Panel to look at secret money in political campaigns

The National Press Club Journalism Institute and the club’s Professional Development Committee will look at the secret money that will fund many of the campaign ads that will air between now and Election Day.

The program will be Sept. 13 starting at 6:30 in the Zenger Room of the National Press Club. Admission is $10 for the public, $5 for NPC members. Tickets are required; RSVP using the link here: http://www.press.org/events/dark-money-politics-abcs-501c4s

An increase in spending by nonprofit organizations means viewers will not know who is funding millions of dollars in campaign ads. Such groups do not have to identify their benefactors, and efforts to require disclosure were killed by congressional Republicans, claiming it it would violate the First Amendment right to free speech.

The panelists will be Peter Overby, who covers money and politics for National Public Radio; Fredreka Schouten, campaign finance reporter at USA Today; and Ken Vogel, Politico's chief investigative reporter.

They will offer tips on where to look to find out who is behind those ads and what the prospects are in the next Congress for increased disclosure, which the U.S. Supreme Court has said is constitutional.