Democratic Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse admitted on tape that he is willing to accept campaign donations from so-called “dark money” groups, as long as they have a progressive bent.
A reporter asked Whitehouse about his stance on dark money as the flustered senator made his way through the Hart Senate Office building in Washington, D.C.
Whitehouse reiterated that he believes “any dark money group” should have to publicly disclose its donations, but vaguely claimed that some groups are more “transparent” about their donations than others. (RELATED: Senator Whitehouse: Dems Will Investigate Kavanaugh And FBI ‘As Soon As Democrats Get Gavels’)
Whitehouse was asked specifically about “liberal dark money” groups such as Demand Justice and League of Conservation Voters, Whitehouse admitted that he hoped they would donate to his campaign. Whitehouse was easily re-elected in 2018 and has served as Rhode Island’s junior senator since 2007.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., listens to testimony by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh… Tom Williams/Pool via REUTERS
Whitehouse is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and was a staunch critic of conservative groups that backed Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, specifically the Judicial Crisis Network which ran ads during Kavanaugh’s contentious confirmation process.
“Secret money campaigns have politicized the judicial nomination process and cast a cloud over recent nominees,” Whitehouse said at the time. A multi-million dollar advertising campaign supporting a Supreme Court nominee further exacerbates the perception that corporate special interests have captured this Supreme Court.
Whitehouse has also been a fierce critic of the Supreme Court’s decision in the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC case.
