Interest Groups and the 2022 Election
Like every election, independent expenditures by interest groups were a major factor in the 2022 election. One of the big issues was the use of “dark money” in election. Dark money has been an issue in every election since the Supreme Court Decision in Citizens United v FEC (2010). 2022 saw a flood of dark money spent to influence the election. The issue of dark money in elections received more attention in August when the New York Times discovered a new conservative dark money groups with ties to a network of other conservative groups had received a $1.6 billion donation from a single donor. This again had people worrying that dark money was a way for the ultra-rich to influence elections in the United States.
Instructors: click the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom. The deck contains a writing prompt and a debate question as well as other assessment questions.
Download: Interest Groups and the 2022 Elections
Videos
News Articles
How Dark Money and Super PACS Are Influencing the 2022 Election
Yahoo
11/07/2022
How Dark Money and Super PACs Are Influencing the 2022 Election (yahoo.com)
Two Anonymous $425 Million Donations Give Dark Money Conservative Groups A Massive Haul
Politico
11/16/2022
Outside Groups Have Spent $100 Billion So Far To Boost GOP Senate Candidates
NPR
10/27/2022
To Protect Democracy From Dark Money Influence We Need the DISCLOSE Act
The Hill
06/01/2022
A $1.6 Billion Donation Lays Bare A Broken Campaign Finance System
Washington Post
08/28/2022
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/08/28/leonard-leo-donation-campaign-finance/
Major Donations From Dark Money In Georgia Race
News Nation
10/10/2022
https://www.newsnationnow.com/banfield/analyst-major-donations-from-dark-money-in-georgia-race/
Assessment
Debate: Is dark money bad for American democracy?
Why would some politicians oppose banning dark money?
Poll: Should groups that spend money on election activities be required to reveal their donors?
Should donations to political groups be tax-free?
Short Answer: What are ways donors can hide their donations to dark money groups?
