Secret donors fuel Democratic political powerhouse

Democratic Party-aligned “dark money” powerhouse Patriot Majority USA collected half of the $30 million it raised in 2014 from five anonymous donors, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of a new tax filing from the group. Patriot Majority USA was a major player in the Democrats’ failed bid to retain control of the US Senate in 2014 -- a time when many Democratic candidates decried the influx of “dark money” in politics. Led by Craig Varoga, a staunch ally of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), it was a particularly prolific force on television.

The group aired more than 15,000 TV ads in key Senate races, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of data provided by advertising firm Kantar Media/CMAG, which monitors broadcast and national cable TV ads. Not a single one was positive. In all, 40 percent of the $34 million Patriot Majority USA spent in 2014 went toward “direct and indirect political campaign activities,” according to the group’s new tax filing -- nearly $13.7 million.