Why it matters: The ruling invalidates a Federal Election Commission (FEC) statute that allowed such donors to hide their identity and, according to Politico, could have "major implications for campaign finance." With the decision, nonprofits may be forced to reveal those who donate $200 or more towards federal elections.
The details: U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell ruled the existing regulation "fails to uphold the standard Congress intended when it required the disclosure of politically related spending." She explained, "[t]he challenged regulation facilitates such financial 'routing,' blatantly undercuts the congressional goal of fully disclosing the sources of money flowing into federal political campaigns, and thereby suppresses the benefits intended to accrue from disclosure."