Koch group discloses millions of dollars in dark money after CREW complaint
CONTACT: Jordan Libowitz
202-408-5565 | [email protected]
Washington, DC—Koch network-funded group Americans for Job Security (AJS) disclosed millions of dollars in previously-unreported political contributions from then-“Koch bank” Center to Protect Patient Rights (CPPR), following a record Federal Election Commission (FEC) penalty stemming from a complaint brought by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).
As part of their conciliation agreement with the FEC from last July, AJS and two other Koch-funded groups agreed to pay a record post-Citizens United fine and to amend their campaign finance reports to show CPPR was behind the millions they spent on campaign activity—a rare instance in which the FEC took action against dark money operations like the Koch brothers’ network. However, it took until now for AJS to disclose the nearly $2.3 million it spent in 2010 on political activity using CPPR funds.
“This is what the fight for transparency is about,” CREW Communications Director Jordan Libowitz said. “Millions of dollars of political contributions that once were hidden are now exposed.”
The three groups, AJS, the American Future Fund, and the 60 Plus Association agreed to a post-Citizens United record penalty of $233,000. The other two groups amended their reports last fall.
“AJS showed a blatant disregard for campaign finance rules,” Libowitz said. “These groups have a low bar to clear, but it appears it is still too high for some of them.”