Campaign Contributions

These figures were for an earlier year (2015, I think). The limits capped at $48,600 the amount an individual could spend on contributions to candidates, plus $74,600 total on contributions to political parties and committees. The court did not disturb the limit on how much an individual may contribute to a specific candidate, currently $2,700 per election. But Roberts said an individual should be able to contribute that amount to as many candidates as he chooses. That decision led to the current lopsided campaign system, in which donors can give a federal candidate only $2,700 per election but can donate endless sums to super PACs, which must spend their money independently of candidates and parties. The omnibus bill includes a provision to create three separate funds within the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee. Each fund would be allowed to accept $97,200 from just one donor per year. If this change becomes law, it would mean that a single donor could give up to $324,000 per year, or $648,000 for a two-year election cycle, to finance the party’s operations. The change would effectively obliterate campaign contribution limits to the parties, while eviscerating the limits placed by the 2002 McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform law on how much a political candidate can seek from a donor. The current maximum a donor can give to a national party committee is $32,400 per year, plus an additional $32,400 per year to a separate fund to be used only in case of an election recount. The omnibus spending bill created a new account for building expenses within all six committees, and another for expenses related to a party nominating convention for the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee. It also expanded the limits to the recount accounts held by all six. While donors are limited to giving $33,400 per year to a national party committee, the limits for these new or expanded accounts were set at $100,200. In total, a single donor can now give $801,600 per year to the party of their choice. Federal multi-candidate PACs may contribute to candidates as follows: $5,000 to a candidate or candidate committee for each election (primary and general elections count as separate elections); $15,000 to a political party per year; and $5,000 to another PAC per year. PACs may make unlimited expenditures independently of a candidate or political party Super PACs, officially known as "independent-expenditure only committees," may not make contributions to candidate campaigns or parties, but may engage in unlimited political spending independently of the campaigns. Unlike traditional PACs, they can raise funds from individuals, corporations, unions, and other groups without any legal limit on donation size. PACs, or political action committees, are organizations that pool campaign contributions from its members to support or oppose candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation. Oftentimes formed in support of a specific candidate or ballot measure, PACs represent one way a corporation can contribute to a candidate’s campaign without violating restrictions on corporate influence in elections. If a corporation desired to form a PAC, pooling contributions from its employees or outside sources into a distinct bank account, the PAC can spend money to influence elections in a way the corporation cannot by itself. 13 states allow PACs to contribute unlimited amounts of money to state campaigns. The remaining 37 either impose the same limitations as the ones on individuals, or provide a separate contribution limit. After the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (2010), PACs can spend unlimited amounts of money on broadcasts and communications related to an election, provided they act independently of any one candidate..