Dark Money
Political money from undisclosed sources, often funneled through nonprofits to influence elections while hiding donor identities.
Political funding whose original sources are not publicly disclosed, typically channeled through tax-exempt organizations or shell entities to influence campaigns and policy. While legal under U.S. law, it obscures who is actually funding political activity, raising transparency concerns.
What this means in real life
A wealthy individual donates $10 million to a nonprofit that runs attack ads against a candidate, but their name never appears in public records—voters see the ads but don't know who paid for them.
What it isn’t
Not simply any large political donation. A billionaire's $10 million direct contribution to a Super PAC is transparent and disclosed; it becomes 'dark' only when the donor's identity is legally hidden through intermediary structures.
Commonly misused online
Often used as a catch-all insult for any political spending people dislike, regardless of whether the source is actually concealed. Some conflate it with legal but unpopular campaign spending.