Thread by @itstruenorth

Over & over in the #KBJ hearings, we’ve heard Republicans make accusations about “left-wing dark money.”

There's a big problem with those attacks:

When they had a chance to vote for financial disclosure/transparency for dark money groups, those Republican Senators opposed it.🧵

In 2010, @SenWhitehouse introduced the DISCLOSE Act to combat dark money in response to the Court’s Citizens United decision, which struck down bipartisan fair election rules.

Senate Republicans, with @LeaderMcConnell at the helm, filibustered it.
washingtonpost.com/blogs/2chamber…

In 2019, Dems introduced the For the People Act to require disclosure of sources of dark money spent to influence elections.

Charles Koch's “Stand Together” had a secret call with GOP aides to sink the popular bill.

Again, Senate Rs blocked the reform.
newyorker.com/news/news-desk…

Meanwhile,@capitalresearch, which decries “liberal” dark money, was asked to be the GOP witness at a 2021 Senate hearing on dark money and the courts.

When asked if he supported stronger disclosure laws, CRC's head Scott Walter said "no."
documentcloud.org/documents/2070…

As Dems sought more transparency, the right-wing State Policy Network launched "People United for Privacy" to oppose transparency — e.g. rules requiring disclosure of large donors to government oversight agencies to prevent misuse of non-profit status.
opensecrets.org/news/2019/12/d…

In 2019, People United for Privacy got 100% of its funding from Rule of Law Trust, whose sole listed trustee is Leonard Leo — the kingpin of a dark money network intent on remaking the courts.

ROLT also funds @judicialnetwork. But JCN is complaining about left-wing money.

Then, Koch’s political arm @AFPhq sued California to keep its biggest donors secret from government non-profit oversight (AFP v. Bonta).

A host of right-wing Koch and Leo-linked groups from @CatoInstitute to @IWF lined up to file amicus briefs to SCOTUS to protect dark money.

In 2021, all of the GOP appointees to the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Koch/AFP and overturned decades of crucial oversight laws.

So, to recap: dark money helped Republicans pack the Court with justices who have held open the floodgates to more dark money and have blocked much-needed oversight.

The GOP then blocks disclosure laws in Congress.

But somehow they blame #KBJ and Democrats.