Super PACs

Minnesota Law Review

Volumn 96, Issue 5, 2012, Pages 1644-1693

  Briffault, Richard ^a  

^a The Earth Institute at Columbia University   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 84874101415     PISSN: 00265535     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Article

References (185)

1. 130 S. Ct. 876 (2010).
2. See Ctr. for Responsive Politics, 2010 Outside Spending, by Super PACs, OPENSECRETS.ORG (Feb. 29, 2012) [hereinafter Ctr. for Responsive Politics, 2010 Outside Spending], http://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/summ.php?cycle= 2010&chrt=V&disp=O&type=S (adding that the "Independent Ex-penditures" column equals approximately $65.33 million). The Congressional Research Service found that Super PACs spent $90.4 million in 2010, with about seventy percent of that, or approximately $63 million, devoted to inde-pendent spending and the rest spent on administrative costs.
3. See R. SAM GARRETT, CONG. RESEARCH SERV., R42042, "SUPER PACS" IN FEDERAL ELEC-TIONS: OVERVIEW AND ISSUES FOR CONGRESS 13 (2011). In 2010, Super PAC spending exceeded ten percent of total candidate spending in sixteen Senate and House elections.
4. See, e.g., Dan Eggen, Super PACs Outspend Campaigns 2 to 1 in S.C., WASH. POST, Jan. 16, 2012, at A6.
5. See, e.g., Tom Hamburger & Melanie Mason, 'Super PACs' Show Pow-er, L.A. TIMES, Jan. 1, 2012, at A1 ("In Ohio, $3 million in ads . . . have al-ready been aired against the state's incumbent Democratic senator, Sherrod Brown-a year before the election.");
6. Manu Raju, Scott Brown, Elizabeth War-ren Call for Super PAC Cease-Fire, POLITICO (Jan. 16, 2012, 1:42 PM), http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/ 71484.html (reporting that, as of early January 2012, Super PACs had spent at least $3.5 million on the November 2012 Massachusetts United States Senate race).
7. See 2 U.S.C. § 441a(1)(C) (2006)
8. declared unconstitutional by SpeechNow.org v. FEC, 599 F.3d 686, 696 (D.C. Cir. 2010) (limit on individual donations to a regular, non-Super PAC is $5,000 per calendar year);
9. Fredreka Schouten et al., Individuals, Not Corporations, Drive Super PAC Financing, USA TODAY, Feb. 9, 2012, at A7 ("Nearly two-thirds of the $95 million that flowed into super PACs driving presidential and congressional politics came from wealthy individuals . . . .").
10. 494 U.S. 652 (1990) (per curiam).
11. 540 U.S. 93 (2003).
12. Citizens United v. FEC, 130 S. Ct. 876, 899-913 (2010).
13. 424 U.S. 1 (1976).
14. See 2 U.S.C. §§ 432-434 (2006 & Supp. IV) (codifying "political committees").
15. Technically, the term "political action committee" or "PAC" does not exist under federal law. The law recognizes and regulates a "political commit-tee," which is defined as any committee, club, association, or other group of persons that receives contributions in excess of $1000 or makes expenditures in excess of $1000 in a calendar year to influence elections for federal office. 2 U.S.C. § 431(4)(A). Political committees also include the "separate, segregated fund[s]" created by corporations and unions-which are barred from using their treasury funds to contribute to candidates under § 441b(a)-to make con-tributions in federal elections.
16. Because the first com-mittee created by a labor union in the 1940s to get around the restriction on direct union support for federal candidates was called the Political Action Committee, political committees have long been known as PACs. Anthony Corrado, Money and Politics: A History of Campaign Finance Law, in NEW CAMPAIGN FINANCE SOURCEBOOK 7, 18 (Anthony Corrado et al. eds., 2005).
17. 2 U.S.C. § 441a(a)(1)(C).
18. See generally Richard Briffault, The 527 Problem . . . and the Buckley Problem, 73 GEO. WASH. L. REV. 949 (2005) (providing a basic overview of 527s).
19. 2 U.S.C. § 434(b)(3)(F) (2006).
20. I.R.C. §§ 527(j)(2)(B), 6104(a)(1)(A) (2006).
21. I.R.C. § 501(c)(4)-(6).
22. See Miriam Galston, When Statutory Regimes Collide: Will Citizens United and Wisconsin Right to Life Make Federal Tax Regulation of Cam-paign Activity Unconstitutional?, 13 U. PA. J. CONST. L. 867, 876 n.29 (2011) (describing the "primarily" standard of organizational purpose under § 501(c)).
23. The Supreme Court has held that FECA applies only to "organizations that are under the control of a candidate or the major purpose of which is the nomination or election of a candidate." Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1, 79 (1976). By definition, a 501(c) group cannot have electoral politics as its primary or main purpose.
24. See I.R.C. §§ 6033, 6104.
25. See 11 C.F.R. § 104.20(c)(9) (2011) (disclosure of contributors who fund electioneering communication), § 109.10(e)(1)(vi) (disclosure of contributors who fund independent expenditures). On March 30, 2012, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia granted summary judgment to the plaintiffs in a suit challenging the FEC's regulation limiting the scope of dis-closure. Under the FEC rule, which the court concluded was inconsistent with the disclosure statute, a corporation or union that engages in electioneering communications subject to federal reporting requirements need disclose only those donors above a threshold level who earmarked their donations for the purpose of furthering electioneering communications.
26. Van Hollen v. FEC, Civ. No. 11-0766, 2012 WL 1066717, at *16 (D.D.C. Mar. 30, 2012).
27. See 2 U.S.C. §§ 432-434 (2006);
28. I.R.C. §§ 527(j)(2)(B), 6033, 6104.
29. See Peter Overby, Powerful GOP-Linked SuperPAC Has Clear Agenda, NPR.ORG (Feb. 9, 2012), http://www.npr.org/2012/02/09/146613016/powerful -gop-linked-superpac-has-clear-agenda ("The superPAC American Crossroads works with a partner, a nonprofit 'issues' group called Crossroads GPS, which [American Crossroads CEO Stephen] Law also runs.").
30. See Jessica Yellin, Crossroads' $51 Million Haul, CNN.COM (Jan. 31, 2012), http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/31/crossroads-51- million-haul/ ("Together American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS raised $51 million in 2011 . . . . American Crossroads the super PAC raised $18.4 million and Cross-roads GPS raised $32.6 million.").
31. Michael E. Toner et al., What Is a Super PAC?, ELECTION L. NEWS (Wiley Rein LLP, Wash. D.C.), Sept. 2011, at 7, available at http://www.wileyrein.com/ publications.cfm?sp=articles&newsletter=8&id=7458.
32. 424 U.S. 1 (1976) (per curiam).
33. See Contributions, FEC (Feb. 2011), http://www.fec.gov/pages/brochures/ contrib.shtml (listing the current federal campaign contribution limits).
34. Buckley, 424 U.S. at 38.
35. 453 U.S. 182, 184-86, 201 (1981).
36. 454 U.S. 290, 291, 300 (1981).
37. See First Nat'l Bank v. Bellotti, 435 U.S. 765, 790 (1978) (noting that the risk of corruption present in candidate elections does not exist in issue elections).
38. CARC, 454 U.S. at 299.
39. Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1, 26-29 (1975) (per curiam).
40. Nixon v. Shrink Mo. Gov't PAC, 528 U.S. 377, 389 (2000).
41. 540 U.S. 93 (2003).
42. 435 U.S. 765, 788 n.26, 795 (1978).
43. FEC v. Nat'l Conservative PAC, 470 U.S. 480, 498 (1985).
44. 494 U.S. 652, 698-99 (1990).
45. McConnell, 540 U.S. at 203-09.
46. 556 U.S. 868
47. 129 S. Ct. 2252, 2265-67 (2009).
48. 344 F.3d 418, 433-34 (4th Cir. 2003).
49. citing Cal. Med. Ass'n v. FEC, 435 U.S. 182, 203 (1981) (Blackmun, J., concurring).
50. Leake v. N.C. Right to Life, Inc., 541 U.S. 1007
51. 124 S. Ct. 2065, 2065 (2004).
52. N.C. Right to Life, Inc. v. Leake, 525 F.3d 274, 308 (4th Cir. 2008).
53. quoting McConnell v. FEC, 540 U.S. 95, 188 (2003).
54. 581 F.3d 1, 4-5 (D.C. Cir. 2009).
55. N.C. Right to Life, Inc. v. Leake, 525 F.3d 274, 293 (4th Cir. 2003).
56. See EMILY's List, 581 F.3d at 13-14;
57. N.C. Right to Life, Inc., 525 F.3d at 293.
58. EMILY's List, 581 F.3d at 14;
59. see also N.C. Right to Life, Inc., 525 F.3d at 293 ("Given the remove [sic] of independent expenditure committees from candidates themselves, we must require North Carolina to produce convincing evidence of corruption before upholding contribution limits as applied to such organizations.").
60. EMILY's List, 581 F.3d at 14;
61. N.C. Right to Life, Inc., 525 F.3d at 293.
62. Citizens United v. FEC, 130 S. Ct. 876, 910 (2010).
63. See FEC v. Nat'l Right to Work Comm., 459 U.S. 197 (1982).
64. Citizens United, 130 S. Ct. at 909.
65. SpeechNow.org v. FEC, 599 F.3d 686, 689 (D.C. Cir. 2010).
66. Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce v. City of Long Beach, 603 F.3d 684, 687 (9th Cir. 2010)
67. cert. denied, 131 S. Ct. 392 (2010). Technically, the Long Beach ordinance prohibited independent spending concerning a can-didate by any entity that accepted "contribution[s] in excess of $350 to $650, depending upon the office for which the candidate is running," but the court treated the restriction as a contribution limit.
68. quoting N.C. Right to Life, Inc. v. Leake, 525 F.3d 274, 291 (2008).
69. quoting McConnell v. FEC, 540 U.S. 93, 155 (2003).
70. Thalheimer v. City of San Diego, 645 F.3d 1109 (9th Cir. 2011).
71. 664 F.3d 139, 155 (7th Cir. 2011).
72. FEC Advisory Op. 2010-09, at 3-5 (2010).
73. 2 U.S.C. § 441b(b)(4)(A)(i) (2006)
74. declared unconstitutional by Citizen 130 S. Ct. 876 (2010).
75. FEC Advisory Op. 2010-09, at 4.
76. FEC Advisory Op. 2010-11, at 2-3 (2010).
77. FEC Advisory Op. 2011-12, at 4 (2011).
78. See 2 U.S.C. §§ 441i(a)(1), 441i(e)(1)(A) (2006).
79. See FEC Advisory Op. 2011-12, at 4.
80. Carey v. FEC, 791 F. Supp. 2d 121, 131-32 (D.D.C. 2011). The FEC had previously failed to act on a request from the National Defense PAC for an advisory opinion approving its plan to set up separate bank accounts to pay for contributions and independent expenditures, and to accept unlimited contri-butions for the latter. Three commissioners had been prepared to approve the plan while two were opposed. With four affirmative votes needed to approve an advisory opinion, the FEC was deadlocked.
81. News Release, FEC, FEC Statement on Carey v. FEC: Reporting Guid-ance for Political Committees that Maintain a Non-Contribution Account (Oct. 5, 2011), available at http://www.fec.gov/press/Press2011/20111006postcarey.shtml. As noted, the National Defense PAC was not sponsored by a parent organ-ization. In campaign finance parlance, it was a non-connected PAC as distin-guished from a "separate, segregated fund" created and supported by a parent corporation or union.
82. See 2 U.S.C. § 431(4)(B) (2006) (defining a form of politi-cal committee). On March 1, 2012, the FEC deadlocked over the question of whether a separate, segregated fund could also operate as a hybrid PAC.
83. See Letter from Kevin Deeley, Acting Assoc. Gen. Counsel, FEC, to Dan Backer, Attorny for D.B. [sic] Capital Strategies (Mar. 1, 2012), available at http://saos.nictusa.com/aodocs/AO%20201201.Close%20Out%20Letter.pdf (not-ing in the matter of Stop This Insanity, Inc., AOR 2012-01, draft advisory opinion A, to permit a separate segregated fund to operate as a hybrid PAC, failed by a vote of 3-3, and draft advisory opinion B, to bar a separate segre-gated fund from operating as a hybrid PAC, failed by a 3-3 vote).
84. By mid-February 2012, there were approximately two dozen hybrid PACs. See Dave Levinthal, Hybrid PACs Pick Up Pace, POLITICO (Feb. 14, 2012, 1:20 PM), http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72849.html.
85. See Carey, 791 F. Supp. 2d at 128-36.
86. See FEC Advisory Op. 2010-09, at 4 (2010).
87. Ctr. for Responsive Politics, Super PACs, OPENSECRETS.ORG (Mar. 5, 2012) [hereinafter Ctr. for Responsive Politics, Super PACs], http://www.opensecrets. org/pacs/superpacs.php?cycle=2010.
88. FEC Advisory Op. 2011-23, at 1 (2011) (request for advisory opinion by American Crossroads).
89. See 2 U.S.C. §§ 431(8)(A)(1), 441a(a)(7)(B) (2006)
90. declared unconstitu-tional by SpeechNow.org v. FEC, 559 F.3d 686, 688 (D.C. Cir. 2010).
91. FEC Advisory Op. 2011-23, at 2 (2011) (vote);
92. FEC Advisory Op. 2011-23, at 3, 7-8 (2011) (agenda document No. 11-68-A).
93. See 11 C.F.R. § 109.21 (2011).
94. FEC Advisory Op. 2011-23, at 2 (agenda document No. 11-68-A) (statement of Vice Chair Caroline C. Hunter and Commissioners Donald F. McGahn and Matthew S. Petersen).
95. FEC Advisory Op. 2011-21, at 1 (2011) (Request by Constitutional Conservatives Fund PAC).
96. 2 U.S.C. § 434(i)(8)(B) (2006).
97. See, e.g., FEC Advisory Op. 2011-21, at 1-2.
98. 2 U.S.C. § 441i(e)(1).
99. Letter from Cynthia L. Bauerly, Chair, FEC, to Dan Backer, Attorney for DB Capitol Strategies, PLLC (Dec. 1, 2011), available at http://saos.nictusa. com/saos/searchao?SUBMIT= ao&AO=3349.
100. See Ctr. for Responsive Politics, Outside Spending, OPENSECRETS.ORG, http://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/ (last visited Jan. 25, 2012).
101. Dan Eggen & T.W. Farnam, 'Super PACs' Alter Campaign, WASH. POST, Sept. 28, 2010, at A6.
102. See Dave Cook, Karl Rove 'Super PAC' Won't Favor Any 2012 Candi-date During Primaries, CHRISTIAN SCI. MONITOR (June 24, 2011), http://www.csmonitor. com/USA/politics/mintor-breakfast/2011/0624/Karl-Rove-super-PAC-won-t-favor-any- 2012-canddiate-during-primaries.
103. Ctr. for Responsive Politics, American Crossroads Independent Expenditures, OPENSECRETS.ORG (Jan. 27, 2011), http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/ indexpend.php?strID=C00487363&cycle=2010.
104. See FEC, 2010 FALL ELECTION CYCLE SUMMARY DATA TABLE 3: SUM-MARY OF INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES (2010), available at http://www.fec.gov/press/bkgnd/cf. summary.info/2010pac-fullsum/3indepexp2010.pdf.
105. See Diana Dwyre, After Citizens United and SpeechNow.org: Consider-ing the Consequences of New Campaign Finance Rules 13-14 (Sept. 1-4, 2011) (unpublished manuscript), available at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/ papers.cfm?abstract-id=1901547.
106. Jonathan D. Salant & Kristin Jensen, 'Super PACs' Multiply to Sway Election, BLOOMBERG BUS. WK. (Sept. 9, 2010, 9:53 AM), http://businessweek.com/ busdaily/dnflash/content/Sep2010.db2010099-789434.htm.
107. Jim Kuhnhenn, Texas Millionaire Gives $7 Million to GOP Group, SEATTLE TIMES, Oct. 20, 2010, at A4.
108. T.W. Farnam, 72 Super PACs Spent $83.7 Million on Election, WASH. POST, Dec. 4, 2010, at A3.
109. See Ctr. for Responsive Politics, 2012 Outside Spending, by Super PACs, OPENSECRETS.ORG [hereinafter Ctr. for Responsive Politics, Super PACs April 2012], http://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/sum.php?cycle=2012&chrt= V&type=S (last visited Apr. 11, 2012).
110. Michael Scherer, How Super PACs Could Eclipse Official Campaigns in 2012, TIME (Sept. 19, 2011), http://swampland.time.com/2011/09/19/how-super -pacs-could-eclipse-official-campaigns-in-2012/;
111. Romney Fundraiser Jumps From Campaign to Super PAC, IWATCHNEWS (Aug. 24, 2011), http://www .iwatchnews.org/2011/08/24/5941/romney-fundraiser-jumps- campaign-super-pac.
112. T.W. Farnam, Super PACs Let Big Donors Give Even More to Their Candidates, WASH. POST, Jan. 9, 2012, at A1.
113. See Nicholas Confessore, Lines Blur Between Candidates and PACs with Unlimited Cash, N.Y. TIMES, Aug. 28, 2011, at A1.
114. See Alexander Burns, Huntsman Corporation Insider Launches PAC, POLITICO (Aug. 29, 2011, 3:09 PM), http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/62256.html.
115. See Jim Rutenberg, Huntsman Campaign, Low on Cash, Gets Aid From Group Tied to Father, N.Y. TIMES, Dec. 4, 2011, at A24;
116. Jim Rutenberg & Nicholas Confessore, Major Ad Blitz for Huntsman in New Hampshire, by Group Backed by His Father, N.Y. TIMES, Nov. 15, 2011, at A18.
117. See Jeff Zeleny, Former Gingrich Aide Joins Pro-Newt 'Super PAC,' N.Y. TIMES-THE CAUCUS (Dec. 20, 2011, 10:34 AM), http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/ 2011/12/20/former-gingrich-aide-joins-super-pac/?scp=1&sq= super%20pac&st=cse.
118. See Matea Gold & Christi Parsons, Former Obama Aides May Start Political Group, L.A. TIMES, Apr. 1, 2011, at A9.
119. Melanie Mason, Jon Huntsman Latest Hopeful to Be Backed by 'Super PAC,' L.A. TIMES-POLITICS NOW (Aug. 30, 2011, 12:26 PM), http://www.latimes.com/news/ politics/la-pn-huntsman-super-pac-20110830,0,594503.story.
120. See Robin Bravender & Anna Palmer, Lawmakers Unsure Super PAC Cash Will Trickle Down, POLITICO (Oct. 14, 2011, 12:38 AM), http://www.politico.com/ news/stories/1011/65937.html;
121. Laura Litvan, Super-PACs Ramp Up Spending on Races Where Control of Congress Is at Stake, BLOOMBERG (Mar. 8, 2012, 9:54 AM), http://www.bloomberg. com/news/2012-03-08/super-pacs-ramp-up-spending-with-congressional-control-at- stake.html.
122. See Jonathan Allen and Anna Palmer, Super PAC Challenge: Con-gress, POLITICO (Mar. 11, 2012, 6:58 PM), http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0312/ 73866.html;
123. Eliza Newlin Carney, Super PACs Target Congres-sional Races, ROLL CALL (Mar. 5, 2012), http://www.rollcall.com/issues/57-103/Super-PACS-Target- Congressional-Races-212830-1.html.
124. See Eliza Newlin Carney, Super PACs Multiply, Head to Hill, ROLL CALL, Oct. 18, 2011, at 3, 14;
125. Dan Eggen, Congressional Incumbents Start At-tracting Big-Money 'Super PACs,' WASH. POST, Dec. 1, 2011, at A23.
126. Brady Dennis, Super PACs, Donors Turn Sights on Judicial Branch, WASH. POST, Mar. 30, 2012, at A1, http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/ super-pacs-donors-turn-sights-on-judicial-branch/2012/03/29/gIQAaIsnjS-story. html;
127. Matt Sledge, Super PAC Sugar Daddies Spread Campaign Contributions Around at State Level, Too, HUFFINGTON POST (Mar. 13, 2012, 11:56 AM), http:// www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/13/super-pac-donors-campaign-contributions -states-n-1324229.html.
128. Ctr. for Responsive Politics, Double-Duty Donors, Part II: Large Num-bers of Wealthy Donors Hit Legal Limit on Giving to Candidates, Turn to Pres-idential Super PACs in Continuing Trend, OPENSECRETS.ORG (Feb. 21, 2012), http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2012/02/double-duty-donors-part-ii-large-nu .html.
129. See Paul Blumenthal, Super PAC Mega-Donors Still Contributing Most of the Money, HUFFINGTON POST (Mar. 23, 2012, 5:48 PM), http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ 2012/03/23/super-pac-donors-500000-plus-february-filings- n-1376053.html.
130. Eliza Newlin Carney, Close Super PAC Ties Draw Ire, ROLL CALL, Dec. 15, 2011, at 3.
131. See Michael D. Shear & Jeremy W. Peters, Rivals Mount Tough At-tacks on Gingrich in Volatile Race, N.Y. TIMES, Dec. 20, 2011, at A1.
132. See Robin Bravender & Dave Levinthal, Super PACs: The Bad Cops of 2012, POLITICO (Dec. 21, 2011, 4:32 AM), http://www.politico.com/news/stories/ 1211/70731.html.
133. See Steve Peoples, Super PAC Funds Boost Huntsman Run in N.H., WASH. TIMES, Nov. 15, 2011, at A6.
134. See Jeremy W. Peters, 'Super PACs,' Not Campaigns, Do Bulk of Ad Spending, N.Y. TIMES, Mar. 3, 2012, at A10.
135. See Greg Giroux, Super-PAC Ads Dominate Republican Race in Ala-bama, Mississippi, BLOOMBERG (Mar. 12, 2012), http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03- 12/super-pacs-dominate-republican-ads-aired-in-alabama-mississippi-primaries. html.
136. See, e.g., Nicholas Confessore, G.O.P. Campaigns Grow More Depend-ent on 'Super PAC' Aid, N.Y. TIMES, Feb. 20, 2012, at A1;
137. Dan Eggen, Super PACs Dominating Republican Presidential Race, WASH. POST (Feb. 20, 2012), http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/super-pacs-dominating- republican-presidential-race/2012/02/20/gIQANOaGQR-story.html;
138. Jack Gillum, Super PACs Overtaking Campaign Fundraising, HUFFINGTON POST (Feb, 21, 2012, 3:11 PM), http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/21/super-pacs- republican-gop-campaign-2012-n-1290442.html.
139. The numbers in text are derived from comparing two charts on OpenSecrets.org-the 2012 Presidential Campaign Fundraising Summary, which provides data concerning funds raised and spent by the campaign com-mittees of the presidential candidates as of February 29, 2012, Center for Re-sponsive Politics, 2012 Presidential Candidate Fundraising Summary, OPENSECRETS.ORG, http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/index.php (last visited Apr. 29, 2012)
140. Presidential Independent Expenditures, which provides spending data as of the date examined, Center for Responsive Politics, 2012 Presidential Independent Expenditures, OPENSECRETS.ORG, http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/ indexp.php (last visited Apr. 29, 2012).
141. See Michael D. Shear, Romney Says 'Super PACs' Have Been a 'Disas-ter,' N.Y. TIMES-THE CAUCUS (Dec. 20, 2011, 2:47 PM), http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes. com/2011/12/20/romney-says-super-pacs-have-been-a-disaster/.
142. See, e.g., Kenneth P. Vogel, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich Come Out for Their Super PACs, POLITICO (Feb. 15, 2012, 7:06 PM), http://www.politico.com/ news/stories/0212/72948.html.
143. See Ben Smith, Perry Ad Features SuperPAC Footage, POLITICO (Nov. 26, 2011, 7:45 PM), http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1111/Perry-ad-features- SuprPAC-footage.html.
144. See, e.g., Kim Barker & Al Shaw, Campaign Spending Shows Political Ties, Self-Dealing, PROPUBLICA (Mar. 28, 2012, 1:02 PM), http://www.propublica. org/article/campaign-spending-shows-political-ties-self-dealing;
145. Mike McIntire & Michael Luo, Fine Line Between 'Super PACs' and Campaigns, N.Y. TIMES, Feb. 25, 2012, at A1.
146. Michael Luo & Nicholas Confessore, The Caucus; Top Obama Aide Ap-pears at 'Super PAC' Event, N.Y. TIMES (Mar. 3, 2012), http://query.nytimes. com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D03E3D61739F930A35750C0A9649D8B63&ref=michaelluo.
147. See Eliza Newlin Carney, The Super PAC Paradox, ROLL CALL (Mar. 12, 2012), http://www.rollcall.com/issues/57-107/Super-PAC-Paradox-213021-1.html
148. Anna Palmer & Jim Vandehei, A New Way to Buy Real Influence, PO-LITICO (Oct. 24, 2011, 10:11 PM), http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/ 66673.html.
149. See Shane D'Aprile, Shop Talk: A New Era in Campaign Finance, CAM-PAIGNS & ELECTIONS (Mar. 20, 2012), http://www.campaignsandelections.com/magazine/ us-edition/314162/shop-talk-a-new-era-in-campaign-finance.thtml (quot-ing Robert Lenhard).
150. See Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1, 7 (1976) (per curiam).
151. See Ctr. for Responsive Politics, Supreme Court Reaffirms Ban on Soft Money, Once a Powerful Factor in Political Campaigns, OPENSECRETS.COM (June 29, 2010), http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/06/supreme-court-re-affirms-ban-on- sof.html.
152. See FEC v. Wis. Right to Life, Inc., 551 U.S. 449 (2007).
153. See Richard Briffault, WRTL II: The Sharpest Turn in Campaign Fi-nance's Long and Winding Road, 1 ALB. GOV'T L. REV. 101, 113-15 (2008).
154. See Buckley, 424 U.S. at 38.
155. Cf. Maggie Haberman and Kenneth P. Vogel, Adelson Discusses $20 Million Check to Pro-Newt Gingrich Group, Denies Commitment, POLITICO (Dec. 15, 2011), http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/70501 (last updated Dec. 16, 2011, 5:56 AM).
156. See Phil Hirschkorn, Super PAC Donors by the Numbers, CBS NEWS POLITICAL HOTSHEET (Mar. 22, 2012), http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544-162-57402073- 503544/super-pac-donors-by-the-numbers/.
157. T.W. Farnam, Super PACs Alter the Dynamics of Fundraising, WASH. POST (Jan. 8, 2012), http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/super-pacs-alter-the- dynamics-of-fundraising/2012/01/05/gIQAH3dz5P-print.html.
158. Kenneth P. Vogel, Debate Shows Upper PACs' Strength, POLITICO (Jan. 8, 2012), http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/71217.html.
159. Kenneth P. Vogel & Dave Levinthal, Newt Gingrich Suffers from Su-per PAC Buyer's Remorse, POLITICO (Jan. 5, 2012, 4:31 AM), http://www.politico.com/ news/stories/0112/71097.html.
160. T.W. Farnam, PAC Ads Adding Confusion, WASH. POST (Jan. 11, 2012), http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/super-pac-ads-addingconfusion/2012/01/09/ gIQAJ5vsrP-story.html.
161. see also Jeremy W. Peters, Multiplied by PACs, Ads Over-whelm the Airwaves in S.C., N.Y. TIMES (Jan. 15, 2012), http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/16/ us/politics/in-south-carolina-record-barrage-of-political-ads.html (showing that a week before the South Carolina Republican primary, advertis-ing spending was already $1.1 million more than in the entire primary four years earlier).
162. Nicholas Confessore & Jim Rutenberg, PACs' Aid Allows Romney's Ri-vals to Extend Race, N.Y. TIMES, Jan. 12, 2012 at A14 (contending that Super PACs have "propped up" Romney's opponents).
163. Citizens United v. FEC, 130 S. Ct. 876, 913-14 (2010) (upholding ap-plication of disclosure law to corporate electioneering communication).
164. 130 S. Ct. 2811, 2819-20 (2010) (upholding application of disclosure law to names and addresses of signers of ballot petition).
165. See generally Richard Briffault, Two Challenges for Campaign Fi-nance Disclosure After Citizens United and Doe v. Reed, 19 WM. & MARY BILL RIGHTS J. 983, 993-99 (2011) (noting that the Roberts Court has "strongly up-held" disclosure laws).
166. Citizens United, 130 S. Ct. at 915 (declaring that "disclosure is a less restrictive alternative to more comprehensive regulations of speech").
167. See Richard Briffault, Updating Disclosure for the New Era of Inde-pendent Spending, 28 J.L. & POL. (forthcoming 2012) available at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract-id=2040934.
168. See, e.g., Keennan Steiner, Presidential Super PAC Disclosures May Leave Voters in the Dark, SUNLIGHT FOUND. REPORTING GRP. (Dec. 22, 2011, 11:56 AM), http://reporting.sunlightfoundation.com/2011/presidential-super-pac-disclosures- may-leave-voters-in-the-dark (observing that manipulation of re-porting schedules can allow Super PACs to "evade important campaign fi-nance disclosure requirements").
169. Daniel Stone et al., Donors to Conservative Super PAC Masked by Nonprofit, IWATCHNEWS (Mar. 23, 2012, 2:23 PM), http://www.iwatchnews.org/2012/ 03/11/8360/donors-conservative-super-pac-masked -nonprofit.
170. Michael Isikoff, Mystery Million-Dollar Romney Donor Revealed, NBC NEWS (Aug. 6, 2011, 4:48 PM), http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44046063/ns/politics/t/ mystery-million-dollar-romney-donor-revealed//#.TzL1UvmlN2k.
171. Nicholas Confessore et al., In G.O.P. Race, a New Breed of Superdonor, N.Y. TIMES, Feb. 22, 2012, at A1.
172. Jonathan D. Salant, Payday Lender Political Donors Hidden in Corpo-rate Names, BLOOMBERG (Mar. 21, 2012), http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-22/ payday-lender-political-donors-hidden-in-corporate-names.html.
173. See FEC Advisory Op. Request 2011-23 (Nov. 6, 2011) (detailing the mission statement and other goals of Mr. Colbert's Super PAC Americans for Tomorrow, Tomorrow,).
174. See Justin Sink, Colbert Creates Shell Corporation to Lampoon Karl Rove's Groups, THE HILL (Sept. 30, 2011, 9:31 AM), http://thehill.com/video/in-the- news/184755-colbert-creates-shell-corporation-to-lampoon-rove-money-laundering (announcing Mr. Colbert's anonymous shell corporation).
175. 131 S. Ct. 2806, 2813 (2011) (holding that Arizona's matching funds scheme did not survive strict scrutiny).
176. See Stephen Dinan, Federal Matching Campaign Funds Find No Ma-jor Takers, WASH. TIMES (Jan. 8, 2012), http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jan/8/ federal-campaign-funds-find-no-candidate-takers/?page=all (calling the public funding system "out of sync" with the timing and cost of modern campaigns).
177. Ben Pershing, House Votes to End Public Funding for Presidential Campaigns, WASH. POST (Dec. 1, 2011, 3:13 PM), http://www.washingtonpost.com/ blogs/2chambers/post/house-votes-to-end-public-funding-for-presidential- campaigns/2011/12/01/gIQAc8SaHO-blog.html (reporting that the House of Representatives voted 235 to 190 to end the funding, although the matter is not likely to come before the Senate).
178. See Alexander Bolton, Romney and Obama Super-PAC Backers also Spent Big Dollars on Lobbying, THE HILL (Feb. 25, 2012), http://thehill.com/business-a- lobbying/212547-donors-backing-romney-and-obama-super-pacs-spent-tens-of- thousands-on-lobbying.
179. Dan Froomkin, Mitt Romney Super PAC's Big Donors Could Reap Many Dividends, HUFFINGTON POST (Mar. 1, 2012, 5:03 PM), http://www.huffingtonpost. com/2012/03/01/mitt-romney-super-pac-big-donors-n-1306868.html.
180. Michael Scherer, When Obama Regulates, Companies Retaliate with Donations to Romney Super PAC, TIME (Mar. 22, 2012), http:// swampland.time.com/2012/03/ 22/when-obama-regulates-companies-retaliate-with -donations-to-romney-super-pac/ .
181. Ian Duncan & Matea Gold, Federal Contractors Donate to 'Super PAC' Backing Romney, L.A. TIMES (Mar. 18, 2012), http://articles.latimes.com/2012/ mar/18/nation/la-na-contractor-politics-20120318.
182. see also Kevin Bogardus & Rachel Levin, Su-per-PACs a New Tool in Trade Groups' 2012 Election Arsenal, THE HILL (Mar. 7, 2012), http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/214575-super-pacs-a-new-tool-in-trade- groups-2012-arsenal.
183. Kenneth P. Vogel, Campaigns Can Push Mega Donors' Pet Causes, POLITICO (Mar. 2, 2012), http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0312/73518.html.
184. Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1, 27 (1976).
185. Am. Tradition P'ship Inc. v. Bullock, 132 S. Ct. 1307, 1307-08 (2012) (statement by Ginsburg and Breyer, JJ.) (respecting grant of the application for stay).