Appeals court says tax-exempt groups can keep donors secret

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Reuters:

A U.S. appeals court ruled on Tuesday that tax-exempt organizations do not need to release the names of those who pay for political advertisements leading up to the November 6 elections in the United States, turning aside an attempt by a Democratic congressman to force disclosure.

 

The unanimous decision reverses a ruling by a lower court in March that had sent tax-exempt groups scrambling for ways to keep donors' names secret.

 

Many of these groups exist for the sole purpose of running election ads, often masking the involvement of wealthy individuals or major corporations, disclosure advocates said.