Political Nonprofits Must Reveal Donors, Court Says

A U.S. Court of Appeals panel has declined to block a lower-court ruling ordering nonprofit advocacy groups that engage in campaign advertising to reveal their contributors, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The 2-1 decision issued Monday evening could significantly affect political activity by trade associations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, as well as advocacy groups like the conservative Crossroads GPS, which have been planning to spend tens of millions of dollars on the 2012 race.

“It’s the first major breakthrough in overcoming the massive amounts of secret contributions that are flowing into federal elections,” said Fred Wertheimer, president of the watchdog group Democracy 21, which has fought to stem the campaign-funding floodgate opened by the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling.

The District Court panel declined to stay the prior ruling, which has been challenged by two advocacy groups who contend it violates their free-speech rights.