But if those who want a little sun to shine into the crannies of these secretive groups could get around Trent Lott, the Senate majority leader who opposed the provision, they couldn't maneuver around Tom DeLay, the House Republican whip who has close ties to three such outfits.
But this unsavory episode should also shine a light on the law that gives tax-exempt status to political groups of all ideological stripes, often described by the code section that grants their exemption 501(c)(4)s.