How can I find out what politicians are getting their money from? Like campaign finance, disclosing of the money they’re receiving from PAX and the like?
To find out where politicians are getting their campaign funds, you can use several resources that provide detailed information on campaign finance disclosures. Here are some key steps and tools you can use:
- Federal Election Commission (FEC): The FEC is the primary body that oversees federal campaign finance laws. Their website offers a comprehensive database where you can search for campaign finance data by candidate, committee, or individual contributor. You can see how much money candidates are raising and spending, and who their major donors are².
- OpenSecrets.org: Run by the Center for Responsive Politics, this website provides detailed information on campaign contributions, lobbying data, and financial disclosures. You can search for specific politicians and see a breakdown of their funding sources, including contributions from Political Action Committees (PACs) and other organizations.
- State Election Offices: For state and local elections, each state has its own election office that handles campaign finance disclosures. These offices often have online databases where you can search for information on state-level candidates and their donors³.
- FollowTheMoney.org: This site, managed by the National Institute on Money in Politics, tracks campaign contributions at the state level. It provides data on contributions to state candidates, ballot measures, and more.
- Campaign Finance Apps and Tools: There are various apps and tools available that aggregate campaign finance data and make it easier to search and analyze. Some of these tools offer visualizations and summaries to help you understand the data better.
Why the FEC Won’t Be Able to Regulate Super PACs
By using these resources, you can get a clear picture of where politicians are getting their money from and how they are spending it. If you need help navigating any of these tools, feel free to ask!
Is there a specific politician or election you’re interested in investigating?
Source: Conversation with Copilot, 8/13/2024
(1) Campaign finance data | FEC. https://www.fec.gov/data/.
(2) Campaign Finance – Division of Elections – Florida. https://dos.fl.gov/elections/candidates-committees/campaign-finance/.
(3) Campaign Finance Law: Disclosure and Disclaimer Requirements for …. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11398.
(4) Federal campaign finance laws and regulations – Ballotpedia. https://ballotpedia.org/Federal_campaign_finance_laws_and_regulations.
