Campaign finance

Campaign finance is the raising and spending of money to influence elections and political campaigns. It includes donations, independent expenditures, public funding, and rules governing political money.

Political action committee: A U.S. organization that raises or spends money to influence federal elections under campaign finance rules. PACs channel contributions from members or donors into candidate support and election advocacy.
Tillman Act of 1907: A U.S. federal law that prohibited corporations and national banks from contributing to federal campaigns. It marked an early federal effort to restrict the sources of campaign money.
Federal Election Commission: The independent U.S. agency that administers and enforces federal campaign finance law. The FEC registers committees, collects reports, and investigates alleged violations.
Campaign finance reform: Efforts to change laws or practices governing political contributions, expenditures, and disclosure. Reform proposals seek to reduce corruption risks or broaden political participation.
Super PAC: A U.S. political committee that may raise unlimited funds for independent spending, but cannot coordinate spending with candidates. Super PACs illustrate how independent expenditures can operate outside contribution limits.
Federal Election Campaign Act: A U.S. federal law establishing disclosure and contribution rules for federal election campaigns. Its reforms supplied much of the statutory structure for current federal regulation.
United States Supreme Court: The highest federal court in the United States, with authority to review constitutional questions. Its decisions determine which campaign finance restrictions survive constitutional review.
Lobbying: Attempts to influence government decisions through communication with public officials. Lobbying targets policy decisions, while campaign finance concerns money connected to elections.
Independent expenditure: Spending to support or oppose a candidate without coordination with that candidate's campaign. Its legal separation from campaigns is central to modern spending rules.
Watergate scandal: A U.S. political scandal arising from the 1972 break-in at Democratic National Committee headquarters and its cover-up. The scandal intensified scrutiny of campaign money and prompted major legislative reforms.

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