The Hill News

All political groups need to disclose their donors regardless of ideology, Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said Friday.

“I think we need a requirement that all groups should be required to disclose their donors,” Van Hollen said on ABC's “Top Line.” “I think if you're a Republican-leaning group or a Democrat-leaning group you should be required to disclose [who your donors are].”

Van Hollen’s comments came the same day that former White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton unveiled two liberal groups â€" Priorities USA and Priorities USA Action â€" meant to mirror conservative groups American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS.

In the 2010 midterm elections, American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS spent millions of dollars of money raised from anonymous campaign donors. In the weeks before the election, the White House demanded that they disclose their donors and suggested, without evidence, that some of the donations could have ! come from foreign sources.

The two new groups on the left are seeking to follow the Crossroads model, but will try to help Obama win reelection. The groups are planning on raising $100 million for Obama’s reelection campaign.

After Burton announced the formation of the new liberal groups, American Crossroads slammed Democrats for hypocrisy.

Van Hollen said the main problem with groups like Americans Crossroads and Crossroads GPS is that they don't have to disclose who their donors are. He blamed Republicans for obstructing reform that would require that all groups, liberal and conservative, have to disclose donor names.

“The way to deal with this in a uniform and effective way is to pass the law, and unfortunately it’s the Republicans that continue to object that all these groups â€" Democrat-leaning and Republican-leaning â€" disclose this information,” Van Hollen said.