Finally, A National Republican With Some Common Sense on Campaign Finance
I've been bitching and griping for years about national Republican leaders like Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee etc. who set up federal leadership PAC's to finance their pre-presidential campaign political activities. There are of course three major problems with such entities. First, they are limited to soliciting and receiving donations no larger than $5,000.00 per person per year. Second, they may not take contributions from corporations. And third, they must publicly disclose these donations.
None of these individuals are either federal candidates or officeholders at this time. As such, there is no rational legal reason to set up a federal leadership PAC. Instead, these individuals should have set up IRC 501(C)4 public policy organizations. With these entities they would be able to solicit donations of any size from almost any source including wealthy individuals and corporations. They also would not have to publicly report the source of these donations.
At this time, only one national Republican has chosen such a route, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson. He's set up a 501(C)4 public policy group called Our America.
Will Governor Johnson run for President? I have no idea. But if he does, at least he has the sense to start it out with some common sense.
None of these individuals are either federal candidates or officeholders at this time. As such, there is no rational legal reason to set up a federal leadership PAC. Instead, these individuals should have set up IRC 501(C)4 public policy organizations. With these entities they would be able to solicit donations of any size from almost any source including wealthy individuals and corporations. They also would not have to publicly report the source of these donations.
At this time, only one national Republican has chosen such a route, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson. He's set up a 501(C)4 public policy group called Our America.
Will Governor Johnson run for President? I have no idea. But if he does, at least he has the sense to start it out with some common sense.
Posted by Scott Pullins at 12/14/2010 2:46 PM 
Categories: campaigns, 2012, campaign finance
Tags: gary johnson sarah palin mitt romney mike huckabee 2012 candidates
Categories: campaigns, 2012, campaign finance
Tags: gary johnson sarah palin mitt romney mike huckabee 2012 candidates
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