The landmark Citizens United ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, which threw out campaign contribution limits for corporations and unions, substantially altered the field of campaign spending.

 

After examining election reports, the Center for Responsive Politics determined that “The percentage of spending coming from groups that do not disclose their donors has risen from 1 percent to 47 percent since the 2006 midterm elections;” that outside interest groups outspent Democratic and Republican party committees by $105 million; and that “72 percent of political advertising spending by outside groups in 2010 came from sources that were prohibited from spending money in 2006.”

 

Unions spent more than $17.3 million from their general treasuries on independent expenditures opposing Republican candidates. The biggest spender among unions was the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), which doled out more than $7 million on political races.

 

The National Education Association, a major teachers’ union, created its own “super PAC” with $3.3 million.

 

Corporations donated more than $15 million to several super PACs. The top two corporate donors in 2010 were TRT Holdings, which owns Gold’s Gym and Omni Hotels, among other companies; and the coal company Alliance Resource Partners. Both of these donated about $2.5 million to the super PAC American Crossroads, a supporter of conservative candidates.

 

In addition, conservative non-profit groups spent $121 million on campaigns, and all without disclosing where the money came from, thanks to the new federal campaign rules.

-Noel Brinkerhoff, David Wallechinsky

 

Citizens United Decision Profoundly Affects Political Landscape (by Spencer MacColl, OpenSecrets.org)

Obama May Try End Run around Citizens United Secrecy by Forcing Contractors to Reveal Political Donations (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

40% of Outside Campaign Money was Made Possible by Supreme Court Ruling (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

Million-Dollar Donors: Who are They? (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)