Secret Money in Iowa

[Commentary] The American Future Fund was started with money from Bruce Rastetter, an ethanol company executive. The fund, based in Iowa, has spent at least $574,000 to run a series of negative ads against incumbent Bruce Braley (D-Iowa). Rep Braley has also been the subject of $250,000 worth of attack ads by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which also has not disclosed its contributors. He is only one of many candidates being pummeled this year by secret money and shamefully false advertising.

The American Action Network, another conservative group that does not disclose its donors, is targeting Rep Chris Murphy (D-CT) in his race against Sam Caligiuri, a Republican. The group is running an ad claiming that the health reform law, which Rep Murphy supported and Caligiuri wants to repeal, requires jail time for people who do not buy health insurance. The law does no such thing. At least one Connecticut television station has stopped running the ad.

The voters, who are the real victims of these distortions, haven't the slightest idea who is paying for the ads. But rest assured that the big corporations and donors will make their identities known to the winners they push into office. The price for their support will be high.