The Dark Money Man: How Sean Noble Moved the Kochs’ Cash Into Politics and Made Millions

Staff / Truthdig Feb 15, 2014 For a brief, giddy moment, Sean Noble—a little-known former aide to an Arizona congressman—became one of the most important people in American politics. Dig deeper ( 25 Min. Read )

Bill Moyers on ‘Dark Money’s’ Influence on North Carolina

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Jan 28, 2014 The treasured American broadcast journalist tells "Democracy Now!" how untraceable political donations have shoved North Carolina to the political right. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Facebook Is Work, and You Should Get Paid for It

Staff / Truthdig Jan 17, 2014 This week on Truthdig Radio in association with KPFK: The Internet as we know it could soon disappear, we remember the radical Martin Luther King, the mega rich and Citizens United 2, and why Facebook's 1.3 billion users should think of socializing as work. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

‘Dark Money’ Funds U.S. Climate Deniers

By Tim Radford, Climate News Network Jan 6, 2014 U.S. organizations that deny climate change receive most of their funding from unidentifiable sources. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

The Great American Class War

By Bill Moyers, TomDispatch Dec 12, 2013 Toward the end of his tenure, when he was writing an increasing number of dissents on the Rehnquist Court, Supreme Court Justice William Brennan was asked if he was getting discouraged. He smiled and said, “Look, pal, we’ve always known -- the Framers knew -- that liberty is a fragile thing. You can’t give up.” And he didn’t. Dig deeper ( 10 Min. Read )

California Shows the Way in Combating ‘Dark Money’ in Politics

BLANK Oct 28, 2013 A state political campaign watchdog agency has issued $1 million in fines and $15 million in penalties to shadowy groups -- yes, the Koch brothers are connected -- that sought to buy results in two California proposition elections. The decision points up the lack of teeth in federal laws, and offers an example of how to fix that. Assuming Washington can fix anything. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Dark Money Group Wins IRS Recognition as Tax-Exempt Nonprofit

By Kim Barker, ProPublica Oct 8, 2013 The IRS has granted nonprofit status to America Is Not Stupid 2013, a so-called dark money group best known for a 2012 election ad featuring a talking baby who compared the smell of his diaper with a Montana senator. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

Six Facts Lost in the IRS Scandal

By Kim Barker and Justin Elliott, ProPublica May 27, 2013 In the furious fallout from the revelation that the IRS flagged applications from conservative nonprofits for extra review because of their political activity, some points about the big picture -- and big donors -- have fallen through the cracks. Consider this our Top 6 list of need-to-know facts on "dark money" groups. Dig deeper ( 7 Min. Read )

Creating PACs and Then Spending Their Money

By Kim Barker, Pro Publica Mar 17, 2013 Although many watchdog organizations track how political committees raise money, few look at how the money is ultimately disbursed. PACs can spend their money as they want and often devote some of it to fundraising, but most spend the bulk of contributions on efforts clearly aimed at electing specific candidates. Dig deeper ( 8 Min. Read )

Big Corporations Put Up Seed Funding for GOP Dark Money Group

By Justin Elliott, ProPublica Feb 17, 2013 Like the nonprofit groups that poured money into last year’s elections, the decade-old State Government Leadership Foundation has been able to keep the identities of its funders secret. Until now. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

5 Dark Money Groups Misled the IRS About Political Activities

By Kim Barker, ProPublica Jan 2, 2013 Five conservative dark money groups active in 2012 elections previously told tax regulators that they would not engage in politics, filings obtained from the IRS show. The best known and most controversial of the groups is Americans for Responsible Leadership, an Arizona-based organization. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

How Dark Money Helped Republicans Hold the House

By Olga Pierce, Justin Elliott and Theodoric Meyer, ProPublica Dec 24, 2012 In the November election, a million more Americans voted for Democrats seeking election to the U.S. House of Representatives than Republicans. But that popular vote advantage did not result in control of the chamber. Dig deeper ( 10 Min. Read )