Opposition Research and Candidate Vetting
Candidate Vetting · Vulnerability Studies · Florida
Opposition research is the disciplined, lawful investigation of a candidate, an opponent, or an issue to find the facts that decide a race. We do it as professional intelligence, not rumor and not partisan spin. We find what a routine search never will, on your opponent or on you, and we deliver it as a clear picture you can actually use. We are a licensed Florida intelligence firm. We are non-partisan. Everything we find is lawfully obtained.
Win the race before it starts
Most campaigns are lost on the thing nobody saw coming. A record that was never checked. A connection that surfaced at the worst possible moment. A claim from the other side that went unanswered because no one was ready for it.
Opposition research removes the surprise. Done right, it tells you exactly what is in your opponent's record and exactly what is in yours, so you know where the fight is going before it gets there. The campaigns that take this seriously are the ones still standing on election night.
Three investigations that decide a race
Research your opponent
We build the complete picture: the public record, the professional history, the financial and business dealings, the prior statements, the affiliations, and the contradictions between what someone says and what the record shows. We go past the first page of search results and the basic database pull, where almost everyone else stops, and surface the things that actually move a race. You get an organized, sourced, usable intelligence product, not a stack of raw documents.
Vet yourself before they do
If you are the candidate, the most valuable thing you can do is run the investigation on yourself first. We conduct the same deep vulnerability study a serious opponent would, and hand you the findings before anyone else has them. You learn exactly what is out there, how it looks from the outside, and how it will be used, so you walk in prepared and never caught flat-footed by your own history.
Vet a candidate before you back them
If you are a donor, a committee, or an organization deciding who to support, you are putting your money and your name behind a person. We vet that person before you commit, so you are not blindsided by something that surfaces after your check clears. A clean, sober read on the candidate's record and exposures, delivered confidentially, before the decision is final.
Why our findings hold up
Licensed, federal pedigree
A licensed investigative agency with a federal pedigree, not a partisan shop and not a freelancer with a database login. Our work is thorough, documented, and it holds up.
Human intelligence plus a platform
We combine real human intelligence with a proprietary intelligence platform of our own, which finds and connects what records-only research misses. The capability is real. The method stays ours.
Non-partisan and lawful
We work for whoever hired us, on the facts, lawfully. That discipline is exactly why our findings are reliable when everything is on the line.
Frequently asked questions
What is opposition research?
Is opposition research legal?
Should I research myself before I run?
What is a vulnerability study?
How much does opposition research cost?
Do you work across Florida?
Are you partisan?
Results
In a competitive gubernatorial race in a battleground state, the opponent, a sitting mayor, carried a carefully maintained public image and no obvious vulnerabilities; our research surfaced an affair, drug use, and indicators of misappropriation of authority and misuse of government resources, every finding documented and defensible, and it contributed directly to the client's win. The story did not end at the ballot box: federal authorities later took up the matter and the target was charged by the Justice Department with conspiracy, wire fraud, and making false statements.
Read how our vetting found what a polished candidate for governor was hiding; federal charges followed.
Your Examiner
Matt Aubin, CDFE, FBCI
Managing Partner, E3 Legacy Intel · FL Licensed Investigator A-1400197
Every matter on this page is worked under a named, licensed examiner. Matt Aubin brings seventeen years in cybercrime and open source intelligence. He is a Certified Digital Forensics Examiner (CDFE), a Florida Board Certified Investigator (FBCI), and a Certified AI Agent Developer, and he has investigated cases jointly with the FBI, the SEC, the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Marshals.
His work has been featured on ABC News, Spectrum News, and The Daily Beast, and in a television pilot for Netflix and MAC Pictures as a cybercrime expert. He keynotes nationally and serves on the Board of Directors of the Florida Association of Licensed Investigators (FALI). About Matt Aubin
Tell us what happened
A licensed examiner reads every inquiry. You get a written, flat fee quote before any work starts. Or call (877) 732-6648.
