gov.house covers US government economic policy for readers who make decisions with the information. These standards describe how the work is done and what you can hold us to. They apply to everything published on the site and in The Brief newsletter.
§1Independence
gov.house is independent and self-funded by its publisher. It receives no government funding of any kind and is not affiliated with any government, political party, campaign or interest group. It is not a US government website; the “.house” is a domain name only.
There is no advertising, no sponsored content and no affiliate links at present. If that ever changes, it will be disclosed on this page and clearly labeled wherever it appears.
§2No payment for coverage
No one can pay to be covered, to be left out or to change what we write. We do not accept gifts, trips or hospitality that could reasonably be seen as influencing coverage. Press access to public events and free copies of public documents are not considered gifts.
§3Conflicts of interest
The editor has no conflicts of interest to declare: no employment, consulting, board or advisory role with any government, party, company or organization covered on the site.
Holdings policy. The editor does not trade individual securities on topics the editor covers before publication. If a personal financial interest ever becomes relevant to a specific article, it will be disclosed in that article. Should any conflict arise in the future, it will be listed here.
§4Sourcing
We work from the documents first. Our sourcing hierarchy is described in detail on the Methodology page. In short:
- Primary sources come first: statutes and bill text, the Federal Register, agency releases and data, court filings, official statements and transcripts.
- Sources are linked. Every file lists its source documents, and key facts link to them inline, so you can check our work.
- Secondary sources are attributed. When we rely on reporting by another news organization, we name it and link to it.
- No fabricated quotes. We quote people and documents only from verified sources. Document excerpts are verbatim.
§5Use of AI tools
I also use AI tools in research and writing.
AI tools may help search for and summarize documents, organize notes and suggest draft wording. They are not a source: every fact, figure, date and quotation is checked against the primary document before publication. The editor is responsible for everything published on gov.house, whatever tools were used to produce it.
§6Labels
Every file carries one label, so you know what kind of work you are reading:
- News: a report of what happened, based on documents and verified facts, without the editor’s view.
- Analysis: interpretation grounded in evidence, explaining what a development means and what is likely next. Judgments are framed as such (“the more likely reading is…”).
- Explainer: background on how a policy, process or data series works.
- Memo: the editor’s own argued view on a question. Memos are opinion and are labeled as such.
- Data: a file built around official statistics, with the series and calculations stated.
- Brief: a short item on a single development, often a release or a deadline.
§7Fairness
gov.house is nonpartisan. When policy is contested, we describe the strongest arguments on each side accurately and in their own terms. We do not cheerlead for any party, official or outcome. When an article makes serious claims about a person or organization, we seek their response before publication where practical and report it.
§8Anonymous sources
We use anonymous sources rarely. Most of what we cover is in the public record, and we prefer documents to unnamed claims. We grant anonymity only when the information is important, cannot be obtained on the record and comes from someone in a position to know, and when naming the person could expose them to real harm. When we do, we explain in the article why the source was not named and how they know what they told us. The editor knows the identity of every anonymous source, and we protect it.
§9Updates and timestamps
Every file shows when it was published and, if changed, when it was last updated, in Eastern Time. Substantive updates carry a short note. Errors are handled under our Corrections Policy, and we do not make silent edits of substance.
§10Feedback
If you think we have fallen short of these standards, tell us through the contact form. News tips are welcome there too.