Money in Politics

Leadership PACs

Created as a way for lawmakers to raise extra money to give away to fellow politicians, leadership PACs open the door to corruption in two ways: Their funding often comes from special interest groups with business before Congress, and some politicians use them to fund lavish lifestyles, often under the guise of fundraising. This is why liberals and conservatives alike have criticized leadership PACs as “slush funds.”

Featured Work

Sign-on letters

Issue One and Campaign Legal Center urge FEC to curb abuse of leadership PACs

Issue One and Campaign Legal Center (CLC) today sent a letter to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) urging commissioners to begin a rulemaking to formally clarify that leadership PAC funds…

Reports

All Expenses Paid: Another Look

Congressional Leadership PACs’ Outlandish Spending, January 2019 - December 2020...

In 1978, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), in coordination with powerful allies in California’s Democratic Party, asked the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to allow for the creation of “leadership PAC” accounts…

Reports

Leadership PACs, Inc.

How Washington Power Players Use Leadership PAC Contributions to Buy Access and Influence...

Read the press release. In “Leadership PACs, Inc.,” Issue One reveals how Washington power players — including some of the largest companies, trade associations and labor unions in America —…

Analysis

Adopting ways of Washington, more than half of freshman House members now have leadership PACs

More than half of all freshman House members have formed leadership PACs — political committees that are frequently criticized as slush funds — according to an Issue One review of…

Reports

All Expenses Paid

How Leadership PACs Became Politicians’ Preferred Ticket to Luxury Living...

Politicians use leadership PACs to stay at five-star resorts, pay for golf memberships and spend big at Disney properties A new report released today by Issue One and Campaign Legal…

Reports

All Expenses Still Paid

A Look at Leadership PACs’ Latest Outlandish Spending October - December 2018...

Private jets, luxury hotels, and expensive meals are par for the course as a majority of leadership PAC spending strays further from its intended purposes. A new report today released…

Sign-on letters

Issue One and Campaign Legal Center urge FEC to formally clarify that leadership PAC funds cannot be used for personal use

Issue One and the Campaign Legal Center today sent a letter to FEC Commissioner Sean Cooksey urging him to work with his fellow FEC commissioners to begin a rulemaking to…

Featured Press

See All

Roll Call: Taking it with them: Members leaving with money in the bank

ABC News: Many lawmakers’ ‘leadership PACs’ spend more on fundraising than political contributions, report finds

NBC LX: These Congressmembers Turned Campaign Contributions Into Luxury Travel – and Somehow, it’s Not Illegal

CBS News: Lawmakers use leadership PACs to fund lavish lifestyles

The Latest on Leadership PACs

See All

Sep 30, 2021

Reports

All Expenses Paid: Another Look

Congressional Leadership PACs’ Outlandish Spending, January 2019 - December 2020...

Sep 30, 2021

Press releases

Scores of lawmakers’ leadership PACs spent vast sums on luxurious dining, lodging, and travel, new Issue One and Campaign Legal Center report shows

Jul 21, 2021

Analysis

The Congressional Fundraising Treadmill, April-June 2021

5 key numbers to know from the latest House and Senate campaign finance filings...

Just halfway through 2021, fundraising efforts for the 2022 congressional elections are already in full swing. All House and Senate candidates filed new campaign finance reports last week detailing their…

May 20, 2021

Sign-on letters

Issue One and Campaign Legal Center urge FEC to formally clarify that leadership PAC funds cannot be used for personal use

Issue One and the Campaign Legal Center today sent a letter to FEC Commissioner Sean Cooksey urging him to work with his fellow FEC commissioners to begin a rulemaking to…

Apr 21, 2021

Analysis

Six key numbers to know from the latest House and Senate campaign finance filings

Just months after the 2020 elections, members of Congress have already started to raise large sums for their 2022 reelection efforts. All House and Senate candidates filed new campaign finance…

Apr 14, 2021

Analysis

After Letlow’s swearing in, 90% of current House members now operate leadership PACs

With her swearing in today, Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA) became the newest member of Congress, filling the vacancy left after the death of her husband, Luke Letlow, who won the…

Feb 01, 2021

Analysis

Trump’s PAC may be “a textbook example of a political slush fund” says Issue One’s Meredith McGehee as group raises $31.5 million in less than 8 weeks

A campaign finance report filed on Sunday night shows that Save America PAC, a leadership PAC formed by President Donald Trump on Nov. 9 that has few restrictions on how…

Dec 17, 2020

Analysis

Seven numbers to know about the campaign money that flowed to House and Senate members in 2020

Recently filed campaign finance reports help paint a full picture of exactly how much money House and Senate candidates raised and spent during the 2020 election cycle. The bottom line:…

Dec 14, 2020

Analysis

12 numbers to know about the money in the 2020 presidential election

Staggering sums of money were injected into the 2020 presidential race. Here are some of the most critical numbers to know about the money spent by the presidential candidates, and…

Feb 10, 2020

Podcast episodes

Swamp Stories Episode 3: Secret Slush Funds

“That sounds like a loophole.” Five words from former California Congressman Henry Waxman (D) summarizes episode three of Issue One’s podcast “Swamp Stories” about secret slush funds in Congress (also…