Outside Political Spending Hits $88 Million and Counting

[flowers]

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/05/09/Outside-Political-Spending-Hits-83-Million-and-Counting

Open Secrets reports that outside groups, generally political parties, corporations and unions, have independently spent $88,868,421 so far in 2014 on the upcoming mid-term elections according to the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

The figures do not require complete or immediate disclosure about who is funding the activity, and they do not account for all the money the groups spent, since certain kinds of political ads are not required to be reported.

Since the January 2010 Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, individuals, corporations, and unions are permitted to make any amount of political expenditures directly from their bank, treasury, and other independent organizations, as long as the spending – often in the form of TV ads – is done independently of any candidate.

So far this year the spenders by type are:

    Super PACs = $48,074,078
    Social Welfare 501(c)(4) = $9,562,382
    Trade Associations 501(c)(6) = $12,157,052
    Unions 501(c)(5) = $344,573
    Political Parties = $6,716,399
    Corporations, individual people, other groups, etc) = $12,013,937

Grand Total: $88,868,421

The biggest groups, outside of political parties, are the US Chamber of Commerce

[Chieftain]

Money has been the driver in DC politics since the founding.  The only surprise is how little by comparison the Unions have spent so far.  Membership is down and so are dues....