Democrats opt for pragmatism on secret donors

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42825806/ns/politics-decision_2012/

Democrats opt for pragmatism on secret donors

Obama has a history of shifting his stance on funding of campaigns

By Tom CurryNational affairs writer

msnbc.com

updated 4/29/2011 3:46:48 PM ET

President Obama, who denounced the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision

that allows donors to give unlimited funds to pay for campaign ads without

having their names disclosed, now looks likely to benefit from those same type

of ads next year.

In his State of Union address in 2010 Obama administered a scolding to the

Supreme Court justices who had joined the majority in the Citizens United

decision — with some of those justices sitting in front of him in the House

chamber.

On Friday, NBC News and other news organizations reported that former Obama aide

Bill Burton and allies have formed two committees to support Democratic

candidates in 2012. One of the groups, Priorities USA, will allow undisclosed

donations.

In last year's campaign, conservative groups such as Americans for Prosperity,

organized under tax law as 501©(4) non-profit organizations, aired TV ads

against Democrats, helping the GOP win control of the House.

These 501©(4) groups can take part in political campaign activity, such as

airing TV ads, provided that it's not their primary activity. They're not

allowed to coordinate with a candidate or his campaign committee.

Burton told the Associated Press that Democrats could not remain idle as

GOP-leaning groups exploited the advantage created by the Citizens United

decision.

" It has everything to do with Karl Rove and the Koch Brothers. As long as they

play by one set of rules, we're not going to be boxed in by a double standard, "

Burton said.