The Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision opened floodgates to unlimited corporate spending on elections, much of which is spent on often misleading and manipulative attack ads. But identifying false claims, unveiling who funds and approves them, and preventing such media manipulation from moving beyond commercial media into public television is imperative to preserving our democracy. The FCC, some local TV stations, and organizations like The Sunlight Foundation, ProPublica, Free Press, FactCheck.org, and the New America Foundation are leading the way. And we’re jumping in, too. This page aims to help by providing you with information, empowerment tools and links to help you make a difference in the cause of campaign integrity and transparency. We’ll keep adding materials and suggesting helpful sites and sources as we come across them. You can help by suggesting your own ideas and possible partners. Let’s clear the air.

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This Week in Dark Money: Nov. 9, 2012
November 9, 2012 | Money & Politics
Super PAC spending didn't always lead to success, and the millionaire and billionaire donors aren't happy to simply cut their losses.
A couple sits on chairs in a near-empty room to watch Fox News commentator Karl Rove in Denver on Tuesday. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Money Talks — Does America Listen?
November 8, 2012 | Connecting the Dots
It's unclear whether PACs pushed any candidate to victory. But they did raise the price tag of the election for everyone.
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Money Well Spent? The Five Races with the Most PAC Money
November 8, 2012

Take a look at the five most expensive races this election cycle, and see if the PACs and party committees got what they paid for. Continue reading

Screengrab of an ad from Crossroads GPS.
This Week in Dark Money: Oct. 26, 2012
October 26, 2012 | Money & Politics
A roundup of the week that was in political dark money, including a look at where attacks ads are most concentrated and tallies of the exponential increase in spending since Citizens United.
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama spar during the second presidential debate at Hofstra University, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, in Hempstead, N.Y. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Where do the Candidates Stand on Citizens United?
October 19, 2012 | Virtual Town Hall

With your help, we ask the questions that have gone unasked, and answer them with the candidates’ own past statements. Continue reading

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This Week in Dark Money: Oct. 12, 2012
October 12, 2012 | Money & Politics

From Mother Jones, the week that was in the world of political dark money, including Karl Rove’s American Crossroads and liberal super PACs in the Massachusetts congressional race. Continue reading

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  • BugsDeRoo

    We have gone way beyond civility when some parties feel it is okay to intimate that any president is a “patriot” or not.  Such rhetoric is not only unacceptable, it is an insult to the intelligence of any individual.   Let us discuss issues, admit that they are extremely complex to resolve in this growing time of global economic influences, and stop playing a simplistic blame game. 

  • AngryBlueMeanieDem

    Please link this to facebook!

  • AngryBlueMeanieDem

    “This” being Campaign Ad Watch!

  • Guillotine

    If we intend to regain our republic from what amounts to a plutocratic fascism (government run by corporations and the rich as defined by Mussolini) we are going to have to get all money out of politics.  I advocate making the giving or taking of a “campaign contribution” (a.k.a. bribe) a felony where the ‘givee’ and ‘takee’ are immediately sent to jail to await trial with no bail possible, and furthermore placed in the same cell.  The penalty for the crime should be loss of all money and possessions, and if the money was fronted by a company or organization, that group should be abolished and fines of 50% of the wealth of the individuals in it should be imposed.  

    And just to make it better, anyone retiring from congress would not be allowed to work for any company that had anything to do with anything the congress critter did during their term – or better, not be allowed to work for a private company.

    So to answer the main question – NO ONE, or THING should be allowed to give money for a campaign – it should be a complete Clean Campaign funded by traffic tickets ONLY.  Each candidate should get 50 hours of free TV and Radio Coverage and be allowed to post their platform on a government website.  

    Attack ads should be illegal with penalties as above.

  • Patdubus4

    I am encouraged by the number of people and organizations who are alarmed by the implications of the Supreme Court decision that has allowed the deluge of money into our election system. This web cite is a welcome antidote to the unrepentant attempts to buy elections. I will stay informed.

  • http://www.facebook.com/imrondartist Ron DeMattio

     I think that if political ads are allowed on PBS, it would be like allowing a rabid, flea infested dog into the house. NO one will want to touch it, or criticise it, for fear of it biting them, and a lot of resources will be spent on trying to distance the rest of the ‘house’ from it and trying to find the fleas. How will you prevent extremists from trying to make it look like their opinions are s…anctioned by PBS merely by saying ‘as seen on PBS’??Also imagine what happens if someone on PBS takes on ‘fact checking’ of ads that may appear on their channels? You already see practically NO analysis of the truthworthiness of the barrage of pro oil, pro coal, (including ‘clean coal’ delusion) ads run on commercial and cable channels

  • Lynv1105

    I retired in 2008, and immediately became interested in the poltical scene.  One of the first things I noted was that there were a disproportionate number of ads for Republicans than their were for Democrats, and even the election coverage on most channels did not cover many of the Democratic races. 
    By 2010, the sheer number of Republican ads was enough to make me question where all that money was coming from.  And that one question has led me to a continued interest in politics and the media and the Citizens United decision. 
    I often feel that we are being overrun by an alien entity that intends us harm, and that entity is a group of multi-national corporations who want to alter the integrity of the democratic process.  

  • fedupwithpoliticians

    Winner-Take-All Politics documents how the 1% own the mainstream media and also the Congress. The average citizen doesn’t have that kind of money to buy adds to “gain equal access”. Speech is no longer free in America.  All individual’s and Super Pacs should have to identify themselves as the source of the ads they pay for. In the future, funding of the political system (campaign funds and ads)  with private money should be stopped completely. This kind of corporate sleazy behavior should not be allowed to force themselves on PBS.

  • Dmh61ow

    I find  the new idea of corporations being a person, declared by the supreme court as terrifying. the whole idea that money  and power are all that matter , that democracy is not for  the people  but only for those that can afford to buy the governors of our country , senate  congress  anyone,those  who takes the moneys that they say does not influence their vote on policy that  seems to be againist the people,(  i )     little me, have always lived with, been a part of and who i believe  built this country. ok  i am old. i have old ideas and am grateful i lived through some good times where i was proud of our country. now i feel ashamed of what we are doing.  Bill thanks for opening the discussions.  we must do something. what can we do , people  what can we do to change what is happening?????

  • Jan Hollingsworth

    It’s not just political ads on tv that mislead the public. The elderly are being bombarded by misinformation in the mail. All kinds of scare tactics, e.g. getting rid of social security if you don’t send money right away, scares the elderly into becoming Republicans and/or sending money to the “right cause.”  If you try to stop 50 pieces of mail that comes to an elderly loved one’s front door daily, you are met by a post office, a political group and a government agency that will not STOP this mail.

  • Rmeuchel

    Don’t take money from the Super Pac as I feel they should be ilegal. None of the ads can be believed any way but some people (who don’t listen to people like on your show) believe all this to be true.
    Lila

  • N Appropri8frespeach/A.E.Soppe

    WHY SHOULD ANYONE REGARD MY COMMENTS?
    I RECENTLY DISCOVERED I LIVE IN A STATE, LONG TOUTED,TO PROSPECTIVE BUSINESSES, BY IT’S “LEADERS”, AS PROGRESSIVE…
    WHICH STATE REVEALED THE TRUE DIRECTION OF THIS PROGRESSION BY ENSHRINING IN IT’S CONSTITUTION,NOT PROTECTION OF THE ADVANCE OF LIBERTY,BUT OF PROHIBITION BASED ON FEAR & LOATHING.
    WE OFFER PROGRESSION INTO AN EMBARRASSING ERA FROM 1830-1870, SPIRALING TOWARD COLLAPSE,DISAPPOINTMENT & “RECONSTRUCTION”?
    ATLANTA HAS MORE SAMESEX THAN NC?
    OVER THIS WE REJOIN THE CONFEDERACY?
    NORTHCAROLINA,THE SOUTHCAROLINA OF THE NORTH?
    THE “OLD-SOUTH” STATE?
    LAND OF THE LONGLAFF PUN.
    “EXTREMISM IN THE DEFENSE OF LIBERTY” SAID A TRUE CONSERVATIVE WE ONCE SPENT TIME WITH.
    NOW HE’S “NOTCONSERVATIVEENUF”.
    LET’S TAKE OUR STATE BACK!

  • chris

    how can a political add boldly lie. if a food add has to prove every claim they make on tv .
    how can a tv station or network possibly be acting in the public interest by airing attack adds. how can i be informed by slander. i don’t believe any news program or political add because it has an interest that is certainly not the public. as long as corporations can jam the information you receive by flooding all continuations with false hoods and lies , and not ever once explaining who they are or what they believe in. you we will never have democracy. you dont drive in heavy fog or snow because you have poor and inaccurate information but you vote like this and are proud of your decision. making US all losers. WAKE UP AMERICA . your country has been stolen by giant corporate interests. it is no longer for the people by the people . its corporations for corporations. leaving private citizens without representation. .