The U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed the constitutionality of the federal law that requires disclosure of expenditures of more than $10,000 within 60 days of contested elections even if the ads don’t explicitly urge a vote for or against a candidate.

This is important because some dark forces — think Koch-heads and their ilk — emboldened by unlimited corporate spending want to go the next step and make sources of money secret.

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This is important, too, because it should open the door to state legislation that would similarly require disclosure of advertising that is clearly political in nature though lacking in a direct endorsement. This dark money advertising has become extremely influential in Arkansas, mostly for the dominant Republicans so a change to more transparency is probably a longshot.  In fact, Democrats have a bill to require reporting of electioneering communications on file this session.

Electioneering ads are the kind that clearly imply dastardly behavior by a candidate, but don’t urge a vote for an opponent. “Call Sen. Jones and tell him to stop supporting child molesters.” That sort of thing.

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