From Iceland — Financing of Independence Party Shrouded in Mystery

Financing of Independence Party Shrouded in Mystery

Published March 23, 2010

The conservative Independence Party has at last released campaign finance records, showing that the vast majority of contributers choose to remain anonymous, RÚV reports.
The records span from 2002 to 2006. The largest contributor to the party who chose to be identified was – surprise! – Landsbanki, who donated 44 million ISK. The investment company FL Group – which went into administration in 2008 when the bank Glitnir, of which FL Group had a 32% stake, was nationalized – contributed 30 million ISK, and fishing company Samherji contributed 11 million ISK.
The report states that the Independence Party contacted all past contributors in the assembly of the report, and asked for permission to publish their names. The majority declined to have their identities revealed. The largest anonymous contributor donated 13.5 million ISK.
Campaign finance has always been a bone of contention with the conservatives, who have been perhaps the most reticent party with regards to who contributes how much money to them. Former Prime Minister Geir H. Haarde took the fall last April for millions in quasi-legal donations the party accepted from FL Group and Landsbanki in 2006.

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