Making sense of Lobbyists, Interest Groups, and SuperPACs!

Who are all these people? Interest Groups – Organized groups who share like ideas and try to influence decisions Lobbyists – Representatives of these groups SuperPAC’s – organizational arm of the I.G. that donates money to campaigns.

To CLARIFY & SIMPLIFY: Interest Groups deal with every day legislation SuperPAC’s deal with elections

According to Janda: Depends on your commitment to Freedom or Equality Are IG’s Good or Evil? According to Janda: Depends on your commitment to Freedom or Equality

THREE TYPES OF IG’s Public Interests Protect Worker’s Rights Business Interests (half of all IG’s in DC) Oil, tobacco, cable TV, fast food, etc……

Role of Interest Groups: Representation Participation Education Agenda Building Program Monitoring

How the Iron Triangle Works Congress Money to support the bureaucracy Bureaucracy Does something beneficial for an interest group INTEREST GROUP Appreciation and Support through the election process

All of this is regulated and monitored by the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) FEC Donation Limits

What is a PAC? Political Action Committees A 'PAC' is a specific type of non-profit that supports a specific candidate and has to disclose donors, and donations are limited.

SuperPACs Officially known as an "independent expenditure-only committee" Result of two 2010 SC Cases; namely Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission 2010 Reversed “McCain-Fiengold” Act (2002) RULING: First Amendment prohibits the government from censoring political broadcasts in candidate elections when those broadcasts are funded by corporations or unions.

SuperPACs a "superPAC" can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money A "superPAC" can directly attack a political candidate. However, a“superPAC" is not allowed to coordinate directly with candidates. A “superPAC” must disclose donors, but has unlimited donations. HOWEVER…. Many have created “arms” of their superPACs that are non-profits which do NOT have to disclose (i.e. Grover Norquist’s group)

SuperPACs SuperPACs are doing (and paying for) the tasks once done by candidates themselves. For example, negative ads.

2016 Election SuperPACS Conservative Solutions – Rubio’s New Day for America – Kasich’s Priorities USA – Hillary’s Which candidates had NO SUPERPACS?