Introduction to Campaign Finance

In the 2011-2012, the FEC-reported cost of federal campaigns was about $9 billion.

That sounds like a lot of money ... until you realize that the total is less than half of what one corporation -- Procter and Gamble -- spent on advertising during the same period.

Milestones

• FECA 1971 and 1974
• Buckley v. Valeo
• "Magic Words," Footnote 52 and Soft Money
• Colorado I and II:  party coordinated and independent expenditures
• BCRA
• McConnell v. FEC: "We are under no illusion that BCRA will be the last congressional statement on the matter. Money, like water, will always find an outlet. 
• Citizens United and SpeechNow
• McCutcheon v. FEC
• IRS approves 501(c)(4) status of Crossroads GPS

FEC limits and special party rules

Outside spending: an overview

Following the Money

• FEC Database
• California Data
• State campaign finance
• A Form 990
• The Churn
• An example of a dubious dark-money group

The Dark Money Churn