---
aliases:
- The Politico
- POLITICO
category: Private Organization
created: 2026-09-23
location: Washington, D.C., USA
relations:
- fn: 1
  reverse: true
  role: owner of 100 percent of the stock at founding
  start: 2006
  type: founded
  with: '[[Robert Allbritton]]'
- fn: 1
  reverse: true
  start: 2006
  type: founded
  with: '[[John F. Harris]]'
- end: 2016
  fn: 1
  reverse: true
  start: 2006
  type: founded
  with: '[[Jim VandeHei]]'
- fn: 2
  reverse: true
  start: 2021
  type: owned
  with: '[[Axel Springer]]'
start: 2007
summary: Washington political news organization launched in January 2007 by John F.
  Harris and Jim VandeHei with Robert Allbritton's money, sold with Protocol and Politico
  Europe to Axel Springer in 2021.
tags:
- Organization
- Media
- Journalism
- WashingtonDC
- AxelSpringer
updated: 2026-09-23
---

Politico is a political news organization in [Washington, D.C.](/places/washington-dc/) Its founders, John F. Harris and Jim VandeHei, left *[The Washington Post](/organizations/washington-post/)* in November 2006 to build it for Robert Allbritton of Allbritton Communications, whose planned Capitol Hill newspaper, the *Capitol Leader*, became the new publication; the website launched in January 2007.[^1] In 2021 Allbritton sold it to the German publisher Axel Springer.[^2]

### Founding under Allbritton

Allbritton's company president, Fred Ryan, described the plan as an "ESPN of Politics." When the deal with Harris and VandeHei was signed in November 2006, Allbritton, who financed the company personally, "retained ownership of 100 percent of its stock." Its early growth rested on the Playbook newsletter of Mike Allen.[^1]

### 2016 departures

In 2016 VandeHei pressed Allbritton to sell part of the company; the owner "refused to pursue it." Luke Mullins of *Washingtonian* wrote that the sources of tension "included...power, ambition, ego, glory. But they also included money." VandeHei, Mike Allen and Roy Schwartz left, VandeHei saying "I plan to start a new venture when I depart."[^1]

### Sale to Axel Springer

On August 26, 2021 Axel Springer announced that it had agreed to acquire Politico from Allbritton, together with the remaining 50 percent of their joint venture Politico Europe, launched in 2014, and the technology news site Protocol. The parties did not disclose terms. Allbritton stayed on as publisher of Politico and Protocol. Axel Springer's chief executive, Mathias Döpfner, said: "We mutually believe in the necessity of editorial independence and nonpartisan reporting." Allbritton said he "would only welcome a new investor that reflected my values and POLITICO's distinctive company values."[^2] CNBC, citing "a person familiar with the matter," put the price at more than 1 billion dollars and reported that KKR owned about 48 percent of Axel Springer at the time.[^3]

### Coverage of Open Philanthropy

On October 13, 2023 the Politico reporter [Brendan Bordelon](/people/brendan-bordelon/) published "How a billionaire-backed network of AI advisers took over Washington," on the funding by [Open Philanthropy](/organizations/open-philanthropy/) of fellows placed in congressional offices and federal agencies through the [Horizon Institute for Public Service](/organizations/horizon-institute-for-public-service/), followed on December 15, 2023 by "Think tank tied to tech billionaires played key role in Biden's AI order," on the [RAND Corporation](/organizations/rand-corporation/).[^4][^5] In December 2025 *[Semafor](/organizations/semafor/)* reported that Open Philanthropy had been "bothered by media coverage of it, in particular a series of critical stories from Politico," and had hired political communications staff.[^6]

[^1]: Mullins, Luke. "What Really Happened at Politico." *Washingtonian,* July 17, 2016. https://washingtonian.com/2016/07/17/politico-breakup-vandehei-allbritton-allen/
[^2]: Axel Springer. "Axel Springer to Acquire POLITICO." Press release, *BusinessWire,* August 26, 2021. http://web.archive.org/web/20260504093436/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210826005451/en/Axel-Springer-to-Acquire-POLITICO
[^3]: "Politico sells to German publishing giant Axel Springer in deal worth about $1 billion." *CNBC,* August 26, 2021. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/26/axel-springer-to-buy-politico.html
[^4]: Bordelon, Brendan. "How a billionaire-backed network of AI advisers took over Washington." *Politico,* October 13, 2023. http://web.archive.org/web/20250902172514/https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/13/open-philanthropy-funding-ai-policy-00121362
[^5]: Bordelon, Brendan. "Think tank tied to tech billionaires played key role in Biden's AI order." *Politico,* December 15, 2023, archived February 11, 2026. http://web.archive.org/web/20260211112614/https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/15/billionaire-backed-think-tank-played-key-role-in-bidens-ai-order-00132128
[^6]: Tani, Max. "AI critics funded AI coverage at top newsrooms." *Semafor,* December 7, 2025. https://www.semafor.com/article/12/07/2025/ai-critics-funded-ai-coverage-at-top-newsrooms