leadership PAC

A leadership PAC in U.S. politics is a political action committee that can be established by a member of Congress to support other candidates. The funds cannot be spent to directly support the owner of the PAC's own campaign (such as mail or ads), but may fund travel and make contributions to other campaigns. During the 2006 election cycle, 256 leadership PACs contributed over $37 million to federal candidates.^[1]

Controversial use of Leadership PACs

• Speaker Nancy Pelosi's leadership PAC, Team Majority, was fined $21,000 by federal election officials "for improperly accepting donations over federal limits."^[2]
• Rep. John Doolittle's leadership PAC, Superior California Federal Leadership Fund, pays his wife's single-person company, Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions, 15 percent of all money raised ($68,630 in 2003-2004, $224,000 in 2005-2006). A campaign committee report in February said Doolittle's campaign still owed Julie Doolittle $137,000.^[3] The PAC also has purchased $2,139 in gifts for Bose Corporation.^[4]
• Sen. Rick Santorum has used his leadership PAC to pay for Starbucks ($558), Wal-Mart, Burger King ($50), and Arby's ($118) purchases near his Virginia residence.^{[citation needed]}
• Rep. Richard Pombo has used his leadership PAC to pay hotel bills ($22,896) and baseball tickets ($320) for donors.^[5]

References

1. ^ Opensecrets: Leadership PACs, Retrieved on January 23 2007.
2. ^ http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/state/california/2004-02-11-pelosi-pac-fined_x.htm
3. ^ http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/157657-p2.html
4. ^ http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/expend.asp?strID=C00317511&Cycle=2006
5. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/10/AR2006071001164.html

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