Rep. Rick Nolan, D-Minn., has a dire warning: “The future of our democracy depends on passage” of legislation to prevent members of Congress from soliciting campaign contributions.
Continue readingWhat happens when you try to discover who’s behind dark money ads
On a windy Thursday in D.C., I had a mission: I wanted to view the records of ad time purchased by a mysterious dark money group, Protect America’s Consumers. Easier said than done.
Continue readingDark money group spends $58,000 attacking Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Nearly five years since the CFPB officially opened, a new dark money group is taking aim at the agency — and no one has any idea who's behind it.
Continue readingWhat is shadow lobbying? How influence peddlers shape policy in the dark
What exactly is a shadow lobbyist? How do they avoid registering? How did we get here? We dive into the world of behind-the-scenes influence.
Continue readingHow big-money lobbying is making Tax Day even more complicated
As millions of Americans pay to use software like TurboTax or a tax professional fill out their forms, many are surely wondering: Isn’t there an easier way? There is, or at least there could be.
Continue readingWhy are there so many anonymous companies in Delaware?
Americans don’t need offshore companies in tiny island nations to hide their money. America has Delaware.
Continue readingA new frontier in opaque political ad spending: GIFs
Nestled between posts like “Split Supreme Court Means A Win For Public Sector Unions” to “18 Things You’ll Understand If You’re Obsessed With Hot Cheetos,” you might see a paid political ad — and not even know it.
Continue readingDark money group vastly outspending candidates on ads in Wisconsin Supreme Court race
The judicial election in Wisconsin is on April 5 — when Wisconsin voters go to the polls, they won’t know who funded most of the ad spending around it.
Continue readingWhat happens to the leftover money after each 2016 candidate drops out?
Sixteen candidates have already come and gone in the 2016 election, raising (and spending) millions of dollars along the way. But campaigns tend to come to an abrupt end — usually with some cash left over.
Continue readingHow do states rank on campaign contribution disclosure?
During a presidential election — particularly one as compelling and unpredictable as this one — it can be easy to... View Article
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