John is the creator of Consider the Source, the Center's ongoing investigation of the impact of money on state and federal politics. He returned to the Center in 2011 after spending two years as director of the "Connected" project at the Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University where he investigated the political influence of the telecommunications and media industries. Prior to the Workshop, he reported on media and technology issues and the financial meltdown for the Washington bureau of the Associated Press. He spent seven years at the Center where he created the Well Connected project, an investigation of the political ties of the media and broadband industries. Between jobs with AP and the workshop, he led the Who's Behind the Financial Meltdown investigation into the subprime lending industry for the Center. He led the follow-up to that project, "After the Meltdown," which won a George Polk Award. Prior to his work with the Center, Dunbar was chief investigative reporter with the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville. He is a graduate of the University of South Florida in Tampa where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications.


Demonstrators on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court building, on the anniversary of the Citizens United decision, in Washington, January 20, 2012.

How will US erase decision that let big money pour into elections?

Global Politics

Constitutional amendment or court reversal, changes may take years