An early holiday gift came today to those of us who have followed dark money for years, courtesy of the United States Supreme Court. The full court lifted a temporary stay issued by Chief Justice Roberts and left a lower court ruling in place requiring full disclosure of dark money contributions.
The best part? Disclosure has to begin right away, just in time to reveal the billionaires trying to buy the midterms!
The Washington Post reports:
In an interview, FEC Chairwoman Caroline Hunter said that the names of certain contributors who give money to nonprofit groups to use in political campaigns beginning Wednesday will have to be publicly reported.
Hunter and other conservatives warned the decision could have a chilling effect just as the midterms are heating up.
“It’s unfortunate that citizens and groups who wish to advocate for their candidate will now have to deal with a lot of uncertainty less than two months before the election,” said Hunter, a Republican appointee.
Oh, Ms. Hunter. Have you forgotten that the entire argument underneath Citizens United
was that the money wouldn't corrupt politics as long as disclosure was made. Only for the last eight years, we've gotten the money part without the disclosure part, leaving people like me to wait for 18 months or so and then try to piece together the flow of money from donor to organization to independent expenditure organization.
Well, no more, thanks to CREW. Six years ago, they filed suit to compel disclosure of Karl Rove's dark money organization, Crossroads USA. Today was the end of the line. With the Supreme Court's refusal to hear the case, all donors of $200 or more must be disclosed, along with the purpose of their contribution.
Power to the people!
