Stop Super PAC-Candidate Coordination Act
Rep. Ramirez Introduces Bill to Ban Candidates from Coordinating with Super PACs
This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process after being introduced in the House. It has been sent to the House Committee on House Administration for review. There are no upcoming votes scheduled at this time, and the bill is not actively moving forward.
Passage Likelihood
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- The bill treats any spending done in coordination with a candidate as a direct campaign contribution. Since Super PACs cannot give money directly to candidates, this would effectively ban them from working together on ads, strategy, or messaging.
From policy text
“any payment made by any person (other than a candidate, an authorized committee of a candidate, or a political committee of a political party) for a coordinated expenditure (as such term is defined in section 325) which is not otherwise treated as a contribution under clause (i) or clause (ii).”
View in full text - The bill creates a broad definition of "coordinated spender" that covers any group founded by a candidate, run by their family members, managed by former campaign staff, or sharing professional consultants with the campaign. These groups would be treated as making illegal contributions if they spend money supporting that candidate.
- Federal candidates and officeholders would be banned from raising money for Super PACs or any political group that accepts unlimited donations. This would end the common practice of candidates headlining fundraising events for outside spending groups.
From policy text
“solicit, receive, direct, or transfer funds to or on behalf of any political committee which accepts donations or contributions that do not comply with the limitations, prohibitions, and reporting requirements of this Act”
View in full text - Violators face fines of 300% of the amount they spent illegally, and directors, managers, or officers of the violating organization can be held personally liable if the group does not pay within one year.
- The new rules cover public communications that mention a candidate within 120 days of a general election or 60 days of a primary, including ads that support or attack a candidate even without explicit calls to vote for or against anyone.
- The bill eliminates the use of "firewalls" as a legal defense. Organizations cannot avoid coordination rules simply by claiming they set up internal walls between staff working on campaigns and staff running the Super PAC.
From policy text
“A person shall be determined to have made a payment in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, a candidate or committee, in accordance with this section without regard to whether or not the person established and used a firewall or similar procedures to restrict the sharing of information between individuals”
View in full text
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Related News
4 articlesThe Illusion of Independence
The editorial board argues that individual-candidate Super PACs are a form of legalized bribery and could be shut down if Congress passes the Stop Super PAC-Candidate Coordination Act, which would put strict limits on coordinated contributions and sever ties between candidates and outside groups.
Democrats introduce bill to curb super-PAC coordination
Rep. David Price and Chris Van Hollen introduced the Stop Super PAC-Candidate Coordination Act to prevent candidates from working with outside groups. The bill treats any spending done in cooperation with a candidate as a direct contribution and bans candidates from fundraising for Super PACs.
On Voting Rights, It Can Cost Companies to Take Both Sides
The article discusses the For the People Act (H.R. 1) and its components, including the Stop Super PAC-Candidate Coordination Act, which seeks to strengthen restrictions on how candidates and outside spending groups interact to ensure 'independent' expenditures are truly independent.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Stop Super PAC-Candidate Coordination Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
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