Derek Willis – ProPublica – “An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a language that two programs can use to communicate and trade data. Programmers can use it to access data from a website or Internet service more easily. We’re assuming responsibility of an API that was previously published by The New York Times. If you used the previous Campaign Finance API published by the New York Times, your code will continue to work for a short time, but you should migrate immediately. Keep reading for details on how. New users can sign up for a free API key by emailing [email protected]. The API provides information on committees and candidates that file records with the Federal Election Commission, with an emphasis on those committees that file electronically (almost every federal committee except most Senate campaigns). The API is updated with new electronic filings every 15 minutes and with summary data published by the FEC once a day. The ProPublica Campaign Finance API powers our FEC Itemizer database, which non-programmers can use to find and browse electronic campaign finance filings as soon as they’re filed. Taking over the API will help us add new features to this project.”