The truth, duh.

[Mother Jones]( MoJo Reader, I'm going to keep this email simple. When I wrote to you last week I took the long view, sharing my annual year-end column, "[There's No Quick Fix for Healing Democracy](," that looks at what lessons we can take from this godforsaken year, and asked you to [support our fearless journalism with a year-end gift so we can hit our big $350,000 December goal](. I'll be honest, we didn't get off to the strong start we were hoping for, and that’s probably on me. Distilling 2020 down to something that makes sense, and being real about how Mother Jones can make a difference at this tough time, is no small task. But it's important that we level with you when asking you to [pitch in](, so I wanted to give you the full picture, and I genuinely believe journalism like ours is key to helping rebuild American democracy right now. Today, I've got a one-word reason why I hope you'll support Mother Jones as we close the books on 2020: truth. Duh, Monika, what a new insight! (That’s pretty much how my interior monologue goes all the time.) But it's been too easy these last four years to lose sight of how powerful the facts and the stories behind them are—especially when our politicians work so hard to bury them. Think back to January and the impeachment hearings. Remember how Mitch McConnell and all of his Republican colleagues, save one, decided the American people did not deserve to hear the evidence—that a majority had already said they wanted—on the president blackmailing a foreign head of state for his own gain? It was the perfect encapsulation of the last four years: Suppress the truth because you cannot allow it to change minds. [Hide the science]( on climate and [COVID](. [Bully the whistleblowers](. Stonewall the courts. Do not let the people know the truth. That's what we're up against, and it's what drives Mother Jones to keeping being a thorn in the side of those with something to hide. They know that exposing corruption by digging up the truth is a powerful tool for change and accountability. Here’s a small example of how: For more than two years, Mother Jones reporter Russ Choma has been digging into the mysterious $50 million loan that Trump claims to have made to an especially worthy recipient—himself. What Russ [discovered]( walks, talks, and quacks a lot like tax fraud. And now that loan [is part of the New York attorney general’s investigation]( into Trump’s finances—an investigation that can’t be stopped with a pardon or other White House maneuver. The truths unearthed in 2020 will continue to be major stories into 2021 and beyond—in Congress, in the courts, and absolutely in journalism. There's so much more I could say, and you can [read my full post here](, but I promised to keep this one simple. Corrupt leaders fear the truth because it is their kryptonite. Our team of 50-plus journalists work their tails off to expose it, day in and day out, and I hope you'll [help them do it with a year-end gift today](. It can feel like drudgery and it can take a long time to see an impact, but over time, exposing the truth really flushes out the rot. One of my fears, as Trump leaves office and we turn the page on 2020, is whether people will continue rallying around the truth and staying engaged to strengthen our democracy. We've seen what can happen when too many Americans take a functioning democracy for granted, and in places like Georgia and Arizona, we've seen what can happen when people roll up their sleeves and do the hard work. For 44 years now the Mother Jones community has done the hard work. Our reporters have carved out specialized beats that look at specific abuses of the system, and the system itself, to speak truth to power without fear of favor. You, our readers, have trusted we'll deliver the facts and pitched in what you can when you can. [I hope you'll support Mother Jones' truth-telling journalism today if you can](. 2021 is a critical time for rebuilding our democratic infrastructure, and I'm really hoping we can pick up the pace toward our big $350,000 December goal and show that the Mother Jones community will keep fighting for the truth even when Donald Trump is no longer in office. To that end, I’ve shared below some of the types of stories we're looking forward to going after in 2021, so you know [what your donation will help make possible](. Thanks for reading, and know that whether or not you can pitch in, I'm glad you're part of the Mother Jones community. [Monika] Monika Bauerlein, CEO Mother Jones P.S. If you recently made a donation, thank you! And please accept our apologies for sending you this reminder—our systems take a little while to catch up. P.P.S. Here are just a couple of examples of the truths we'll be reporting on with [your support]( in 2021, when Trump is no longer making every story about himself. - Covering climate as the emergency that it is. MoJo is ready—with Rebecca Leber’s deep policy background, Tom Philpott’s killer reporting on food systems, and our Climate Desk collaboration that reaches more than 100 million people. - Some in the media may take their eyes off authoritarian and extremist forces as their champion leaves the White House. We won’t. - Disinformation and propaganda are not receding, but ramping up, because they serve lots of powerful interests. But there may also be a window for reform, especially when it comes to social media, and we’ll be all over that. - Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi have already signaled that they’re not inclined to investigate the past four years. But societies that sweep abuses under the rug often pay for it later. If Washington won’t do it, reporters should. - There have been times when focus on racial justice increased after an uprising, and then waned again—in the ’70s, in the ’90s, after Ferguson. We can’t let that happen this time—especially not when there is momentum for real change. - Corruption and voter suppression are not just Washington stories—they play out everywhere. Our reporters can’t be everywhere, but we can ferret out some of the most important local stories and connect them to the bigger picture. [Donate]( [Mother Jones]( [Donate]( [Subscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To change the messages you receive from us, you can [edit your email preferences]( or [unsubscribe from all mailings.]( For advertising opportunities see our online [media kit.]( Were you forwarded this email? [Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today.]( [www.MotherJones.com]( PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755