reported a $175,700 donation to its 527 committee involved in the U.S. Senate special election in Massachusetts to fill Ted Kennedy’s seat.

 

At the time of EMILY’s List’s acceptance of the money from Chicago media mogul Fred Eychaner on January 1, federal law prohibited donations in excess of $5,000 to federal 527s. That cap is no longer in effect, following the court case SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission in March which threw out the $5,000 limit for federal independent expenditure committees.

 

“The question, then, is this: Did EMILY’s List jump the gun?” asks Michael Beckel in the Capital Eye Blog, part of the Center for Responsive Politics, which uncovered the Eychaner contribution. “Did they make a smart, strategic decision before anyone else? Or did they violate the letter or the spirit of federal campaign finance law by this action in January?”

 

In the wake of the SpeechNow decision, more six- and even seven-figure donations to federal 527s are expected as liberal and conservative groups take advantage of the limitless ceiling on contributions to independent expenditure committees gearing up for the November congressional election.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Contribution to EMILY's List Political Action Committee Raises Questions of Legality and Hints of Things to Come (by Michael Beckel, Capital Eye Blog)

Court Ruling Opens Doors to Unlimited Campaign Donations (by Noel Brinkerhoff and David Wallechinsky, Allgov)