A Gazette editorial from the Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Hypothetically, the Mafia or a fanatic terror group could sneak millions of dirty “dark money” into U.S. politics, using nonprofit fronts that pretend to advance “social welfare.” The money could pay for smear campaign ads — and nobody would know who bought them.
The problem of hidden cash was spotlighted Saturday when reporter David Gutman revealed that a mysterious Charleston outfit called Jasper Reserves LLC gave $1 million to a Super PAC trying to elect Republican Jeb Bush as president.
Jasper listed its address as 209 Capitol Street — but there’s no identifying marker at that building, and nobody there had ever heard of Jasper. No phone number or website is known.
Jasper isn’t registered as a West Virginia business. What is it? Where did it get $1 million? What’s going on?
An Australian camping group is called Wee Jasper Reserves — but we doubt that it’s the same Jasper.
After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that corporations are “persons” with a right of free speech — meaning the ability to funnel millions into politics — so-called dark money has swelled into a tsunami…
