Dark Money Groups Like Iowa Values Can't Get Away with Hiding Their Funding Sources

Washington, DC — On July 18, Campaign Legal Center (CLC) filed a trial briefing in its citizen suit against Iowa Values. This lawsuit stems from the actions Iowa Values, a PAC masquerading as a nonprofit, took during the 2020 election cycle to support the reelection of Sen. Joni Ernst. CLC’s briefing presents proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law for consideration by the district court in issuing its final ruling.

Erin Chlopak, senior director for campaign finance at Campaign Legal Center, issued the following statement:

“By keeping voters in the dark about who was funding its efforts to influence Iowa voters, Iowa Values broke the law. Voters have a right to know who is spending to influence their vote and our elections, and we need meaningful enforcement of campaign finance laws so that wealthy special interests cannot pump money into our elections in secret.  

“We have taken Iowa Values to court and uncovered a trove of revealing evidence — in a rare direct citizen suit  — to both obtain the transparency CLC needs to do its work and that voters deserve to cast an informed vote, and to help ensure that dark money groups like Iowa Values cannot get away with hiding the sources of their spending, even when the Federal Election Commission fails to do its job.

“Over the course of this suit against Iowa Values, Campaign Legal Center has uncovered extensive, detailed evidence that overwhelmingly proves — in Iowa Values’ own words — that the group’s ‘first and foremost' goal was to reelect Sen. Joni Ernst in 2020.

“A victory for CLC in this case would create enforceable judicial precedent regarding the legal rules for campaign finance disclosure. Importantly, such a victory would also make it harder for the FEC to shirk its duty — as it did with Iowa Values — in the future, leading to greater enforcement of laws that protect voters’ right to know who is spending money to influence their vote in elections.”

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The nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center advances democracy through law. We safeguard the freedom to vote, defend voters’ right to know who is spending money to influence elections, and work to ensure public trust in our elected officials.

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