A new online platform called "The Scoop" has launched, allowing verified congressional staffers to anonymously rate and review the offices and lawmakers they work for. Created by David Tennent, a former congressional staffer and founder of Capitol CNCT, the tool aims to address issues of "bad bosses" and "toxic offices" on Capitol Hill by providing a centralized, verified space for feedback.
The platform, which went live on July 20, requires users to undergo a verification process to ensure they are legitimate staffers before they can submit anonymous reviews. Capitol CNCT vets reviews to confirm that the reviewer has indeed worked for the member of Congress they are commenting on, including verifying House and Senate email addresses.
Tennent stated that his primary goal was to prevent the platform from becoming a tool for political retribution, emphasizing the verification steps to ensure reviews are based on actual experiences. "My biggest fear was just creating like a political retribution platform, right?" Tennent said. "Where you can just go on and destroy people without any evidence or verification that you've been a part of that process."
Early data from "The Scoop" indicates that Republican offices are being reviewed at nearly twice the rate of Democratic offices. The platform has already begun to provide an early snapshot of workplace culture, listing the highest and lowest-rated offices.
Among the top-rated House offices are those of Reps. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.), Abe Hamadeh (R-Ariz.), Brendan Boyle (D-Penn.), Michael Rulli (R-Ohio), and Robert Garcia (D-Calif.). In the Senate, the highest-rated offices include those of Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Eric Schmitt (R-Miss.), and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.).
The five lowest-rated offices across both chambers, according to the platform's early data, belong to Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.). Offices of the lawmakers on the lowest-rated list did not respond to requests for comment.
The launch of "The Scoop" comes at a time of increased scrutiny regarding workplace conduct on Capitol Hill. Several offices have faced misconduct allegations this year, leading to resignations and public scrutiny of lawmakers' behavior toward their staff. Tennent noted that the platform's launch coincided with a period of heightened discussion about ethics and morality in Congress.
Tennent expressed hope that the platform will not only help current and prospective staffers find suitable work environments but also serve as a source of constructive criticism for members and their offices. "Our hope is that if a chief of staff or a member sees that their office is very poorly rated, that over time they're gonna go, ‘Oh, this is a wake-up call for me. Let me implement some strategies to boost office morale, to change how we communicate with each other,’" he explained.