Believe it or not, we really do try to send the fewest fundraising emails possible. But right now we’re facing a perfect storm: The Intercept’s investigation into the Prairieland “antifa” terrorism case has hit an expensive roadblock. Even as anti-ICE activists serve prison sentences totaling 560-plus years, local officials have refused to hand over records, a flagrant violation of Texas’s freedom-of-information law. To get to the truth, our only option is a lawsuit — which was filed on Friday and may drag on for months. We’ve already spent our legal budget for the year. This year we’ve pursued lawsuits against Donald Trump himself, ICE, the Pentagon, OpenAI, and more. Those cases are all critical to preserving the First Amendment’s promise of a free press and freedom of speech — but the costs add up. Finally, this is the first year The Intercept has been operating without the support of our founding donor, whose generous multiyear financial commitment wrapped up in December 2025. As a result, even before these new legal costs, we were facing a $1 million budget shortfall next year. If you’ve saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately: Readers like you already sustain a large share of our budget. It’s the only funding model that comes with no strings attached — no billionaire owner, no advertiser to please, no donor who can get spooked and walk away. Meanwhile, we’ve seen too many news outlets rein in their investigative reporting — not because the need has lessened, but because they’re afraid of backlash from the Trump administration. That fear is exactly why our work matters more, not less. It’s why we’re able to take on stories many outlets are too cautious, too compromised, or too frightened to tell in full. But the reality is that those investigations are expensive. And, yes, sometimes we need to go to court to get to the truth. Please, don’t delay. Donate $5 right now to meet tomorrow’s all-important fundraising goal. 
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The Intercept team
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