美国国家公共电台 NPR Secretive Nonprofits Back Governors Around The Country

 

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

More secret money is finding its way into politics, this time at the state level. Perhaps even B.J. Leiderman, who writes our theme music, has made a contribution. Nonprofit groups have popped up around the country affiliated¹ with the campaigns of several governors. The groups can take unlimited² amounts of money and don't have to disclose their contributions either. Then, those groups promote the governor's agenda. St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum reports on how the strategy plays out in Missouri.

JASON ROSENBAUM, BYLINE³: As Republican Eric Greitens criss-crossed the state in his bid to become Missouri's governor, he emphasized how proud he was that the state's voters could see every single donation coming into his campaign treasury⁴. In an interview with St. Louis Public Radio last year, Greitens even accused his Republican opponents of using shadowy groups to attack him and others.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED BROADCAST)

ERIC GREITENS: We've already seen other candidates set up the secretive super PACs, where they don't take any responsibility for what they're funding.

ROSENBAUM: But despite his outrage⁵ at the time, Greitens now benefits from the kind of big money secretive groups that he criticized. Earlier this year, members of Greitens campaign staff started a group called A New Missouri that's known as a 501(c)4 social welfare group. It can spend money on political activities like ads but doesn't have to disclose its donors⁶. The group backs Greitens' agenda in the legislature.

Governors in Illinois, Arizona and Georgia also have similar groups. And New York City's mayor had one until criticism forced it to shut down. Most states don't require these politically active nonprofits to reveal much about what they're doing. When asked about the group last month, Greitens was unapologetic.

GREITENS: The organization that you're referring to is one that I have no day-to-day responsibilities with. It's an organization that's separate from the governor's office. It does represent the interests of thousands of people around the state of Missouri who care about seeing our priorities get passed.

ROSENBAUM: A New Missouri does more than produce glossy⁷ ads that boost Greitens' agenda. The group recently started running web ads attacking a member of his own party, state senator Rob Schaaf. Schaaf is sponsoring a bill that would require politically active nonprofits like A New Missouri to reveal its donors. The group's ads gave out Schaaf's personal cellphone number and told people to call him.

ROB SCHAAF: I could care less. I don't care even at all. Governor, print my cell phone number on every newspaper in the country. I don't care.

ROSENBAUM: Schaaf believes Greitens should disavow the group.

SCHAAF: It's critical that he do this. If he doesn't do this, they're just going to eventually label him as just another corrupt⁸ politician.

ROSENBAUM: Schaaf's proposal to require more disclosure from political nonprofits is opposed by most of his fellow Republicans. Gregg Keller worked for one of Greitens' GOP opponents last year and runs a similar nonprofit group called the Missouri Century Foundation. He says political donors should be able to contribute anonymously⁹.

GREGG KELLER: And they deserve to do so without being bullied¹⁰ by outside individuals and organizations as is happening more and more particularly on the left these days.

ROSENBAUM: Schaaf's bill is likely to fail in the Missouri General Assembly which is dominated by Republicans. The state recently adopted contribution limits for political candidates. One effect of that new law may be spurring more politically active nonprofits, says Democratic fundraiser Angela Bingaman.

ANGELA BINGAMAN: It has definitely become more of a conversation with candidates and groups about how to import more money into the political process now that we have limitations on what we can and cannot do.

ROSENBAUM: So expect to see state-level candidates from both parties taking advantage of money from secret donors. For NPR News, I'm Jason Rosenbaum in St. Louis.

1 affiliated   

adj. 附属的, 有关连的

参考例句：

• The hospital is affiliated with the local university. 这家医院附属于当地大学。
• All affiliated members can vote. 所有隶属成员都有投票权。

2 unlimited   

adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

5 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

6 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 glossy   

adj.平滑的；有光泽的

参考例句：

• I like these glossy spots.我喜欢这些闪闪发光的花点。
• She had glossy black hair.她长着乌黑发亮的头发。

8 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

9 anonymously   

ad.用匿名的方式

参考例句：

• The manuscripts were submitted anonymously. 原稿是匿名送交的。
• Methods A self-administered questionnaire was used to survey 536 teachers anonymously. 方法采用自编“中小学教师职业压力问卷”对536名中小学教师进行无记名调查。

10 bullied   

adj.被欺负了v.恐吓，威逼( bully的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• My son is being bullied at school. 我儿子在学校里受欺负。
• The boy bullied the small girl into giving him all her money. 那男孩威逼那个小女孩把所有的钱都给他。 来自《简明英汉词典》