Billions in "dark money" are influencing U.S. politics: The Guardian

LONDON, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The "dark money" practices of 50 years ago in the United States have once again become normalized and are threatening U.S. politics, British newspaper The Guardian has reported.

In 2020 alone, more than 1 billion U.S. dollars' worth of dark money flooded around weak disclosure rules and into America's elections, said the report.

As millions of votes were swayed, reporters and the public had no knowledge of the money sources, or what policies they were buying, said the Guardian.

Heading into the 2022 election, the situation is "getting worse," said the report. The two parties' major Senate and House Super Pacs are all being funded by anonymous dark money groups that are not required to disclose their donors.

Unfortunately, thanks to outdated U.S. laws, these facts are now hidden behind anonymity, shell companies and shadowy political groups, the Guardian reported.

America is long overdue for an overhaul of its political disclosure laws, and news organizations in particular should be leading the charge for reform, the newspaper said.