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Dear Transparency Advocate,

Amid fears of postal service changes impacting the election and GOP convention speakers rallying the base to take on Joe Biden, you may have missed an important benchmark: OpenSecrets reports ([link removed]) that outside spending in federal races has reached $500 million, with 40% directed at the presidential race.

The milestone comes as federal prosecutors charged former White House strategist Steve Bannon and three others with fraud for allegedly siphoning money from an online fundraising effort using a 501(c)(4) nonprofit called We Build The Wall. The news brings renewed attention to the exploding influence of outside groups and the potential for bad actors to abuse loopholes to line their own pockets.

Among outside groups super PACs usually disclose their donors, but dark and gray money groups barrage the public with political messages mostly funded by secret sources. Consequently, voters find it difficult to determine the credibility and motives of those funding the messages. The latter groups are under no legal obligation to disclose their mostly wealthy donors, thanks to the 2010 Citizens United ruling, even if they spend to influence elections.

With your support,
CRP has been tracking outside spending ([link removed]) and investigating the funding sources of these groups for the past decade. But tracking them is not always so straightforward. Regulations on outside groups are less stringent than those for candidate campaigns or traditional PACs, and donors may shield contributions by giving through opaque shell companies or nonprofits that then donate to super PACs.

Your investment allows us to report on the funding and activities of outside groups and upholds the public’s right to a transparent election. OpenSecrets News has published
dozens of stories ([link removed]) on the subject just this year, finding loopholes and uncovering megadonors. Will you help us to track the anticipated surge in spending by outside groups through November?

Yes, I'll help you track outside groups ([link removed])
Thank you for staying informed and engaged, and for your continued support of the Center for Responsive Politics.

Sheila Krumholz
Executive Director
Center for Responsive Politics


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