May 9
501(c)(4) groups
"social welfare" organizations that may engage in political activities as long as activities aren't primary purpose (<49.9%) Ex: NRA
making large grants to like-minded groups
Another way they get around spending too much on politics is by
2010: SpeechNow v. FEC
Appeals Court decision allowed unlimited contributions to a new kind of "indepdependent-expenditure only" political action committees (PAC), now known as "super PACs".
Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), the re-election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt
First PAC was formed in 1944 by ___ to raise money for ___
U.S. Court of Appeals decision in Speechnow v. FEC in 2010
Super PACs were created after the
2007: FEC v. Wisconsin Right to Life
Supreme Court decision ruled that issue ads can be aired in the months leading up to an election.
1976: Buckley v. Valeo
Supreme Court decision that allowed unlimited campaign expenditures by individuals.
educational spending, political spending
This broad interpretation of _____ and narrow definition of _____ allows groups to spend considerable sums of money shaping voters' opinions about particular candidates
Hard Money: traditional political spending
With this kind of spending, donors must be disclosed, contribution limits apply and organizations are allowed to coordinate their efforts to help elect a candidate
Political Action Committee (PAC)
a political committee organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates
leadership PACs
a way of raising money to help fund other candidates' campaigns
501(c)(5) groups
abor and agricultural groups and may engage in political activities, as long as they adhere to the same general limits as 501(c)(4) organizations. Ex: American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
501(c)(6) organizations:
business leagues, chambers of commerce, real estate boards and boards of trade, which may engage in political activity, as long as they adhere to the same general limits as 501(c)(4) organizations. Ex: US Chamber of Commerce
while it mentions a candidate's name, it does not directly advocate for the election or defeat of a candidate
classified as educational because
educational, membership building
expenses by Dark Money groups that are earmarked as ____ or _____ fall outside of the requirement to report
advertising explicitly calls for viewers to vote for or against a candidate
groups will classify as political spending when
Super PACs
make no contributions to candidates or parties, but make independent expenditures in federal races
Super PAC (independent expenditure committees)
may raise and spend an unlimited amount of money and accept contributions from companies, nonprofits, unions and individuals. must identify all of their donors to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) except when donor is a shell corporation or nonprofit that doesn't disclose its donors. Cannot give money directly to candidates
business, labor or ideological interests
most PACs represent
501(c) Groups / Political Nonprofits
nonprofit, tax-exempt groups organized under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, can engage in varying amounts of political activity, and are not required to disclose their donors to the public
Hybrid PACs (Carey Committees)
not affiliated with a candidate and has the ability to operate both as a traditional PAC, contributing funds to a candidate's committee, and as a super PAC that makes independent expenditures, must have a separate bank account for each purpose
Soft money: outside political spending (independent or non-coordinated)
refers to political expenditures made by organizations and individuals other than the candidate campaigns themselves. All outside groups that aren't political parties are allowed to accept unlimited sums of money from individuals, corporations, or unions. However, these organizations are not allowed to coordinate their spending with political candidates or parties.
Dark money
refers to political spending meant to influence the decision of a voter, where the donor is not disclosed and the source of the money is unknown. Can refer to funds spent by a political nonprofit or a super PAC
There was an explosion in electioneering communications, which are issue ads made within certain pre-election and pre-convention time periods.
results of 2007: FEC v. Wisconsin Right to Life
spending grew, election spending by politically active nonprofits was in the form of direct appeals to vote for or against particular candidates grew, & groups bought lots of ads outside of periods when the ads have to be reported to the FEC
results of 2010: SpeechNow v. FEC
Limited Liability and Shell Companies
sometimes established to help disguise the identity of a donor or source of money spent on behalf of a political candidate. loopholes have made these attractive vehicles with which move political money into organizations while protecting the identity of the donor. darkest of dark money groups
2010: Citizens United v. FEC
supreme Court decision loosened restrictions on corporate spending and made it possible for Dark Money groups to ramp up their independent expenditures.
501(c)(3) groups
tax-exempt groups that operate for religious, charitable, scientific or educational purposes. not supposed to engage in any political activities, though some voter registration activities are permitted. Ex: NAACP