Making sense of Lobbyists, Interest Groups, PACS, and now

the SuperPACs

Who are all these people?

• Interest Groups – Organized groups who share like ideas and try to influence decisions

• Lobbyists – Representatives of these groups

• PAC’s – organizational arm of the I.G. that donates money to campaigns.

To CLARIFY:Interest Groups deal with every day legislation

SuperPAC’s deal with elections

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

Equality

Role of Interest Groups: (from Janda)

• Representation• Participation• Education

• Agenda Building• Program Monitoring

How the Iron Triangle Works

INTEREST GROUP

Appreciation and Support through the election process

BureaucracyDoes something beneficial for an interest group

CongressMoney to support the bureaucracy

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.

2012 Election SuperPACS

• Restore Our Future – Romney’s• Priorities USA – Obama’s