Anonymous $10,000,000 donation funding Crossroads GPS.

Posted byWaldo Jaquith 10 Comments on Anonymous $10,000,000 donation funding Crossroads GPS.

Karl Rove’s nonprofit, Crossroads GPS, just got an anonymous $10M donation to fund attack ads against President Obama. This is the second $10M+ contributions that the organization has received anonymously. Is there anybody who thinks that we should have a political system that allows anonymous, unlimited political contributions? Anybody? →

Published by Waldo Jaquith

Waldo Jaquith (JAKE-with) is an open government technologist who lives near Char­lottes­­ville, VA, USA. more »

10 replies on “Anonymous $10,000,000 donation funding Crossroads GPS.”

  1. Wasn’t it you that was perhaps in favor of that unlimited, forced anonymous, rescind-able political donation idea? Can’t find the post now…

  3. I don’t have as much of an issue with the amount as the anominity. I’d prefer our politicians look like Nascar drivers, that way we know who they’re beholden to when they say “oh no, I didn’t vote for that as a kickback for a campaign contribution”. Without barring donations entirely and doing a publicly funded election system (which I have qualms about as well) I don’t see any other way besides excessive transparency.

  4. If we’re going to allow anonymous $10 million contributions why don’t we be honest and just openly turn the electoral system over to the mafia? It seems to work for Russia.

  5. Hans, the idea Waldo posited earlier wasn’t only that the public wouldn’t know who donated — it’s that the recipient wouldn’t be able to know who provided the donation so that they couldn’t feel any obligation to provide any sort of favor in return.

    In this case, Crossroads certainly knows who signed the check.

  6. I am well aware of that key difference, Sam. Do you have the link to that post? I think fully anonymous donations could work out quite well and believe that idea worthy of bipartisan support.

  7. Reality: The richest 400 Americans have more wealth than the bottom 150 Million Americans.
    Roberts Supreme Court: Money is free speech.
    Bottom line: 400 Americans are a lot more free than the rest of us.

  8. No way, only Media Matters should be able to take large contributions from the 1% and use it to create astroturf campaigns against people.

  9. Sour grapes. Maybe the government should legislate equal funding for both parties. Both parties will have attack dog PACs and I’d bet that the Democratic side will have more funding when it is all said and done. Soros himself will likely triple that amount, though he wisely spreads it over any number of attack groups.

  10. George Soros bankrolling Occupy losers = good.
    Rich people supporting the tea party = bad.

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