Spotlighting the Federal Election Commission's Efforts to Keep Political Spending in the Shadows

"[P]rompt disclosure of expenditures can provide shareholders and citizens with the information needed to hold corporations and elected officials accountable for their positions and supporters," the U.S. Supreme Court wrote in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. On March 30 – more than 26 months after Citizens United was decided – a federal judge struck down a Federal Election Commission (FEC) regulation that had been preventing disclosure.

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Cutting to the Heart of Nonprofits' Political Activities

A leak of documents allegedly produced by the Heartland Institute, a libertarian think tank organized as a 501(c)(3) institution, is just the latest contribution to the controversy surrounding politically active nonprofit organizations as the 2012 elections approach.

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Super (Loud) PACs and Soft-spoken Issue Advocates

Outside groups are spending nearly 1,300 percent more on broadcast advertising for the 2012 election than they did in 2008, according to an analysis released on Jan. 30. This is the clearest demonstration yet that Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission has fundamentally rewritten the rules for political spending.

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New Report: U.S. Muslim Charities and the War on Terror

In December 2011, CSN published a new report, U.S. Muslim Charities and the War on Terror: A Decade in Review. It summarizes the shutdown of Muslim charities and subsequent lawsuits filed against the government. It also looks at cases of intrusive government actions, such as surveillance of Muslim communities and Islamophobic congressional hearings. Finally, the report gives an overview of how the civil society sector has responded to government scrutiny through interfaith dialogues, education initiatives and partnerships with law enforcement agencies.

For more information, visit www.charityandsecurity.org!

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