Anna Massoglia, OpenSecrets

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“Dark money” groups and shell companies are on track to steer more money from undisclosed sources to the 2023-2024 election than any prior cycle

In 2023 alone, shell companies and dark money groups injected over $162 million into political groups such as super PACs, surpassing the level of dark contributions seen at the same point in any prior election cycle, a new OpenSecrets analysis of Federal Election Commission data found....

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Americans for Prosperity Action, the flagship political group at the center of an influential network founded by the billionaire owners of Koch Industries, is gearing up for the 2024 presidential election.

The super PAC, commonly known as AFP Action, kicked off the next phase of its campaign to support former U.N. Ambassador Nikky Haley’s campaign for the Republican presidential nomination on Jan. 5 with a new wave of mailers, digital advertising and TV spots it projects will cost $27 million....

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New legislation could throw a wrench in IRS plans to launch a free government-run tax filing program after millions of dollars in lobbying by for-profit tax prep service providers.

On Monday, newly-minted House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) introduced a bill making $14.3 million in aid to Israel contingent on reducing funding for the IRS. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which President Joe Biden signed into law last year, set $15 million aside for the IRS to develop the free service. Leading for-profit tax prep companies oppose the program. ...

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The Kentucky governor’s race has been nothing short of a financial juggernaut, with gubernatorial candidates collectively raking in more than $36.8 million in contributions, a new OpenSecrets analysis found.

The booming fundraising puts the race on track to set a new record in the state. The most ever collectively raised by gubernatorial candidates in a prior election year was $37.1 million in 2007. ...

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Leading tax prep companies have poured $90 million into lobbying on the Free File Program and other issues since the program’s inception in 2003, a new OpenSecrets analysis found.

Now the lobbying juggernauts are facing mounting scrutiny from members of Congress over their deployment of “revolving door” lobbyists in alleged attempts to undermine the federal government’s adoption of a government-run system that would allow taxpayers to file for free....