💰 Dark money has taken over campaign finance, eroding the political process and is set to break records in this year's presidential election.
📅 2010 marked a significant change with the Citizens United ruling, allowing corporations to make unlimited independent expenditures in campaigns.
🏛️ Super PACs and 501(c)(4) nonprofits are key players in dark money, allowing for unlimited contributions while often keeping donor identities secret.
📈 Since the Citizens United decision, outside spending has increased by 427%, with super PACs spending over $2 billion in the 2020 election.
💵 96% of super PAC funding comes from the top 1% of donors, with 6000 individuals contributing over $1 billion.
🔄 Dark money is now a bipartisan issue, with both parties utilizing it to fund campaigns, despite campaigning against it.
📺 Super PACs can create ads that appear to be from campaigns without direct coordination, exploiting loopholes in the law.
⚖️ The Federal Election Commission's regulations are outdated, allowing for significant loopholes that enable coordination between campaigns and super PACs.
🗳️ Dark money is increasingly influencing local elections, where voters may be more susceptible to misleading information.
🚨 A recent report revealed that thousands of Americans with dementia were tricked into donating to PACs from both parties.
🤔 The current electoral system favors wealthy donors, leaving the average voter feeling disenfranchised.
🗣️ There is a call for transparency in political financing, suggesting a need for candidates to openly acknowledge their wealthy backers.
🎉 In conclusion, the dark money landscape poses significant challenges to the integrity of elections, and many believe the American people deserve better.