1A

'If You Can Keep It': The Deal With Dark Money

September 14, 2026·43 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

At least a billion dollars of untraceable cash is flowing into this year’s midterm elections.That’s according to an analysis by The New York Times from late last month. These funds – referred to as dark money by campaign finance experts – are coming from super PACs, non-profits, and wealthy donors.Tracing exactly how much dark money is flowing through campaigns is difficult. Money spent to hire influencers online, direct mail campaigns, and employ door knockers isn’t always publicly disclosed as campaign spending.In this edition of “If you Can Keep it,” we tackle the role of dark money in our midterm elections.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

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