The High Price of Anonymous Cash in American Political Campaigns

The 2012 election is almost certainto be the most expensive in history -- and that’s not a badthing. Communicating with a nation of 310 million -- via townhalls and television ads -- is costly. As long as campaigncontributions and expenditures are well-documented, votersbenefit from the increase in information and attention thatmoney buys. But as a Bloomberg News investigation last monthrevealed, anonymous donors spent at least $137 million in 2010to influence the composition of Congress. They are sure to spendmore in the 2012 campaign, subverting electoral accountabilitywith every undisclosed dollar.

Last year, Republican groups won the opacity sweepstakes.Conservative groups relying on anonymous funds outspent liberalones by 7-1, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.One such group, American Action Network, used anonymouscontributions to pay for 178 airings of an ad claimingDemocratic Representative Ed Perlmutter of Colorado hadsupported dispensing Viagra to rapists and pedophiles. The claimwas false. American Action’s chairman, political veteranFrederick V. Malek, refused to disclose his donors and claimedhe was unaware of the “specifics” of the ads his group hadproduced. Another group, Taxpayer Network, produced attack adsagainst California Senator Barbara Boxer that falsely accusedher of denying health care to wounded veterans.