In its landmark Citizens United ruling, the Supreme Court insisted that “independent expenditures, including those made by corporations, do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption,” and conservative justices added that such political “expenditures do not lead to, or create the appearance of, quid pro quo corruption.”

But a little-noticed court case involving the fossil fuel industry recounts a much different reality — and now the judiciary is trying to make sure the public can never see the ugly details.

The situation is unfolding in a Delaware federal court, where Extraction Oil & Gas declared bankruptcy earlier this year. State records show the company has spent more than $4 million on political causes since 2015. However, during the bankruptcy proceedings, the Denver-based company asked the judge for permission to redact — and keep sealed — information about $9.5 million worth of political donations it has made since 2018. That’s an average rate of more than $12,000 of political spending every single day.