WHY WE DID THIS STORY: @ShaneGoldmacher & I debated whether the limitations of assessing “dark money” made it worth trying at all.
We decided the difficulty was not a good reason to shy away.
In fact, the opacity was partly why we deemed this worthwhile. nytimes.com/2022/01/29/us/…
We decided the difficulty was not a good reason to shy away.
In fact, the opacity was partly why we deemed this worthwhile. nytimes.com/2022/01/29/us/…
Secretive nonprofit spending shapes much of our politics, from campaigns to fights over voting rules & SCOTUS seats.
But it's difficult to get info about the donors & groups.
That's partly thanks to lax disclosure rules, & partly because some groups further obscure the $ flow.
But it's difficult to get info about the donors & groups.
That's partly thanks to lax disclosure rules, & partly because some groups further obscure the $ flow.
There's no way to comprehensively search top spending groups.
They have file to file public tax returns (990s), but they're sparse, can be tough to obtain & come 12+ mos. after the relevant election.
That’s why we’re posting this story now — nearly 15 months after Election Day.
They have file to file public tax returns (990s), but they're sparse, can be tough to obtain & come 12+ mos. after the relevant election.
That’s why we’re posting this story now — nearly 15 months after Election Day.
Groups can make it tough to get their tax returns.
Some refuse to email them, either mailing paper copies, or making you come to their offices.
When I went to @SBAList's office, they refused to let me photoscan their returns, instead making me pay $33.10 documentcloud.org/documents/2119…
Some refuse to email them, either mailing paper copies, or making you come to their offices.
When I went to @SBAList's office, they refused to let me photoscan their returns, instead making me pay $33.10 documentcloud.org/documents/2119…
.@nytimes lawyers @alamynsumar & @dana__green helped us by reminding groups of their legal obligation to provide their 990s.
Still, some groups completely ignored our inquiries.
One said it mailed its 990, but it never arrived.
In the end, we collected & reviewed 150+ 990s.
Still, some groups completely ignored our inquiries.
One said it mailed its 990, but it never arrived.
In the end, we collected & reviewed 150+ 990s.
Even with 990s, dark $ can be hard to track.
Some initiatives only exist inside other groups, rendering 990s kinda useless in deciphering finances.
The Dem-aligned DEMAND JUSTICE was initially a project of 1630 Fund; the GOP-aligned HONEST ELECTION PROJECT is part of 85 Fund.
Some initiatives only exist inside other groups, rendering 990s kinda useless in deciphering finances.
The Dem-aligned DEMAND JUSTICE was initially a project of 1630 Fund; the GOP-aligned HONEST ELECTION PROJECT is part of 85 Fund.
And nonprofits make it harder to follow the money by funneling it between groups, sometimes using feeder funds that mix their own spending with grants to other end-spender groups.
Because of the opacity, important feeder funds can remain hidden from the public for years.
Because of the opacity, important feeder funds can remain hidden from the public for years.
The Koch network group then known as FREEDOM PARTNERS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE spent $250M during 2012, but its existence wasn’t revealed until 9/11/2013, when @mikeallen & @JimVandeHei exposed its existence in a @politico story to which they let me contribute. politico.com/story/2013/09/…
Likewise, the Dem-aligned dark money juggernaut SIXTEEN THIRTY FUND had operated mostly in the shadows until @PoliticoScott & @MaggieSeverns revealed in a 11/19/2019 story (also in @politico) that it spent $141 million in 2018 boosting progressive causes. politico.com/news/2019/11/1…
Another challenge in assessing dark money: the increasingly blurry line between charitable & political giving.
Some outfits transfer funds between their 501c3 charity arms & their more political 501c4 arms.
That can make isolating the political spending challenging.
Some outfits transfer funds between their 501c3 charity arms & their more political 501c4 arms.
That can make isolating the political spending challenging.
Our analysis relied on 990s & interviews.
We also consulted investigative work by @annalecta @OpenSecretsDC @levinecarrie @publicintegrity @propublica @schwartzbCNBC @RobertMaguire_ & more.
Lefty @EXPOSEDbyCMD tracks righty nonprofits; righty @capitalresearch tracks lefty orgs.
We also consulted investigative work by @annalecta @OpenSecretsDC @levinecarrie @publicintegrity @propublica @schwartzbCNBC @RobertMaguire_ & more.
Lefty @EXPOSEDbyCMD tracks righty nonprofits; righty @capitalresearch tracks lefty orgs.
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