Democrats have long criticized “dark money” in American politics, raising concerns that billionaires are anonymously wielding significant influence over elections.
But federal records show that groups whose donors are not disclosed are supporting Vice President Kamala Harris in far greater numbers than former President Donald Trump in 2024. There is.
Federal Election Commission filings revealed that ahead of Election Day, Ms. Harris, who has enormous financial resources, is backed eight times more than Mr. Trump by underground financial groups. Organizations in this category have nearly 90% of their spending this election cycle on independent spending to help target Trump and Harris, according to an analysis by Sludge, a website that tracks political spending. It is said to include dozens of super PACs that are leading the charge.
2024 Election Live Updates: Latest News on the Trump vs. Harris Presidential Election
“The public has a right to know who is trying to influence their votes and who is trying to gain support for political candidates through large donations to outside groups such as super PACs and underground finance groups. “There is,” said Michael Becker, Director of Transparency Research. A monitoring group called Issue One. “Wealthy special interests can use dark money donations to court their preferred candidates without public scrutiny.”
Super PACs can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to boost candidates, often through spending on advertising. Following a flurry of Supreme Court decisions over the past few decades, super PACs have become a staple of American politics, breaking new barriers every election cycle and amassing hundreds of millions of dollars in partially anonymously supported war chests. Supporting candidates.
That’s because super PACs are registered under Section 501(c)(4) of the IRS Code, which allows affiliated and “social welfare” organizations to obtain tax-exempt status and not disclose their contents. This is because they often receive large remittances from non-profit organizations. Donor. In 2024, the largest super PAC in politics is Future Forward, which supports Harris through advertising, is funded by the ultra-wealthy, and has a tax-exempt division registered in Washington, D.C.
Future Forward’s nonprofit arm has shuffled more than $130 million to super PAC affiliates since 2018, including LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, philanthropist George Soros and Facebook co-founder It also includes donors such as Dustin Moskowitz. But funds sent to Future Forward nonprofit groups are difficult and often impossible to fully track due to the lack of federal laws requiring disclosure.
Former President Donald Trump (left) and Vice President Kamala Harris (right). Federal Election Commission filings show that Harris, who has enormous financial resources ahead of Election Day, is being backed by an underground financial group with more than eight times as much financial power. (AP)
That reality changed in some ways this week when the New York Times reported that Bill Gates secretly funneled $50 million to the nonprofit arm of Future Forward. The paper said the cash infusion to support Harris “does not appear in any public filings” and was “intended to remain secret.”
“I support candidates who demonstrate a clear commitment to improving health care, reducing poverty, and fighting climate change in the United States and around the world,” Gates told the outlet. “While I have a long history of working with leaders from across the political spectrum, this election is unlike any before and has unprecedented importance for the American people and the most vulnerable people around the world. I have.”
According to filings, Harris, who enjoys even support with Trump in opinion polls, also receives significant support from the environmental group the League of Environmental Voters, the left-wing American Bridge 21st Century PAC, and other underground financial groups. It’s backed up.
She previously said that black money is “manipulating the election process,” adding, “Trump has big donors, big corporations, black money who are writing blank checks and trying to buy him another four years in power.” PAC. We have you.”
Former President Trump was found to be backed by a super PAC that raised about $23.2 million from underground finance groups, Sludge said.
These include Building America’s Future and Restoration of America, the outlet said.
Click here to read the full Washington Examiner article
Separately, President Trump is being boosted by a super PAC launched by Company X owner Elon Musk, which this week has been in trouble with the Justice Department over $1 million in donations to registered voters. is facing scrutiny from Musk said the money would be given to random voters who signed a super PAC petition supporting the U.S. Constitution.
Harris and the Trump campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
