Editorial Policy

1. Core Standard

We prioritize clarity, verifiability, and practical usefulness. Each page should help a reader answer a specific question, understand what is confirmed, and find the best next supporting source or tracker.

2. Sourcing Hierarchy

• Primary sources first. Court filings, agency documents, congressional text, official statements, and government datasets carry the most weight.
• Secondary sources for context. We use reputable reporting to extend the record, not replace it.
• Social content is not proof. Posts, screenshots, and message-board claims can surface leads, but they do not meet our confirmation standard on their own.

3. Labeling And Page Types

4. Verification And Updates

We distinguish between what is confirmed, what is likely, and what still requires primary-document confirmation. When key facts change, we update the page directly and revise the visible update date. On major changes, we add clarifying copy so readers understand what moved.

5. Attribution

Pages are normally published under the shared byline The Capitol Watch Editorial Team. This allows readers to evaluate one standards page for sourcing, corrections, and newsroom workflow. When an article relies heavily on a named document set, agency release, or court opinion, we should identify that clearly inside the page body.

6. What We Avoid

• Creating multiple pages that answer the same question with only minor keyword changes.
• Blending unrelated subtopics into one URL just because they share search demand.
• Presenting social speculation as equivalent to official confirmation.
• Using headlines that imply legal or factual certainty the record does not support.

7. Corrections

If we materially misstate a fact, citation, timeline, or attribution, we correct the page and note the change. See the full corrections policy for how readers can report a problem.