Why This Matters
Corruption isn’t just a D.C. or Mar-a-Lago problem. City Halls, zoning boards, and statehouses are litter boxes filled with backroom deals, bribes, and favoritism. If we don’t sniff it out, it festers—and suddenly your community budget is paying for some crony’s Porsche while public housing crumbles. Local rot feeds national fascism. Shine a light, and the cockroaches scatter.
Example of Importance
New York City just proved the point: Ingrid Lewis-Martin, Mayor Adams’ right-hand operator, is facing bribery charges for over $75,000 in shady deals. That’s not pocket change—it’s a pipeline of influence that keeps communities unsafe, underfunded, and unrepresented. If New Yorkers had ignored whispers of corruption, none of this would have come to light. Public exposure is our strongest claw.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Follow the Paper Trail
- Start with campaign finance reports (usually online at your state elections site). Look for oversized donations from developers, contractors, or law firms suddenly getting city contracts.
- Cross-check with public procurement records. If Company X gave the mayor $20,000 and then magically won a $2 million contract, congrats—you’ve found a stink.
- File Public Records Requests
- Talk to the Workers
- Custodians, clerks, assistants, even interns—they often see the rot before anyone else. Listen more than you speak, and always protect identities.
- Partner With Local Journalists
- Small papers and independent reporters are hungry for leads. Don’t dump gossip—bring receipts. Documentation makes stories bulletproof.
- Blast It Loudly
- Use social media, zines, town hall Q&As. Don’t wait for the “perfect” big exposé—drip out the truth so it can’t be buried.
- Meme it. “Mayor’s Office: now accepting bribes in cash, checks, or home remodels” hits harder than a 40-page PDF.
- Stay Safe
- Corrupt officials can get mean. Use encrypted apps (Signal, ProtonMail), redact sensitive names when posting, and meet sources in public spaces.
Kitty’s Final Claw
Democracy dies when corruption hides in plain sight. The fascists count on us rolling over, shrugging, and saying, “That’s just politics.” No. It’s theft, betrayal, and sabotage of our communities. Sharpen your claws, kittens—let’s tear the drapes off their shady deals and leave the sunlight blazing.