‘Dark money made darker’: funding labyrinth conceals donors to Republican campaigns
Summary
The article examines how political committees and nonprofits linked to campaign treasurer Thomas Datwyler moved money into Republican primary races while obscuring the original donors. Federal filings show overlapping personnel and vendors, but the article notes that proving illegal coordination between campaigns and supposedly independent political committees is difficult.Key Facts
- In 2024, the Green Dragon Coalition transferred the final $20,000 of a $445,000 grant to a Super PAC; its tax filing described the transfer as educational.
- FEC records show that the Super PAC spent $8,000 opposing Utah Republican Representative Celeste Maloy shortly before her 2024 primary and had spent more than $400,000 promoting her challenger, Colby Jenkins.
- Thomas Datwyler was named on paperwork for the charity, nonprofit, Super PAC, and campaign activity described in the Utah race.
- The article says Datwyler served as treasurer for more than 350 federal political committees in the current election cycle, including 115 congressional campaigns and 100 Super PACs.
- According to FEC filings, Super PACs whose books Datwyler keeps spent more than $2 million in the 2024 and 2026 cycles supporting 14 candidates who were also his clients or opposing their rivals.
- The article reports that Datwyler-linked groups received funds from donors connected to Leonard Leo, the Conservative Partnership Institute, and the Thomas Klingenstein Fund.
- Nonprofit tax filings do not identify which donors' money made up specific transfers to Super PACs.
- In Florida's 19th congressional district, a campaign and a Super PAC supporting it shared 14 vendors, according to FEC filings; federal law bars coordination between campaigns and Super PACs.
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