I’m The Intercept’s chief legal counsel, and I don’t like sending you this email.

But it’s the only way we can keep up the legal fight against local Texas officials, ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, the Pentagon, OpenAI, Truth Social, and others and also defend The Intercept’s reporting. That’s because our legal budget has run out, with more than three months left in the year.

On Friday we sued Texas officials to shed additional light on the Prairieland “antifa” terrorism case. For months, they’ve refused to hand over public records. A group of anti-ICE activists received sentences totaling more than 560 years in prison, including 30 years for one defendant who moved a box of antifascist zines. Those convictions are now on appeal, and the records we’re seeking could matter. So we’re done asking nicely.

The through line in all our litigation is the same: People with power and wealth are trampling the First Amendment to crush dissent and hoard more power and wealth. We can’t stand by and let them.

The Intercept answers only to our readers, not wealthy donors or corporate advertisers. That independence is exactly why we can take on lawsuits others won’t touch, and it’s why I’m turning to you now. Will you chip in $5 so we can keep fighting these cases in court?

I’m someone who stretches every dollar. Often, I can recruit lawyers in my network to take on major cases for us pro bono. But pro bono help can’t cover everything, some fights can’t wait, and no litigation is free.

If The Intercept doesn’t bring these cases, who will? We’re the newsroom with the tenacity to drag this information into the light. Without us, much of it would never come out.

Donate $5 now to keep me, and the lawyers I’ve recruited, in court — not on the sidelines.

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Thank you.