WASHINGTON — The White House and some of its allies in the Democratic Party are pushing with increasing force to unmask corporations and individuals who secretly contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to groups that influence election campaigns.
But it’s not yet clear that the efforts could have a substantial effect on the 2012 election — or that Democrats won’t exceed Republicans in attracting undisclosed donations to their own newly formed organizations.
Even as Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and his pro-reform allies filed a lawsuit Thursday demanding donor disclosure, other Democrats were raising substantial contributions for 2012 campaign advertising. And two former White House aides have been talking of setting up their own independent group that could include a nonprofit arm to shield the identity of major donors.
The White House railed against independent campaign spending financed by secret donations in the 2008 and 2010 elections. Instead, President Barack Obama has emphasized disclosed and limited donations of the sort he raised at events in San Francisco and Los Angeles this week.
But now there is a consensus that Democrats should launch their own efforts to collect large-dollar undisclosed donations, or risk defeat.
Despite that view, the White House confirmed this week that Obama is considering whether to issue an executive order that would require federal contractors to disclose political donations, even to nonprofit groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has many defense and government contractors in its membership.
A presidential order could take effect immediately.
