The explosion of dark money in national politics has become a growing concern for the American people in recent years. Despite its well-known growth, the magnitude and impact of dark money is often unclear. But new research into the spending habits of the top Democratic committees ahead of the 2020 election cycle is illuminating an alarming trend- a massive surge in dark money contributions.
According to a report just released by the Center for Responsive Politics, the top Democratic committees are on track to receive about $103 million from unknown sources by the end of this cycle. This is a stark increase from the approximately $44 million the committees received in the 2016 cycle.
Dark money is any political donation whose source or origin is unclear. Often times these funds are routed through multiple sources in an effort to cloak the identity of the original donor. This makes it virtually impossible to track who or what special interests are funding individual campaigns.
Such a surge in dark money impacts the integrity of our democracy. The influx of funds from unknown sources allows powerful corporations and organizations to shape policy and campaigns in a manner that is invisible to the public. It also leaves candidates open and vulnerable to potential influence by special interests or foreign governments.
Candidates and committees have done very little to address the problem. On the contrary, they have actively sought out dark money to help boost their campaigns. For instance, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has accepted nearly $20 million from unknown sources this cycle. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has received more than $40 million from “lar donors,” which refers to those with addresses not available to the general public.
Dark money has always been an issue in American politics, but this new report emphasizes the need for immediate action. Federal regulations are needed to ensure that all donations are transparent and that special interests can no longer influence our elections with unaccountable spending.
Moreover, candidates must become more responsible stewards of their campaign funds. Refusing to accept money from mystery sources is one step to do so. Widespread adoption of these practices will help to prevent the further erasure of our democracy by shadowy forces.
