Staff Reports
Thursday evening, in his third State of the Union address, President Joe Biden condemned so-called dark money. The president vehemently urged Congress to approve legislation that, according to Democrats, would facilitate the voting process. Biden posited that the Republican Party is manifestly dedicated to subverting elections, voter suppression, and gerrymandering; moreover, they support "unlimited dark money."
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The final portion may place Biden in a precarious position. The culmination of Democratic Party-aligned nonprofit organizations that do not disclose their donors spending over $1.5 billion to support his agenda was his 2020 election. Presently, as Biden's performance in surveys falls short in comparison to his upcoming re-election opponent in 2024, former President Donald Trump, dark money has emerged as a pivotal tool employed by the octogenarian's allies in an effort to ensure his re-election.
Anna Massoglia, investigations manager and editor of the OpenSecrets campaign finance watchdog, stated, "Democrats continue to gain significantly from shadowy money. Furthermore, it is evident that the Democrats who profit from shadowy money in elections engage in considerable posturing within Congress.
Reportedly, Biden and the Democratic National Committee, armed with a $41 million advantage, intend to "bury" Trump and the Republican National Committee in enormous spending. Legal fees incurred by the former president in relation to multiple cases have accumulated to $540 million since the previous year. Recently, the RNC was unable to pass a resolution that would have prohibited the payment of those expenses.
In 2024, the primary financial effort to support Biden will be concentrated within super PACs. These committees are authorized to solicit and spend an infinite amount of funds in support of or opposition to candidates via independent expenditures or advertisements. In support of Biden, Future Forward, headed by Democratic operative Chauncey McLean, recently launched a $250 million advertising campaign in seven states.
Documents indicate that the advertising frenzy exceeds by $100 million the amount spent by America First Action, the preeminent super PAC endorsing Trump for 2020, during the previous presidential election. Twenty-six donors contributed nearly the entire $60 million that Future Forward's nonprofit organization raised in 2022.
Additionally, in 2024, American Bridge 21st Century, a super PAC established by Democratic operative David Brock, intends to contribute $200 million in support of Biden. An affiliated 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization arm contributed $20.7 million to the super PAC in 2022.
President Biden and his campaign team have openly accepted hundreds of millions of dollars in dark money to bolster his reelection, according to the Washington Examiner's Caitlin Sutherland, the leader of the conservative Americans for Public Trust watchdog organization.
Regarding black money, Biden's State of the Union address is by no means the first time the president has denounced anonymous contributions within the political system. To safeguard public confidence, he has repeatedly emphasized the necessity of eliminating dark money from politics.
Overall, President Biden's critique of covert money is disconcerting in light of the considerable backing he obtains from such strategies. The enormous sums of money being poured into political campaigns cast doubt on the integrity of the political process and the confidence of the public.
