patrick.net

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Campaign money from shadowy sources is back this election. More than $4 million of it channeled to outside groups helping presidential candidates has come from unknown or masked donors.

Super political action committees, or super PACs, helping White House hopefuls like Marco Rubio and Hillary Clinton received big checks recently from obscure corporations or from nonprofits that don't have to disclose their donors' names.

A super PAC backing Rubio, a Republican senator from Florida, benefited from companies with spectral names like "IGX LLC" ($500,000) and "TMCV #2 LLC" ($90,000). The Associated Press traced IGX to a New York investor, and the other to an Idaho billionaire.

Meanwhile, Democratic-leaning American Bridge 21st Century reported more than $1.5 million from its affiliated nonprofit, which doesn't have to name its donors. American Bridge, which said it used the money to pay for shared expenses like rent and staff, was founded by Clinton supporter David Brock.

The contributions are a reminder of federal court decisions in recent years, like Citizens United, that loosened prior restrictions in campaign finance laws. That has made it difficult at times to tell who's really backing candidates - and what favors or influence could be owed should they get elected.

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