Kaine continues Dems’ offensive on GOP-leaning groups for secret donors

Former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), continued a party effort of knocking Republicans for supportive outside campaign spending by groups that haven’t disclosed their donors.

Speaking on ABC’s “This Week,” Kaine said Democrats have made an effort to be more transparent and let voters know where their campaign money is coming from.

“There is a concerted Republican effort, I believe, to shift campaign financing to entities that don’t have to disclose who their donors are,” Kaine said.

Kaine was referring to groups such as Crossroads GPS, which has been advised by Karl Rove and Ed Gillespie, former aides to President Bush, and doesn’t have to disclose its donors under nonprofit law. GPS and other groups have spent millions of dollars on House and Senate campaigns across the country.

Kaine noted Democrats’ support of the Disclose Act, which would have required these groups to disclose their donors. He also said the DNC has made an effort to be transparent.

“At the DNC, every dollar I have raised, we disclose where it comes from and where we spend it,” Kaine said. “The American people have a right to know who is funding political campaigns, and that is a bedrock principle of ours that we are going to uphold.”