Simone Lawson
Political Action Committees (PACs) are groups that raise and spend money to elect or defeat candidates. They are often formed by individuals, companies, nonprofits, or other labor or trade groups. PACs are popular because they give people more power in groups than as individuals, and they are one of the only ways for the general public to gain the attention of politicians and political parties. To find a PAC donation list, you can use online resources such as OpenSecrets, which allow you to trace donations to politicians and political committees at the federal and state levels. These websites provide data on campaign contributions from various organizations, including corporations, trade associations, and labor unions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Search by | State or federal candidate, committee, contributor, or employer |
| Donation type | Individual, corporate, or union |
| Donor information | Name, industry, and location |
| Recipient information | Name, political affiliation, and location |
| Donation amount | Up to $2,900 per election |
| Donation frequency | One-time or monthly |
| PAC type | Connected (73%) or non-connected |
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What You'll Learn
How to find a PAC donation list by state
To find a PAC donation list by state, you can use online resources such as OpenSecrets.org, which is a website dedicated to tracking the flow of money in American politics and its impact on elections and public policy. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to find a PAC donation list by state:
- Visit the OpenSecrets website: Go to the OpenSecrets website, which is a reputable source for tracking political donations. The URL is https://www.opensecrets.org/.
- Navigate to the PAC section: Once on the website, look for the "Political Action Committees (PACs)" or "PAC Search" section. This is where you will find information specifically related to PAC donations.
- Search by state: On the OpenSecrets website, you can search for a particular state to see the donors and industries that support political candidates in that state. This will provide you with a list of PAC donations specific to that state.
- Explore the data: OpenSecrets allows you to explore the big picture and see statistics at a glance. You can discover the industries and organizations that have made donations, including judicial officeholders in states that elect judges.
- Filter and analyze: Utilize the search and filter functions on the website to focus on specific states, candidates, or donors. You can also sign up for their newsletter to stay informed about the latest trends in money's influence on U.S. elections.
- Consider other sources: In addition to OpenSecrets, you can refer to other websites such as FEC.gov (Federal Election Commission) and FollowTheMoney.org. These sites provide additional information on campaign finance and may offer complementary insights.
By following these steps, you can access and analyze PAC donation lists by state, gaining valuable insights into the financial landscape of American politics and the influence of special interests at the state level.
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How to find a PAC donation list by industry
Political Action Committees (PACs) are committees that raise and spend money to support or defeat candidates and influence elections. PACs represent specific industries, labour unions, or individual companies and are often formed by individuals, companies, nonprofits, or other labour or trade groups. PACs are one of the only ways the general public can gain the attention of politicians and political parties.
PACs are not regulated by the Federal Election Commission and are not subject to FEC-style restrictions on who can contribute or how much they can give. However, donations to PACs are not tax-deductible and the names of donors are a matter of public record.
To find a PAC donation list by industry, you can use online databases such as OpenSecrets and CharityWatch. OpenSecrets allows you to search by industry or issue to see who is spending to shape policies. You can also use their donor lookup tool to find out which industries and organizations have donated to judicial officeholders in 38 states that elect judges. Similarly, CharityWatch has a database that allows you to explore who funds PACs and how they are spending the money.
Additionally, you can search for specific PACs by name in ProPublica's 527 database. This is especially useful if you already know the PAC associated with a particular company or organization, as some PACs are listed under their primary business or connection rather than their official name. For example, the "Coca-Cola Company Nonpartisan Committee for Good Government" is listed as "Coca-Cola Co."
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How to find a PAC donation list by donor type
Political Action Committees (PACs) are required to keep detailed records of all donations received, including the donor's name, address, and the date the donation was received. These records must be kept by the PAC Treasurer, who must also report all contributions to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The Treasurer is responsible for ensuring the legality of donations and must return any illegitimate donations within 30 days of receipt.
To find a PAC donation list by donor type, you can utilize resources such as OpenSecrets, which provides a donor lookup feature. This database includes millions of records of contributions to judicial officeholders, candidates, and ballot measures. You can search for specific candidates or explore statistics to identify the donors and industries that support them.
Additionally, Donorbox offers FEC-compliant reporting templates for political organizations. By changing your organization type to "political campaign," you can access an FEC Donor Template and an FEC Donation Template, allowing you to customize your search parameters to find donor information.
It is important to note that there are restrictions on donations to a PAC. For example, cash amounts cannot exceed $100, and anonymous cash amounts are limited to $50. PACs must also comply with reporting requirements, such as filing monthly or quarterly reports to the FEC, depending on the year and the amount of funds raised.
By leveraging tools like OpenSecrets and Donorbox, as well as understanding the regulations surrounding PAC donations, you can effectively research and locate PAC donation lists categorized by donor type.
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How to find a PAC donation list by candidate
To find a PAC donation list by candidate, you can use online tools such as OpenSecrets.org, which provides a donor lookup feature. This allows you to search for a specific state or federal candidate and see the donors and industries that support them. You can also explore statistics and see the bigger picture of campaign financing.
Another way to find PAC donation information is by using Power Search on the California Secretary of State website. This tool allows you to search for contributions to candidates, ballot measures, and expenditures. However, it is limited to electronically-reported, state-level data.
Additionally, you can refer to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) website, which provides information on individual contribution research. While it may not provide a direct list of PAC donations, it offers search filters to narrow down contributions to a particular committee or candidate's committee, helping you identify PAC donations.
These tools can help you find information on PAC donations by candidate, allowing you to understand the financial support behind political campaigns and make informed decisions.
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How to find a PAC donation list by year
Political Action Committees (PACs) are tax-exempt, non-profit organizations that raise and spend money to support candidates and influence elections. They are not charities, and donations made to them are not tax-deductible. However, the identities of those making the donations are a matter of public record.
To find a PAC donation list by year, you can refer to websites such as OpenSecrets.org, which is a research group that tracks the flow of money in American politics. The website provides data on campaign contributions and lobbying activity from thousands of corporations, trade associations, and labor organizations. It also allows you to search for campaign expenditures to see how candidates and political groups are spending donor money.
Another resource is FollowTheMoney.org, which displays state campaign finance data, including federal data from OpenSecrets.org. This site provides information on money flowing to and from PACs and can be useful for understanding political advertising and the influence of money on elections.
Additionally, CharityWatch provides information on Political Action Committees and how they differ from charities. They highlight the importance of donors understanding the different types of non-profits under the IRS tax code before making donating decisions. CharityWatch also mentions ProPublica's 527 database as a resource for searching who funds PACs and how they spend their money.
When searching for PAC donation lists by year, it is important to note that PACs with diversified interests may be listed under their primary business. For example, Boeing may be listed under "aircraft manufacturers" rather than "defense aerospace." Additionally, you may find that the names used for identification are the names of the organizations connected with the PAC rather than the official PAC name. For instance, the "Coca-Cola Company Nonpartisan Committee for Good Government" may be listed simply as "Coca-Cola Co."
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Frequently asked questions
A PAC donation list details the donations made to Political Action Committees (PACs) that work to elect or defeat specific candidates.
You can find a PAC donation list on OpenSecrets.org, which is a website that tracks money in U.S. politics and its influence on elections and public policy.
A PAC donation list includes information on the industries and organizations that donated to candidates, as well as the amounts raised and spent by these candidates.
You can search for specific information in a PAC donation list by using filters such as the name of the individual contributor, their employer or occupation, the date or amount of the contribution, or the state or federal candidate they are supporting.
