The Federal Election Commission increased the limits on the amount an individual can contribute to a candidate or national political party, as well as the overall limit on the amount an individual can give to all federal candidates and federal political committees in a two-year election cycle.

An individual can now give up to $2,600 per election to a candidate for federal office, up from $2,500.  Because contribution limits for PACs do not adjust for inflation as individual limits do, this means that a couple can now jointly contribute more to a federal candidate ($5,200 combined) than a PAC can (still $5,000).  The limit on an individual’s contributions to a national party committee increased to $32,400, up from $30,800.  The following chart shows more details on the limits for individuals in 2013 and 2014:

An individual may contribute to …
Federal   Candidates $2,600 per   election
National   party committees $32,400 per   year
State   or local party committees’ federal accounts $10,000 per   year
Federal   PACs $5,000 per   year

 

The FEC also increased the complex aggregate limits on the amount an individual can give to all candidates and federal political committees.  No individual can give more than $123,200 in total contributions to all federal candidates, parties, and PACs between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2014 (up $6,200 from the last cycle).  The part that adds confusion is that there are also sub-limits on how much an individual can give to (a) all candidates, (b) all political parties and PACs, and (c) all state/local parties (federal accounts) and PACs combined.  These aggregate limits and sub-limits are best demonstrated in a chart:

Individuals who are politically active should consult legal counsel when tracking their biennial aggregate limits because there are many traps for the unwary to avoid.

Photo of Derek Lawlor Derek Lawlor

Derek Lawlor is of counsel in the firm’s Election and Political Law Practice Group. Derek advises corporations, nonprofit organizations, and trade associations on compliance with federal and state lobbying, campaign finance, and government ethics laws.

Clients regularly rely on Derek to assist with…

Derek Lawlor is of counsel in the firm’s Election and Political Law Practice Group. Derek advises corporations, nonprofit organizations, and trade associations on compliance with federal and state lobbying, campaign finance, and government ethics laws.

Clients regularly rely on Derek to assist with their complex questions related to activities and projects that implicate all of these laws. Derek advises federal and state candidates and super PACs on campaign finance and disclosure issues. Derek also represents clients in government investigations and inquiries conducted by the Federal Election Commission, Office of Congressional Ethics, and Congressional Committees and Commissions.

Derek’s representation of clients covers the full range of important political law issues that they face, including:

  • Advising clients on their registration and reporting obligations under the federal Lobbying Disclosure Act, as well as state and local lobbying laws, including helping client organizations evaluate the core questions that arise in this space:
    • Has the organization or any of its employees triggered lobbying registration requirements?
    • What lobbying income, expenditures, issues, or contacts need to be disclosed on lobbying reports?
    • Does procurement or sales activity directed at governmental entities trigger lobbying registration in a particular jurisdiction?
    • What are the best practices for designing a lobbying compliance program?
  • Assisting corporations and trade associations with the establishment and operation of connected PACs, which frequently entails evaluating the following questions:
    • What steps does the organization need to take to start up and register a connected PAC?
    • What are the ongoing reporting requirements under the Federal Election Campaign Act (“FECA”) or state campaign finance laws?
    • Which employees can the organization solicit and what are the rules on conducting a solicitation campaign?
    • What are the limits on making contributions to federal, state, or local candidates, party committees, or other political committees?
    • What are the best practices for designing a PAC compliance program?
  • Evaluating whether a client’s proposed activities might trigger registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”), and if so, advising on registration and ongoing reporting obligations;
  • Advising federal and state candidates, super PACs, and other political committees on compliance with FECA, FEC regulations and reporting requirements, state campaign finance laws, rules on disclaimers placed on communications, and other political law compliance topics;
  • Counseling individuals who are entering government service, including Senate-confirmed positions, on the various financial disclosure requirements, conflicts of interest considerations, and other ethics law issues they may face;
  • Helping clients establish politically active or policy-focused nonprofit organizations, and proving ongoing support related to tax and political law issues that might arise from their activities; and
  • Advising corporations, nonprofits, and individuals on their proposed donations to candidates, political committees, and other politically active outside groups.

Derek is a Professorial Lecturer in Law at the George Washington University Law School.

Prior to receiving his law degree, Derek worked in the Office of General Counsel at the U.S. House of Representatives.

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