In a win for increased transparency and those demanding an end to the so-called “dark money” eating away at U.S. democracy, the Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted a previous stay on a lower court ruling by rejecting the argument by right-wing advocacy groups who said they should not have to reveal the identity of big-dollar donors who fund their issue-based campaign ads.
Crucially, the ruling means that groups that in the past have been able to hide the source of their funding before, during, and after campaigns will have now have to make that information available before voters go to the polls—in this case, that means before the upcoming mid-term elections. Effective immediately, any group or individual making more than $250 in express advocacy ads — ads that tell viewers who to vote for or against — must now disclose the identities of all contributors who gave more than $200 in a year.
As the Huffington Post reports:
The decision came about after Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a liberal watchdog group, fought for the past six years to get the Federal […]
Hallelujah
The oligarchy has been playing the long game. The same discipline and organizing skills that allowed them to acquire their market share have been applied to gain control of political and government structures. They will not be easily defeated after all successful businesses are accustomed to destroying the competition.
This ruling is a first step of the long game for us, the disorganized and unfocused, to regain control of our country.