Follow the Money
$1.9 billion in dark money funded the 2024 election. The donors are secret. The contracts went to allies. The watchdogs who tracked the spending were fired. This series traces where the money goes and who it protects.
How Corruption Became the System
In 2010, Citizens United removed spending limits. By 2024, dark money hit $1.9 billion. By 2025, 47 former lobbyists held senior government positions regulating the industries that paid them. The 17 inspectors general who tracked federal spending were fired in a single night.
- Spending limits removed
- Record dark money in elections
- 47 lobbyists became regulators
- 17 inspectors general fired
: 2010 — Spending limits removed (Citizens United, unlimited corporate spending). 2024 — Record dark money in elections ($1.9B with zero donors named). 2025 — 47 lobbyists became regulators (Former industry lobbyists in senior roles). 2025 — 17 inspectors general fired (All federal spending watchdogs removed).
The president's net worth grew from $2.4 billion to $6.3 billion during this period. $802 million came from cryptocurrency ventures in the first half of 2025 alone.
How Secret Spending Grew 15x
73% of super PAC money came from 100 donors. The IRS has not revoked a single organization's tax-exempt status for breaking political spending rules since 2015, despite thousands of complaints.
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2010 (first cycle after Citizens United) | $127M |
| 2024 (record) | $1.9B |
| Change | 15x increase |
Dark money hit a new record in 2024. The total has grown 15x since Citizens United.
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| 2010: $127M (Citizens United) | $M127 |
| 2012: $309M | $M309 |
| 2016: $181M | $M181 |
| 2018: $150M | $M150 |
| 2020: $1.06B | $M1060 |
| 2022: $1.06B | $M1060 |
| 2024: $1.9B (record) | $M1900 |
Source: OpenSecrets. Amounts in millions.
Elon Musk invested $291 million in the 2024 election. One donor, one contribution, more than the entire dark money total in 2010. Read our full breakdown of 2024 dark money.
"A democracy cannot function effectively when its constituent members believe laws are being bought and sold."
Justice John Paul Stevens, Citizens United dissent (2010)How Dark Money Reaches Voters
Both parties built dark money pipelines. A donor gives to a nonprofit. The nonprofit transfers to a super PAC. The super PAC buys ads. The voter sees the ad but cannot trace the money to its source.
- HIDDEN FUNDERS Undisclosed donors 2023-2024 ↓ $304M given to
- 501(c)(4) NONPROFIT Future Forward USA Action No donor disclosure required ↓ $266M transferred to
- SUPER PAC Future Forward super PAC Original donors hidden ↓ Spent on
- WHAT VOTERS SAW Pro-Harris TV, digital, and mail ads Through November 2024
Source: Brennan Center / OpenSecrets
Democratic pipeline: $304M to pro-Harris ads in 2024: Undisclosed donors (2023-2024) — $304M given to — Future Forward USA Action (No donor disclosure required) — $266M transferred to — Future Forward super PAC (Original donors hidden) — Spent on — Pro-Harris TV, digital, and mail ads (Through November 2024)
The Republican pipeline used the same structure with different names.
- HIDDEN FUNDERS Undisclosed Republican donors 2024 ↓ $67M+ given to
- 501(c)(4) NONPROFIT Securing American Greatness Created March 2024, 6 months before election ↓ $67M transferred to
- SUPER PAC MAGA Inc Pro-Trump advertising ↓ Spent on
- WHAT VOTERS SAW Pro-Trump TV, digital, and mail ads Same mechanism, different candidate
Source: Brennan Center / OpenSecrets
Republican pipeline: $67M to pro-Trump ads in 2024: Undisclosed Republican donors (2024) — $67M+ given to — Securing American Greatness (Created March 2024, 6 months before election) — $67M transferred to — MAGA Inc (Pro-Trump advertising) — Spent on — Pro-Trump TV, digital, and mail ads (Same mechanism, different candidate)
These two pipelines are the largest, but not the only ones. Both parties fund congressional super PACs through the same structure.
Named dark money groups and where the money went in 2024-2025
| Group (501(c)(4)) | Party | Super PAC funded | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Future Forward USA Action | Democratic | Future Forward | $266M |
| Majority Forward | Democratic | Senate Majority PAC + House Majority PAC | $19M (2025) |
| One Nation | Republican | Senate Leadership Fund | $35M (2025) |
| American Action Network | Republican | Congressional Leadership Fund | $17M (2025) |
| Securing American Greatness | Republican | MAGA Inc | $67M+ (2024) |
Where the Contracts and Payouts Go
A border wall contractor whose sections collapsed in the desert received the largest infrastructure contract in DHS history. January 6 defendants received payouts from a fund Congress never authorized. Fox News settled a defamation case rather than let the evidence reach a jury. No anchor was fired. No on-air correction was made.
The contracts and payouts follow a pattern. Donors and allies receive public funds. The officials who approved the spending face no accountability.
- $9B
- in border wall contracts to donors
- $335M
- paid to Jan 6 defendants from unapproved fund
- 64
- Alito stock recusals. Zero for his son at Treasury.
Read our reporting on border wall contract corruption, the presidential payout fund, and the Alito family conflict of interest.
Watchdogs Fired, Regulators Replaced
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau returned $6.2 billion to defrauded consumers between 2021 and 2025. Then it lost 88% of its staff. The SEC requires political approval for every enforcement action since March 2025. 55% of inspector general positions are vacant.
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,700 employees |
| 2025 | 200 employees |
| Change | -88% |
Every major consumer and regulatory enforcement agency lost capacity.
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| CFPB: 200 (was 1,700) | 200 |
| SEC Enforcement: 500 (frozen) | 500 |
| EPA Enforcement: 195 (was 1,500) | 195 |
CFPB lost 88% of staff. EPA enforcement dropped 87%. SEC enforcement requires political approval for every case. Source: Reuters, ProPublica.
Read about how lobbyists replaced regulators, SEC enforcement interference, and the revolving door.
What Reform Looks Like
75% of Americans support a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. 25 states and 800 municipalities have passed resolutions calling for one. The DISCLOSE Act, which would require dark money groups to name their donors, has been introduced every session since 2010. It has never passed.
Three reform bills and what each would change
| Bill | What it does | Status |
|---|---|---|
| DISCLOSE Act | Requires dark money groups to name donors who give $10,000+ | Blocked 16 years. Every vote split on party lines. |
| BLAST Act | Bans former members of Congress from becoming lobbyists | Introduced. Not voted on. |
| For Our Freedom Amendment | Constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United | 25 states passed resolutions. Needs 38. |
The reforms exist. The votes do not. Every Senate vote on the DISCLOSE Act has split along party lines. Read our coverage of why dark money keeps growing.
What You Can Do
- Write your representative using the letter and call script below. It asks Congress to pass the DISCLOSE Act. Text RESIST to 50409 to send it now.
- Follow the money in your state. OpenSecrets tracks federal spending. FollowTheMoney.org tracks state-level contributions.
- Support enforcement. The FEC has 2 of 6 commissioners and cannot investigate. Ask your senators to confirm nominees.
- Read the full issue coverage at the Ethics and Corruption hub for subtopic analysis and state-specific actions.
Sources: OpenSecrets, Brennan Center, ProPublica, Reuters, End Citizens United.