Decision could allow anonymous political contributions by corporations

The Supreme Court decision last month allowing corporations to spend unlimited money on behalf of political candidates left a loophole that campaign finance lawyers say could allow companies to pay for extensive political advertising while avoiding the disclosure requirements the court appeared to leave intact. Experts say the ruling, along with a pair of earlier Supreme Court cases, makes it possible for corporations and unions to donate anonymously to nonprofit civic leagues and trade associations. The groups can then use the money to finance the types of political advertisements that were at the heart of last month's ruling, in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Well before the Citizens United case, certain types of nonprofit organizations were able to pump millions of dollars into "electioneering communications"–highly pointed commercials about political issues that can even mention specific candidates–without revealing their donors.