Transcript Campaign Finance - Mundelein High School

Campaign Finance

Federal Election Campaign Act

Buckley v. Valeo

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

McConnell v. FEC
Money is the mother’s milk of politics.
— Jesse Unruh, Speaker, California
House of Representatives
Illinois 8th District
Year
Candidate
Receipts
PAC
Contributions
%
2008
R: Greenberg
D: Bean
$940,000
$3.0 mil
$110,000
$1.65 mil
12%
55%
2006
R: McSweeney
D: Bean
$5.1 mil
$4.3 mil
$460,000
$1.5 mil
9%
35%
2004
R: Crane
D: Bean
$1.6 mil
$1.6 mil
$1.2 mil
$491,000
73%
31%
2002
R: Crane
D: Bean
$695,000
$329,000
$550,000
$107,000
79%
32%
2000
R: Crane
D: Pressl
$1.1 mil
$285,000
$680,000
$46,000
64%
16%
House Campaign Expenses
7%
3%
3%
27%
Electronic Media Advertising
Overhead
Fundraising
Actual Campaigning
Persuasion Mail
Polling
Other Expenses
Other Media
15%
8%
13%
24%
Senate Campaign Expenses
5%
3% 2%1%
3%
42%
20%
24%
Electronic Media Advertising
Overhead
Fundraising
Actual Campaigning
Persuasion Mail
Polling
Other Expenses
Other Media
Hard Money v Soft Money

Hard Money:
Political
contributions given
to a party,
candidate, or
interest group that
are limited in
amount and fully
disclosed.

Soft Money: Funds
obtained by political
parties that are
spent on party
activities, such as
get out the vote
drives, not on behalf
of a specific
candidate.
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971
Contribution Limits:
 By PACs, individuals, parties
 From candidates to own campaigns
FECA: Contribution Limits
Recipients
Donors
Candidate
PAC
Party
TOTAL
Individual
$1,000
$5,000
$20,000
$25,000
MC PAC
$5,000
$5,000
$15,000
NL
Party
$5,000
NA
NA
NL
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971
Contribution Limits:
 By PACs, individuals, parties
 From candidates to own campaigns
Expenditure Limits:
 Candidates
 Groups independent of candidates
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971
Contribution Limits:
 By PACs, individuals, parties
 From candidates to own campaigns
Expenditure Limits:
 Candidates
 Groups independent of candidates
Public Funding:
 Presidential primary candidates
 Presidential election candidates
FECA: Public Funding
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
Public
Funds
23.7
29.6
35.4
65.4
38.8
56.3
55.8
26.5
Camp.
Costs
66.8
127.8
135.7
208.6
117.0
233.1
328.6
599.6
%
35.5
23.2
26.1
31.4
33.2
24.2
17.0
4.4
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971
Contribution Limits:
 By PACs, individuals, parties
 From candidates to own campaigns
Expenditure Limits:
 Candidates
 Groups independent of candidates
Public Funding:
 Presidential primary candidates
 Presidential election candidates
Disclosure and Enforcement:
 FEC
Buckley v. Valeo (1976)
Before
Contribution Limits:
 By PACs, individuals, parties
 From candidates to own campaigns
Expenditure Limits:
 Candidates
 Groups independent of candidates
Public Funding:
 Presidential primary candidates
 Presidential election candidates
Disclosure and Enforcement:
 FEC
After
Contribution Limits:
 By PACs, individuals, parties
Public Funding:
 Presidential primary candidates
 Presidential election candidates
Disclosure and Enforcement:
 FEC
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002

Increased contribution limits
BCRA: Per Candidate Contribution Limits
Recipients
Donors
Candidate
PAC
Party
TOTAL
Individual
$2,000
$5,000
$25,000
$95,000
MC PAC
$5,000
$5,000
$15,000
NL
Party
$5,000
NA
NA
NL
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002


Increased contribution limits
Prohibited national parties from raising or
spending soft money
Soft Money Contributions (in millions), 1992-2002
$300
$250
$200
$150
$100
$50
$0
1992
1994
1996
Democrat
1998
2000
Republican
2002
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002



Increased contribution limits
Prohibited national parties from raising or
spending soft money
Required state and local parties to pay for
federal elections with hard money
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002




Increased contribution limits
Prohibited national parties from raising or
spending soft money
Required state and local parties to pay for
federal elections with hard money
Prohibited federal candidates from raising or
spending soft money
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002





Increased contribution limits
Prohibited national parties from raising or
spending soft money
Required state and local parties to pay for
federal elections with hard money
Prohibited federal candidates from raising or
spending soft money
Prohibited corporations and unions from using
soft money for electioneering communications
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002






Increased contribution limits
Prohibited national parties from raising or
spending soft money
Required state and local parties to pay for
federal elections with hard money
Prohibited federal candidates from raising or
spending soft money
Prohibited corporations and unions from using
soft money for electioneering communications
Required disclosure of electioneering
communications
Electioneering Communications
 Broadcast, cable or satellite
communication;
 That refers to a clearly identified
federal candidate;
 Is publicly distributed by a
television station, radio station,
cable television system or
satellite system for a fee; and
 Is distributed within 60 days
prior to a general election or 30
days prior to a primary election
to federal office.
Electioneering Communications
Sponsor: Kentucky Democratic Party
Ad Frequency: 663 times between October 22 and November 3, 1998
ANNOUNCER: If Congressman Bunning gets his way, everything from
milk to medicine would cost 30% more. Last week Jim Bunning said
quote, "We ought to have a national sales tax." That's right, Bunning
would create a whole new federal tax. Bunning wants to raise our
taxes, but voted for a tax loophole that has let billionaires renounce
their citizenship to avoid paying U.S. taxes. Tell Bunning, no loophole
for billionaires, no new sales tax for working people.
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002







Increased contribution limits
Prohibited national parties from raising or
spending soft money
Required state and local parties to pay for
federal elections with hard money
Prohibited federal candidates from raising or
spending soft money
Prohibited corporations and unions from using
soft money for electioneering communications
Required disclosure of electioneering
communications
Required political parties to choose between
making coordinated expenditures OR
independent expenditures, but not both
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002








Increased contribution limits
Prohibited national parties from raising or
spending soft money
Required state and local parties to pay for
federal elections with hard money
Prohibited federal candidates from raising or
spending soft money
Prohibited corporations and unions from using
soft money for electioneering communications
Required disclosure of electioneering
communications
Required political parties to choose between
making coordinated expenditures OR
independent expenditures, but not both
Prohibited minors from contributing
McConnell v. FEC (2003)
Before








Increased contribution limits
Prohibited national parties from raising or
spending soft money
Required state and local parties to pay for
federal elections with hard money
Prohibited federal candidates from raising or
spending soft money
Prohibited corporations and unions from using
soft money for electioneering communications
Required disclosure of electioneering
communications
Required political parties to choose between
making coordinated expenditures OR
independent expenditures, but not both
Prohibited minors from contributing
After






Increased contribution limits
Prohibited national parties from raising or
spending soft money
Required state and local parties to pay for
federal elections with hard money
Prohibited federal candidates from raising or
spending soft money
Prohibited corporations and unions from using
soft money for electioneering communications
Required disclosure of electioneering
communications
527’S (THE NEW SOFT $$)



Named for the IRS tax code that gives
life to these committees
A 527 group is created primarily to
influence the nomination, election,
appointment or defeat of candidates for
public office.
Not subject to campaign finance laws
527 Committees
All 527s*
Expenses
527s
(Excluding
State
Candidates &
Parties)*
Receipts
527s
(Excluding
State
Candidates &
Parties)*
Expenses
Cycle
All 527s*
Receipts
2004
$599,202,432 $611,723,836 $434,023,186 $442,472,913
2006
$384,911,172 $429,380,273 $165,518,800 $206,337,527
2008
$425,561,881 $374,187,522
$201,276,654 $198,753,309
See the full list
Top 5 Committees Receiving
Money
Top 5 Committees Receiving Money
Committee
2008 Receipts
Service Employees
International Union
$23,902,467
America Votes
$21,407,440
American Solutions Winning
the Future
$18,593,115
The Fund for America
$12,142,046
EMILY's List
$11,659,922