of being an Anschutz company), WellPoint Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem. Also sounds really special interest-y. But more importantly it appears to be an entirely different person. So now we need to find who between the two is the Caroline Matthews in question.

Let's flip back to the TRACER report. The address given is NOT an Edwards address, but a Silverthorne address. Though that may not end up meaning anything. People may own multiple properties, especially those who give large donations. But that's the next place to dig. Let's search the given address.

"397 LATIGO TRAIL SILVERTHORNE, CO 80498" didn't net much. This is an example of where we need to narrow.

"397 LATIGO TRAIL SILVERTHORNE, CO 80498 Caroline Matthews"

Pretty quick, an official document is found from Summit County for permits. Summit County contains Silverthorne, but not Edwards. Still doesn't mean anything. More of what positive identification involves is ruling out things, not necessarily ruling in. So there will be times when the endeavor becomes tedious because you will encounter far more "nos" than "yeses", but in order to positively identify a person and their interests, the best means of certainty is indeed exploring all avenues and ruling out the others. This is one such avenue that needs exploring.

Official Summit County document (PDF).

Ctrl+F and search for Caroline Matthews.

The entry we are lead to has the 397 Latigo Trail address. It is attributed to a Caroline Matthews. A second address is given, in Denver.

"1934 MARKET ST, DENVER, CO 80202", our next search.

This takes a few pages of digging past a number of realty website listings. Eventually we reach a page on the FEC website.

This page is of Diana DeGette's donations, there's a 2010 entry for a "Caz Matthews" listed at the the 1934 Market St address. Hold on--Caz?

Now search for "Caroline Caz Matthews".

First hit is Colorado Forum for a "Caroline "Caz" S. Matthews". Caroline S. Matthews hearkens back to our Bloomberg page.

http://www.coloradoforum.com/caroline-caz-s-matthews-presid/

WellPoint, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem. Also just like the Bloomberg page.

So the first Caroline Matthews (of Edwards, with work history of IBM, Dell, Disney, etc.) is now ruled out. We have connected the Silverthorne address given on the TRACER report to the Denver address given in the Summit County permits, the Denver address to a "Caz" via the FEC filing, and using "Caz" have connected the Colorado Forum entry which itself connects back to the earlier Bloomberg entry via Caz's work history.

Identity confirmed. Now let's find some special interests.

Luckily we're already there. Colorado Forum is cemented with special interests.

Members Emeritus are real estate developers who have made donations to DPS education reform-connected candidates (also APS in many cases). Samuel Gary is a name familiar to many within education communities. Steve Halstedt as well. Both donate frequently, if not exclusively, to education reform candidates. Other members include Daniel Ritchie (frequent reformer donor) and Kent Thiry (DaVita).

The more you dig through special interests, the more names you see, and then you start seeing a lot of repeats and patterns of connections emerging to the point you can identify things on the spot.

Colorado Forum's views on education: "We continue to actively support Colorado school choice and charter schools."

Environment: "We need to continue to pursue drilling and production opportunities in oil and gas while safeguarding the natural environment and the health and safety of local communities."

Immigration reform: "We believe that an aggressive effort to secure our borders is important."

For another dimension, go back to TRACER. Go to Contribution Search and type in Caroline Matthew's name as directed. Has donated to education reform candidates and education reform-connected IECs. Also search Caz Matthews, confirming she uses that alias in filings as well. So now I know who to keep an eye on and how.

Keeping track of and searching by donor may also identify any Independent Expenditure Committees that may pop-up for just one election or candidate, which is hard to identify unless you know what to look for. This provides another angle to explore.