Revised Donor Disclosure Rules Lessen Transparency, Kind Says

July 18, 2018

The Honorable Steven T. Mnuchin
Secretary
Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20220

Dear Secretary Mnuchin,

I write to you with serious concerns regarding recent guidance from the IRS, which will no longer require many nonprofit 501(c) groups from disclosing their major donors. Transparency is the best disinfectant for a culture of corruption, and at a time when more accountability is critically needed in our political process, the IRS has taken the opposite approach by promoting the use of even darker money in campaigns throughout the country.

Instead of giving mega-donors more ways to influence elections, we should be striving to boost the transparency of campaign donations so the American public can know exactly which people are behind these contributions. Ironically, the IRS decision came on the same day that the Department of Justice announced the arrest of a Russian national who is accused of attempting to influence our elections through one of these 501(c) groups. Without this disclosure information, some experts warn that these activities will be even more difficult to identify.

I ask that you reinstate the disclosure of this crucial information to protect the integrity and transparency of U.S. elections. Not doing so will only further empower the powerful private interest groups in Washington that already contribute to a culture of corruption that has been affecting our political process for years.

Sincerely,

Ron Kind
Member of Congress