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‘Dark’ Money Casts Shadow Over Top Senate Races

Nearly Half of Unrestricted Spending Permitted by Citizens United Was by Groups That Are Not Required to Disclose Their Donors

Nov. 8, 2012 — Nearly half of all spending by unrestricted outside groups to influence this year’s top Senate races was by 501(c) non-profit groups that do not typically disclose their donors. Unlimited outside spending by individuals, labor unions, corporations, and other sources was permitted by the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision. In 10 of 2012’s most competitive Senate races, outside spending by entities that may accept unlimited contributions totaled more than $190 million, according to Public Citizen’s analysis of data provided by the Center for Responsible Politics.

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