Dark Money Groups Have Already Spent Way More Than You Think

[Bill USA]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/04/dark-money-2014-election_n_4533132.html?ref=topbar
(emphases [font color="red']my own[/font]

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A Huffington Post analysis of press releases, news reports and Federal Communications Commission data collected by the Sunlight Foundation found that dark money groups have dropped at least $24.6 million on issue ads naming specific candidates on television, radio and online video since January 2013. That's seven times the $3.5 million these groups spent on campaign activities reported to the Federal Election Commission over the same period.

Due to the lack of disclosure, the issue advocacy total represents a minimum number. The true total is certainly higher. Total spending on campaign activity comes from data collected by the Center for Responsive Politics.

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[font color="red"]
Conservative groups have already spent at least $15.8 million on issue ads to promote Republican candidates and attack Democrats ahead of the November midterms. Americans for Prosperity, the nonprofit founded and funded by the billionaire Koch brothers, led all groups with at least $12.4 million spent on candidate-specific ads opposing the implementation of Obamacare.[/font]

Liberal dark money groups, meanwhile, spent at least $3.3 million on issue advocacy with nearly all of that spending coming from the League of Conservation Voters.
(more)

[Laelth]

1. k&r for the truth, however depressing it may be. n/t

-Laelth