American Future Fund’s $29 million political advertising spree

Introduction

A conservative 501(c)(4) nonprofit called the American Future Fund had a bumper year in 2012, spending more than $29 million on political advertisements, according to a new Center for Public Integrity analysis of state and federal records:

That amount included more than $19 million on efforts designed to oust President Barack Obama, as well as millions more to oppose Democratic candidates for Congress and even two state attorneys general.

That’s a lot of activity from an organization that says influencing elections is not its primary purpose.

Who funded the advertising spree? It’s unclear.

What little is known on the American Future Fund’s donors simply leads to another 501(c)(4) nonprofit that has no website and lists its address as a post office box in Phoenix.

The Arizona-based Center to Protect Patient Rights “contributed more than $14 million to the American Future Fund between 2009 and 2011, or 51 percent of funds the group raised over the three-year period,” the Center’s investigation found.