National Institute on Money in State Politics:
On Sept. 14, 2016, The Guardian released 1,500 pages of leaked documents pertaining to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s alleged coordination with conservative dark money groups during the 2011 and 2012 Wisconsin recall elections.1 The documents contain the names and contributions given by powerful figures to the social welfare group Wisconsin Club for Growth (WCfG)—many revealed for the first time, because 501(c)(4) organizations are not required to publicly disclose their donors.
The Institute looked at what these WCfG donors gave to Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David T. Prosser and other Wisconsin supreme court candidates in recent years. This glimpse into the dark money pool underlines the pressing need for transparency from 501(c)(4) groups.