Super PACs and dark money are the least regulated and least transparent parts of American campaign finance. Here's how they work and how to track them.
Find outside spending data on any member dossier's Money tab or at capitoltrace.com/super-pacs.
Super PACs are independent expenditure-only committees created after the 2010 Citizens United and SpeechNow court decisions. They can raise unlimited money from corporations, unions, and individuals — but they cannot legally coordinate with the campaigns they support.
They must disclose their donors to the FEC.
What "independent" means in practice: Super PACs can run ads, make phone calls, and send mailers supporting or opposing candidates. They just can't tell the campaign what they're doing. In practice, the line between coordination and independence is thin.
Dark money comes from 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations ("social welfare organizations") that can spend on elections without disclosing their donors. They must report their spending to the FEC, but not who funded them.
This creates a legal pathway for unlimited, anonymous political spending.
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| Committee name | The Super PAC or 501(c)(4) spending the money |
| Support/Oppose | Whether the spending benefits or attacks the candidate |
| Amount | Total spent in this race |
| Type | IE (independent expenditure — disclosed), EC (electioneering communication) |