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“To write the truth as I see it; to defend the weak against the strong; to fight for justice; and to seek, as best I can, to bring healing perspectives to bear on the terrible hates and fears of mankind…”
That is how investigative reporter I.F. Stone, who died in 1989, described his role as a journalist. Stone pursued these goals by publishing I.F. Stone’s Weekly, an independent newsletter, from 1953 to 1971. Stone, best known for his indefatigable scrutiny of government documents, is considered one of the top journalists of the 20th century.
Eight years ago, inspired by Stone’s legacy, I started Popular Information. Today, you are one of 540,000 people who receive Popular Information in your inbox. I am proud of what it has accomplished so far.
The reporting in this newsletter helped secure guaranteed sick leave for 170,000 restaurant workers, prompted dozens of major companies to cut off funding to Republicans who voted to overturn the 2020 election, and exposed a scheme to cripple Social Security, forcing the Trump administration to scrap its plans.
In 2026, this newsletter was honored with the David Nyhan Prize for Public Policy Journalism from the Harvard Shorenstein Center, which praised Popular Information’s work as “meticulous investigative reporting” that is “timely, fearless, and factual.” In 2023, Popular Information was featured in the Washington Post as one of a handful of “news outlets reimagining political journalism in smart ways“ and “addressing some of political journalism’s long-standing shortcomings.” In 2020, Popular Information won the Online Journalism Award for Excellence in Newsletters.
Stone was fiercely protective of his independence and, therefore, relied on readers — not corporations — to fund his work. Popular Information has taken the same approach. And for the next 24 hours, to mark our 8th anniversary, you can upgrade to a paid subscription for 28% off.
The truth is, only a small percentage of Popular Information’s readers are paid subscribers. Part of the reason is that we do not have a paywall. I believe that access to Popular Information’s reporting should not be determined by whether someone has disposable income.
But it is paid subscribers who have allowed me to hire two talented colleagues, Rebecca Crosby and Noel Simms, who make Popular Information’s most ambitious reporting possible. In the last month, paid subscribers enabled us to purchase a new tool that tracks political ads across the country — allowing us to follow the money with new precision.
If a few more people upgrade to a paid subscription, Popular Information could expose more lies, root out more corruption, and call out more hypocrites. So, if you can afford this discounted rate ($36/year or $4.32/month), please support this work.
There have been more than 1,500 editions of Popular Information since we launched. If you missed an issue or two, I understand. I’ve included some highlights from the last eight years below.
Please keep reading. And, as always, feel free to get in touch. You can reach me at judd@popularinformation.substack.com.
Here’s to another eight years!
With thanks,
Judd
“Watershed moment for the restaurant industry.” As the pandemic began to take hold of the nation in early 2020, Popular Information reported that restaurant group Darden Restaurants, the parent company of Olive Garden, was not offering employees paid sick leave unless required by law. Popular Information spoke to several current and former Darden employees who shared stories of workers who came into work sick to avoid missing a shift. Ten hours after Popular Information published its reporting, Darden, which previously lobbied against paid sick leave legislation, announced that all employees would receive paid sick leave benefits, effective immediately.
“...After the journalist Judd Legum pointed out its long history of fighting sick-leave policies, Darden Restaurants, which runs several restaurant chains, including Olive Garden, said that its 170,000 hourly workers would now get paid sick leave,” wrote Opinion Columnist Farhad Manjoo in the New York Times. Business Insider described the move as a “watershed moment for the restaurant industry.” The story was picked up by the New York Times, The Financial Times, CNBC, and Fox.
Research published in August 2021 by Harvard professor Daniel Schneider and UCSF professor Kristen Harknett in the peer-reviewed journal Health Affairs looked at the impact of Popular Information’s report on working conditions at Olive Garden. According to the study, this reporting “was highly effective,” dramatically increasing “employee-reported access to paid sick leave.” Further, the change in sick leave policy significantly reduced the number of employees who came to work sick at Olive Garden. “We have shown that online investigatory journalism coupled with social media activity led to substantial changes in corporate practices,” the study concluded.
Exposing and preventing a plan to cripple Social Security. On March 17, 2025, Popular Information exclusively published an internal Social Security Administration (SSA) memo that revealed plans to significantly limit phone service beginning April 1. The memo said the plan would flood already overburdened field offices with millions of additional people, creating “service disruption,” “operational strain,” and “budget shortfalls.”
After the publication of Popular Information’s report, major national news outlets, including Axios, the Washington Post, CNN, USA Today, and Newsweek, picked up the story. Popular Information was featured on The Rachel Maddow Show and Democracy Now! to discuss the report. Millions of people read the story online. Powerful advocacy groups, including the AARP, blasted the proposal.
On March 26, however, the SSA announced it was delaying the implementation until April 14. Then, on April 8, the SSA announced that it was canceling its plans to limit phone service entirely.