Campaign Finance
Corrupt Practices Act
• First passed in 1925
• Limits primary and
general election
contributions
• Requires disclosure
of expenses
• Too many loopholes
Hatch Act
• Political Activities
Act of 1939
• Limits civil servants
• Spending limits:
– $3 mil per group
– $5K per individual
Federal Election Campaign Act
• Replaced previous
laws
– No overall spending
limit
– Media spending
limited
– Limited candidate
contributions to own
campaign
• Buckley and
Vermont
Further reforms
• Passed in 1974
– Created FEC
– Public Financing,
with limit
– Limited
contribututions
• $1K IND, $25K total
• $5K group
– Required Disclosure
PAC’s
• Created to allow Unions and
Corporations to donate
– Can donate $5K
– 50 donors
– Contribute to 5 candidates
– 1973: $19m/03-04: over $900m
• 527 Groups
– Issue advocacy
– No Limits (soft money)
Bipartisan Campaign Finance
Reform Act of 2002
• Bans Unlimited Contributions to National
Political Parties
– State and local can receive $10K per IND
• Raised IND contributions to $2K/$95K