In 2010, Citizens United removed limits on corporate spending to influence elections. Today, corporations are leading contributors in state and local and down-ballot races, where even a small amount of money can have a big impact. This includes hard-to-track contributions — or “dark money” — made through trade associations and “social welfare organizations”, also known as 501(c)(4)s, as well as partially disclosed contributions (by the recipient, not the donor) made to 527 committees such as the partisan governors associations, state legislative campaign committees and attorneys general associations.
The impact of dark money is evident on such issues as climate change, taxation, redistricting/gerrymandering, income inequality, racial equity and LGBT and women’s reproductive rights. When companies are open about how they use shareholders’ money to influence elections, they protect shareholder value, mitigate risk, build public trust, and safeguard our democracy.
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