Dark Money

California's Dark-Money Investigation Is Making Conservatives Sweat

Details of a shadowy donor network emerge as Golden State watchdogs trace the source of $11 million in election spending.

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| Mon Apr. 15, 2013 3:00 AM PDT
businessman with gold

How Walmart, ExxonMobil, and Coke Buy Latino Friends in Congress

Lobbyists and corporations that employ them can't give gifts to lawmakers—unless they funnel the money through a nonprofit.

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| Mon Apr. 8, 2013 3:00 AM PDT
New York State Sen. Malcolm Smith

Reformers: Publicly Funded Elections Will Tackle New York's Corruption Problem

Reformers say the Malcolm Smith bribery reinforces the need to fix New York's "show-me-the-money" political culture.

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| Wed Apr. 3, 2013 6:49 AM PDT
Man holding guns

Inside the NRA's Koch-Funded Dark-Money Campaign

How the National Rifle Association sold its grassroots firepower to the Kochs, Karl Rove, and conservative donors.

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| Tue Apr. 2, 2013 3:00 AM PDT

Advertise on MotherJones.com

The Taxman Turns the Screws on Dark-Money Nonprofits

The IRS is asking 1,300 unions, trade groups, and dark-money groups like Rove's Crossroads GPS to open up their books.

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| Mon Apr. 1, 2013 6:42 AM PDT
senator carl levin

Sen. Carl Levin Plans to Grill The IRS Over Dark Money

Levin's investigative subcommittee will look the IRS' failure to "enforce our tax laws and stem the flood" of dark money.

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| Tue Mar. 19, 2013 7:29 AM PDT
barack obama

4 Meetings With Obama? That'll Cost You Half a Million

The good-government group says OFA will "deepen the pay-to-play Washington culture" Obama pledged to end.

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| Tue Feb. 26, 2013 9:58 AM PST
charles and david koch

Extreme Makeover: Koch Brothers Edition

The Kochs are reevaluating their entire political operation. Is there a major shake-up in the works?

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| Thu Feb. 21, 2013 8:48 AM PST

Lawsuit Tries to Ban Dark Money Groups From Funding Political Ads

A former congressional candidate and others sue the IRS, saying it needs to regulate super-PAC spending more.

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| Wed Feb. 20, 2013 1:00 PM PST

SCOTUS to Consider Challenge to Campaign Donation Limits

A case coming before the high court could lift a 40-year-old cap on maximum donations to candidates, parties, and PACs.

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| Tue Feb. 19, 2013 1:15 PM PST
karl rove

GOP Governor to Karl Rove: Take a Hike

"I basically told Karl Rove that what he was doing is counter-productive and he needs to stay out of it," says Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad.

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| Tue Feb. 19, 2013 9:30 AM PST

Big Corporations Like Exxon Put Up Seed Funding for Dark Money Group

The group kept its funders' identities secret. Until now.

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| Thu Feb. 14, 2013 5:50 PM PST

Exclusive: Donors Trust, The Right's Dark-Money ATM, Paid Out $30 Million in 2011

The group's $30 million in grants and nearly $40 million in donations are new records.

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| Mon Feb. 11, 2013 7:51 AM PST

Exposed: The Dark-Money ATM of the Conservative Movement

You haven't heard of Donors Trust, but it's bankrolled the right's fights against unions, public schools, climate scientists, and more.

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| Tue Feb. 5, 2013 4:00 AM PST

In the Future, Everyone Will Have a Super-PAC

Nastier campaigns, "laundered" donations, untold millions: Welcome to the 2014 elections.

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| Mon Jan. 28, 2013 4:00 AM PST
jim messina

Post-Election, The Obama Machine Goes to the Dark (Money) Side

Organizing for Action, a new pro-Obama group, won't have to disclose its donors.

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| Fri Jan. 18, 2013 9:36 AM PST
sheldon adelson

You Need to See These 5 Shocking Facts About Money in the 2012 Elections

The entire population of Anaheim would have to give $285 each to match the 2012 political giving of one man, casino magnate Sheldon Adelson.

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| Thu Jan. 17, 2013 12:15 PM PST
irs audit

Ex-IRS Director on Dark-Money Groups: "Investigate Them and Prosecute Them"

The IRS needs to crack down on political nonprofits, experts say—or risk looking weak and useless.

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| Mon Jan. 14, 2013 4:00 AM PST

Russ Feingold: Democrats Sold Out in 2012 and Need to Quit Big Money

The former liberal senator slams his party for embracing the new big-money politics.

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| Thu Jan. 10, 2013 10:00 AM PST

Revealed: The Massive New Liberal Plan to Remake American Politics

A month after President Obama won reelection, America's most powerful liberal groups met to plan their next moves. Here's what they talked about.

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| Wed Jan. 9, 2013 4:00 AM PST