When Mad Men meet dark money

When Mad Men meet dark money

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Money in U.S. politics was once a straightforward thing, but we’re now in the era of dark money. The dollars changing hands run well into the billions, and corporations and hedge fund moguls spend freely behind a veil of secrecy.

Enter Mad Men: This heap of money is fueling a barrage of political ads. Messages, which have cost more than $300 million so far, are being designed specifically for you – popping up in your Facebook feed or streaming into your living room during commercial breaks.

In this hour of Reveal, we collaborate with The Center for Public Integrity’s campaign finance reporting team and WAMU in Washington to look at who’s spending, how much, where the money’s flowing and what it’s paying for.