A Short Primer: Dark Money in Politics
Here’s a brief look at one of the most pernicious and insidious issues of our time — Dark Money in Politics. If we can understand what it has been doing, and why the big money funders keep manipulating the strings of our government and hence-our lives- through the huge influence of Dark Money and its intent-with people like Leonard Leo working the strings….then we may be able to stop the bleeding that drowns out the voices of most Americans in the middle-class.
First is the Dark Money that came in through campaigns. It happened by gutting any attempt to solve the problem of campaign financing in elections with McCain/Feingold. The biggest blow was passing “Citizens United’ to allow the billionaires and corporations to give unlimited amounts that really began the decline -using the Courts- to gut Voting Rights, Women’s Rights and Gun Safety Laws.
This same influential Dark Money also was used to capture one-third of the three branches of government. The Dark Money influence has been documented best by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. If you want to learn all about it, just Google Senator Whitehouse and read some of his well-documented articles and his speeches from CSPAN that go after Leonard Leo. And if one single person best captures the wide and pernicious spread of dark money, Leo is the character to follow. His actions have been documented well by ProPublica. Leo’s Machiavellian plotting has also used the Heritage Foundation as a front, Leo has propped up non-profit groups (Judicial Network is one), to hide his dark manipulations regarding the Supreme Court judges and his other causes which benefit the wealthy and elite.
ProPublica outed one of the Dark Money stories of the 21st Century
Finally, the billionaire’s who wanted only tax cuts and deregulation were also instrumental in helping to loosen the bonds that tie together the middle-class fabric of the country. ProPublica ‘outed’ one such billionaire, Harlan Crow, when they brought to light the many ties between the Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas & Crow.
From TwitterX: Sen Sheldon Whitehouse
The Judicial Network is the phony front group into which Leonard Leo shoveled millions in Special-interest Dark Money to capture the Supreme Court…..Now Leo’s outfit is leading a hit job against Judge Mangi….it’s “The Scheme’ at work….
Sen Jeff Merkley:
Dark Money lets the powerful& privileged have undue influence on our elections-& hold up progress on everything from Gun Safety Reform to Climate Action. We need to pass the DISCLOSE Act & get Dark Money OUT of our Elections!
Some resources to look for…
And the wonderful and tireless Sen Sheldon Whitehouse regularly still goes to the Senate Floor to talk about the capture of the Supreme Court by Dark Money. I would recommend to “Follow” him everywhere! And read his book, “The Scheme’ which outlines the capture of the court.
As pointed out in an earlier piece, we are already beginning this fight with one hand tied behind our back! Why? Because one-third of the entire government has been captured by Dark Money. The Supreme Court is that branch which has been taken over and it is going to take a long time to get it back… Stay tuned…and remember your vote counts in November. There is only one choice to make to prevent the collapse of our democracy. Vote Blue down the ticket this time!
