Dark money in Nevada stirs concern

Millions of dollars going into Nevada’s election from groups that don’t have to disclose their donors is raising concerns about misleading voters.

The Citizens United Supreme Court decision in 2010 opened the door for corporations, unions and, increasingly, super PACS and so-called dark money groups, which do not have to disclose donors, to use their funds to disseminate ads on candidates. Fernando Romero, president, Hispanics in Politics, a nonpartisan group

More than $43 million in dark money has been spent in the 2018 cycle on Nevada’s U.S. Senate race, with another $11.1 million going toward the four congressional races this year in Nevada, according to Opensecrets.org.

Fernando Romero, president

of the nonpartisan Hispanics in Politics, said the Libre Initiative was among the dark money groups coming into Nevada. The Libre Initiative is a project of Americans for Prosperity, funded by the conservative megadonor Koch brothers, and is

working to influence Latino voters toward conservative causes.

“The Koch brothers are concentrating very heavily on the Latino population, so we have a lot of discombobulated voters that will be coming out to the polls and still not being very sure for whom they should vote and what issues that you support,” Romero said.

Supporters of education savings accounts and education vouchers say such programs help taxpaying parents send their kids to the school of their choice. Opponents say tax dollars are better spent on public education rather than directing them toward private schools, which voucher programs are designed to do.

Romero said the Libre Initia-

“The Koch brothers are concentrating very heavily on the Latino population …”