Real-Time Federal Campaign Finance
Top Dark Money groups by Independent Expenditures, 2016 Cycle
All numbers are for the two-year cycle, from Jan. 1, 2015 through Dec. 31, 2016. For more about how these numbers were calculated, see the methodology below.
Dark Money Totals
Dark money groups are entities—typically 501(c)(4)s, but sometimes corporations, LLC's or individuals—that haven't registered as political groups with the FEC because they do not consider politics to be their "primary purpose". As such, these groups aren't required to report their donors, but do report their independent expenditures. These groups, it should be noted, are not required to report "issue ads" they run supporting or criticizing candidates more than 60 days before a general election or 30 days before a general election if the ads are not considered "express advocacy".
Top Dark Money groups, by Independent expenditures
This is just a listing of the top 50 Dark Money groups by independent expenditures. For a more complete list that's sortable, filterable and downloadable, see here.
| Committee Name | Total outside spending | Major Activity |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN FUTURE FUND | $11,730,929 | |
| NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION INSTITUTE FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION | $8,210,304 | |
| AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY | $8,093,910 | |
| AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES AFL-CIO | $6,885,069 | |
| CLUB FOR GROWTH | $3,785,186 | |
| MAJORITY FORWARD | $3,573,935 | |
| LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS INC | $3,181,631 | |
| WORKING AMERICA | $2,974,882 | |
| ONE NATION | $2,928,824 | |
| ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE ACTION FUND | $2,593,931 |
