R. Sebastian Gibson asked:


As the outcome of the 2008 Presidential Election has come to a close being even more important to the future of the country with the current economic crisis, individuals and candidates from cities such as Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar, Carlsbad and La Jolla in San Diego to cities such as San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Corona del Mar, Newport Beach, Anaheim, and Irvine in Orange County, from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara to Ventura and Oxnard, to Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Murrieta and Temecula to Indian Wells, Palm Springs, La Quinta, Palm Desert and elsewhere in the Coachella Valley have had questions about campaign election finance laws and have looked for answers as to what amounts have been permissible to contribute in this election year.

 

In 2007-2008, the individual campaign contribution limits for all federal offices have been as follows:

 

$2,3000 per election for a candidate for a federal office.This $2,300 can be contributed each individual in a married couple as well.

 

$28,500 per calendar year to a national party committee.This applies separately to a party’s national committee, House and Senate campaign committee.

 

$10,000 per calendar year to state, district and local party committees.

 

$5,000 per calendar year to any other political committee.

 

An aggregate total of $108,200 per two year election cycle with a maximum of $47,200 per two year cycle to candidates and $65,500 to all national party committees and PACs, of which no more than $40,000 can be given to PACs.

 

Foreign nationals may not contribute to any candidate, nor may any federal contractors. Corporations and labor unions may only establish PACs.

 

Cash of only $100 may be contributed. In kind contributions count against contribution limits.

 

Multicandidate PACs can give $5,000 to an individual candidate, $15,000 to a national party committee.

 

Non-multicandidate PACs can give$2,300 to an individual candidate, $28,500 to a national party committee.

 

A multicandidate PAC is a political committee with more than 50 contributors which has been registered for at least 6 months and, with the exception of state party committees, has made contributions to 5 or more candidates for federal office.

 

Any individual intending to campaign for any elected office needs to know election finance rules and should consult with a political campaign finance attorney at an early stage in their campaign decisions.

 

October 2008 News – Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama has set a new campaign contribution record with his announcement that his campaign fundraising efforts brought in $150 million in the month of September 2008. This gives Barack Obama a huge advantage which is reportedly allowing him to outspend John McCain by as much as 4 to 1 in some swing states. The campaign added 632,000 new donors for a total of 3.1 million donors to date. The average donor contribution to the campaign is $86.

 

If you have an election campaign finance legal matter of any kind, we have the knowledge and resources to be your California Campaign Finance Lawyers, and Orange County Campaign Finance Attorneys. For this reason, be sure to hire a California law firm with election lawyers who can represent you from Palm Springs, Rancho Cucamonga, Orange County, San Luis Obispo, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and Huntington Beach, Corona del Mar, Anaheim, Irvine, La Jolla, El Cajon, San Bernardino, Riverside, Santa Barbara, Temecula, Palm Desert, Yorba Linda, Carlsbad, San Diego, Costa Mesa, Westminster, and Murrieta, to Indian Wells and La Quinta.

 

If you have an election campaign finance legal matter of any kind, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com and learn how we can assist you. You can also call us to speak directly to Sebastian Gibson on the phone about your legal matter.



Neil Haney

R. Sebastian Gibson asked:


As this 2008 Presidential Election generates more interest than any election before it, and people from cities such as El Cajon, Carlsbad and La Jolla in San Diego to cities such as Newport Beach, Anaheim, Irvine and Yorba Linda in Orange County, from Santa Barbara to Ventura to Oxnard and Camarillo to Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Riverside, San Bernardino, Fontana and Fullerton to Palm Springs, Palm Desert and La Quinta want to know more about what they can contribute, both individuals and candidates have questions about campaign election finance laws and are looking for a California campaign election finance attorney who can advise them. 

 

Many people don’t realize that in federal elections, the biggest source of campaign contributions comes from individuals. The second biggest source is political action committees (PACs).

 

Soft money is funds spent by organizations that do not expressly advocate support for or against a certain candidate and is money not contributed directly to an individual or a political party.

 

Bundling is the effort of one donor gathering donations from numerous individual donors and presenting that gathered amount to a campaign.

 

It is this last type of money, money raise through bundling that has in recent years been the subject of much abuse. Campaigns actively seek out bundlers but when they are accused of wrong doing, they can reflect badly on a campaign.

 

But when soft money became more difficult to run through corporations and other organizations, bundling became more important.

 

Political parties may contribute funds directly to political candidates and can make unlimited expenditures to support or oppose federal election candidates.

 

Contributions by individuals to federal PACs are limited to $5,000. Federal multicandidate PACs can give $5,000 to an individual candidate, and $15,000 to a national party committee. Federal non-multicandidate PACs can give$2,300 to an individual candidate, and $28,500 to a national party committee.

 

A multicandidate PAC is a political committee with more than 50 contributors which has been registered for at least 6 months and, with the exception of state party committees, has made contributions to 5 or more candidates for federal office.

 

Different rules apply to state and local elections. An individual intending to campaign for any elected office needs to know election finance rules and should consult with a political campaign finance attorney at an early stage in their campaign decisions and certainly at the first sign of trouble.

 

News Note – Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama has set a new campaign contribution record with his announcement that his campaign fundraising efforts brought in $150 million in the month of September 2008. This gives Barack Obama a huge advantage which is reportedly allowing him to outspend John McCain by as much as 4 to 1 in some swing states. The campaign added 632,000 new donors for a total of 3.1 million donors to date. The average donor contribution to the campaign is $86.

 

If you have an election legal matter of any kind, we have the knowledge and resources to be your San Diego Election Lawyers, and Orange County Election Attorneys. For this reason, be sure to hire a California law firm with election lawyers who can represent you from Palm Springs, Rancho Cucamonga, Orange County, San Luis Obispo, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and Huntington Beach, Corona del Mar, Anaheim, Irvine, La Jolla, El Cajon, San Bernardino, Riverside, Santa Barbara, Temecula, Palm Desert, Yorba Linda, Carlsbad, San Diego, Costa Mesa, Westminster, and Murrieta, to Indian Wells and La Quinta.

 

If you have an election legal matter of any kind, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.sebastiangibsonlaw.com  and learn how we can assist you. You can also call us to speak directly to Sebastian Gibson on the phone about your legal matter.



Adriel Fulton