dark money
Anonymous political funding
Dark money is political spending by organizations that aren't required to disclose their donors.
The term carries negative connotations, suggesting hidden influence on elections: Dark money groups spent millions on attack ads.
The money itself isn't illegal, but the secrecy around its sources concerns critics of campaign finance practices.
Unlimited-donation political groups
- 501(c)(4)Social welfare tax status
- political action committeesOrganizations funding electoral campaigns
- campaign financeMoney raised for elections
- electionsFormal choosing of officials
candidates · advertising · special interests · billionaires · donors · contributions · attack ads · swing states
Act of revealing information
- transparencyState of being see-through
- FECCampaign finance overseer
- watchdogsProtective guardian animals
- loopholesExploitable ambiguities in rules
contribution limits · Citizens United · oversight · accountability · enforcement · compliance · IRS · nonprofit status
Of unknown origin
- undisclosedNot made known
- unreportedNot officially documented
- hiddenKept out of sight
- covertIntentionally concealed
clandestine · shadowy · opaque · untraceable · shell companies · offshore accounts · tax havens · front groups
Corrupt payment for influence
- kickbacksIllegal return payments
- graftIllicit political gain
- quid pro quoReciprocal exchange of value
- pay-to-playAccess costs money
influence peddling · cronyism · patronage · sleaze · scandal · malfeasance · under-the-table · payola
super PACs
Unlimited-donation political groups
- 501(c)(4)Social welfare tax status
- political action committeesOrganizations funding electoral campaigns
- campaign financeMoney raised for elections
elections · candidates · advertising · special interests · billionaires · donors · contributions · attack ads · swing states · astroturfing
disclosure
Act of revealing information
- transparencyState of being see-through
- FECCampaign finance overseer
- watchdogsProtective guardian animals
loopholes · contribution limits · Citizens United · oversight · accountability · enforcement · compliance · IRS · nonprofit status · tax-exempt
anonymous
Of unknown origin
- undisclosedNot made known
- unreportedNot officially documented
- hiddenKept out of sight
covert · clandestine · shadowy · opaque · untraceable · shell companies · offshore accounts · tax havens · front groups · laundering
bribery
Corrupt payment for influence
- kickbacksIllegal return payments
- graftIllicit political gain
- quid pro quoReciprocal exchange of value
pay-to-play · influence peddling · cronyism · patronage · sleaze · scandal · malfeasance · under-the-table · payola · revolving door
- U.S. PoliticsCongress, senator, representative, president, vice president
- campaigningcandidate, campaign signs, canvassing, campaign manager, fundraising
- campaign financedonations, donation, contributions, contribution, donors
- Corporate Powerlobbying, lobbyist, lobbyists, monopoly, oligarchy
- Political Corruptionbribery, graft, kickbacks, cronyism, nepotism
- political influencelobbying, lobbyists, donors, campaigns, endorsements
dark moneyhard money
Metallic legal tender
individual contributions · matching funds · voucher programs
dark, money, darkness, darken, darkened, darkest, darkly, darker, monetary