Conservative groups change tactics

Three of the nation’s most powerful conservative groups have spent more than $30 million on direct political ads since late July, a marked shift in tactics that allows them to keep their donors secret.

Americans for Prosperity, Crossroads GPS and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce spent the vast majority of this money on television and radio ads exclusively opposing President Barack Obama and other Democratic hopefuls, federal records indicate.


The Koch brothers-linked Americans for Prosperity alone spent nearly $21 million nationwide on ads against Obama since Aug. 8.

The three conservative groups have alsocombined to spend at least $500,000 against five Democratic Senate candidates: Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Rep. Shelley Berkley of Nevada, Rep. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine.

Until recently, these outside groups weren’t explicitly calling for candidates’ election or defeat. But a recent federal court ruling forcing outside groups sponsoring “electioneering communications” — ads immediately before elections that mention a political candidate but don’t overtly endorse or oppose them — to reveal detailed information about their donors has meant a change in tactics.

The easy work-around? Simply call for a candidate’s election or defeat, and you can keep the donors secret.

The Federal Election Commissions does not require nonprofit groups sponsoring such advertisements, known as independent expenditures, to out their funders. In contrast, super PACs, which may also raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to advocate for and against candidates, must reveal their donors.

The Chamber offers no apologies for working to protecting its funders’ identities.

“We’ve certainly seen intimidation, smearing, and shaming of political donors who have been disclosed, as well as intimidation designed to force greater disclosure of donors,” Chamber spokeswoman Blair Latoff said. “We anticipate that those intimidation efforts will only increase in intensity as we get closer to the election.”

Jonathan Collegio, spokesman for the Karl Rove-inspired Crossroads GPS, said, “The left has run a consistent campaign of intimidation against conservative donors.”

Both Latoff and Collegio say they believe their organizations’ political activity is consistent with their nonprofit tax status, which states they may not have a primary purpose of engaging in politics. Americans for Prosperity did not return messages seeking comment.