Big Sky, Big Money

This programme examines the way dramatic changes in American campaign finance laws are shaping this year’s election cycle. Two years after the Supreme Court’s landmark Citizens United decision, more money is being spent on elections than ever before, much of it from tax-exempt organizations that are not required to publicly disclose their donors. Observers say that the secretive nature of some of these tax-exempt groups, called 501(c)(4)s, makes it nearly impossible to ensure that they avoid unlawful coordination with specific candidates’ campaigns. Citizens United proponents, however, argue that a robust democracy requires full participation by all citizens, including those who want to make contributions to issue groups anonymously.