Dark Money in the 2024 Election

Scott Walter appeared on Full Measure to discuss the rapid growth in the use of “dark money” and how it has influenced past elections and can be expected to influence future elections.

Since the Citizens United decision in 2010, the definition of “dark money”—which has always been vague—has broadened to include political money for which the original donor is not disclosed. The amount of “dark money” sloshing around in the political system quickly grew, with about $1 billion spent in the 2020 election cycle. Through about 2016, Republicans had the advantage. In the 2018, 2020, and 2022 election cycles, “there’s been lots more ‘dark money’ on the Democrat side. “The Democrat advantage in dark money of course stems from the fact that they are now the party of the rich and privileged,” Walter observed.