Court ruling allows record breaking spending in midterm election campaigns

The midterm elections are just five weeks away and an unprecedented amount of money has been spent by independent organizations. These Super PACs were created when the Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United that many campaign finance restrictions are unconstitutional. The Super PACs have spent hundreds of millions of dollars so far this election year. FSRN’s Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.

Dozens of groups have popped up this election year to influence these hotly contested elections.  One is the 60 Plus Association, dubbed the conservative alternative to AARP.

TOM KISE: "We are facing unprecedented times with the health care bill that costs $1-trillion, raises taxes and is going to cut $500-billion from Medicare."

Tom Kise is the spokesperson for 60 Plus. His health-care cost estimates are not entirely accurate. But he says they are targeting 15 Democratic House members.

TOM KISE: "Politicians across this country have voted for that bill and they need to be held accountable to their voters and to the American public for those votes."

The 60 Plus Association has spent more than $5.5-million so far this campaign season. Kise says the Citizens United Supreme Court decision helped their cause.

TOM KISE: "Without that case we would have been unable to engage in the way we are now."

Because of Citizens United, 60 Plus can collect and spend an unlimited amount of money and they’re able to campaign directly for or against a candidate.  Fred Wertheimer, President of campaign finance group, Democracy 21, reveals another outcome of Citizens United.

FRED WERTHEIMER: "We’re going to see hundreds of millions of dollars spent in this election by incorporated, non-profit advocacy groups and trade associations, without voters having a clue about who is providing the money to make these campaign expenditures."

Voters will notice the influx of new money — mostly in the form of television advertisements.

(Sound from television advertisement: "We warned Ron Kind not to do it. Not to vote for a big government health-care bill.")

Again, Fred Wertheimer.

FRED WERTHEIMER: " There is a greatly increased amount of negative advertising on television coming from groups who voters will have no idea who they are or where the money is coming from."

(Sound from television advertisement: "When you vote against Ron Kind, he’ll know exactly why.")

These new groups cross political spectrums, though a Washington Post internal analysis reveals that conservative groups are spending seven times more than liberal groups.  We Love USA PAC,  is another group. It’s been around for just two weeks. So far, it has spent $60,000 to defeat Democrats in Florida via billboards, radio and internet ads.  Spokesperson Vincent Mariano says We Love USA PAC is funded by small businesses.

VINCENT MARIANO: "Their companies are directly being hurt by these policies. They feel it directly themselves and it goes right to their employees and they’re trying to roll back these policies."

The Citizens United decision enabled unlimited business and corporate donations into political campaigns.  Leigh Ann Caldwell, FSRN, Washington.