Key Laws
What 1971 law was the first major federal law regulating campaign finance?
What is the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)?)
This 2010 case allowed unlimited independent expenditures by corporations and unions.
What is Citizens United v. FEC?
Money given directly to a candidate's campaign.
What is a hard money donation?
What agency enforces federal campaign finance laws?
What is the Federal Election Commission (FEC)?
What is a Super PAC? (
A group that can raise unlimited money but cannot coordinate with candidates.
This 2002 law banned soft money and restricted issue ads.
What is the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) or McCain-Feingold Act?
This 1976 case upheld contribution limits but struck down expenditure limits.
What is Buckley v. Valeo?
Money spent by groups independently of a candidate’s campaign.
What is an independent expenditure?
How many members sit on the FEC?
What is six?
What type of organization is often used for political advocacy but not required to disclose donors?
What is a 501(c)(4)?)
Which amendment to FECA created the FEC?
What is the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)?
Money not subject to federal limits, often used for party-building.
What is soft money?
The FEC requires campaigns to file these regularly.
What are disclosure reports?
What is “dark money”?
Political spending by groups that do not disclose their donors.
Which law introduced contribution limits for individuals and PACs?
What is the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)?
This ruling struck down aggregate limits on campaign contributions.
What is McCutcheon v. FEC?
What are "bundlers" in campaign finance?
People who collect and combine donations to present to a campaign as a package.
What does the FEC do when laws are violated?
What is investigate and impose fines or penalties?
What impact did Citizens United have on political advertising?
It led to a surge in outside spending and ads
This part of the BCRA was struck down by Citizens United v. FEC.
What is the ban on independent expenditures by corporations and unions?
What constitutional amendment is most commonly cited in campaign finance cases?
What is the First Amendment?
What distinguishes a 527 group from a PAC?
527s can raise unlimited funds but can't coordinate directly with campaigns
This agency can audit campaigns for compliance.
What is the FEC?
How has social media changed campaign finance?
Lowered fundraising costs and increased small-dollar donations.