“California Adopts Tough Rules for Super PACs”

Bloomberg BNA:

“Sweeping reforms” in California campaign finance rules governing spending by super political action committees and other groups not formally linked to a candidate have been approved by California’s Fair Political Practices Commission, according to a statement from the FPPC.
The FPPC said the new state rules aim to counter a nationwide trend toward increased coordination between candidates and outside spending groups. The state agency said the rules specify situations in which a presumption of illegal coordination exists between a state candidate and an outside spender expressly advocating on the candidate’s behalf.
Under the new rules, for example, such a presumption would exist in cases in which a candidate helps to raise money for a super PAC or other outside group primarily formed to support the candidate or oppose the candidate’s opponent. A presumption of coordination also would exist in other situations involving an outside group’s reliance on a candidate’s former staffers or family members or use of consultants shared by the candidate.
The new rules also presume coordination in situations in which a group’s campaign spending is based on information about a candidate’s needs or plans provided “directly or indirectly” by candidate regarding campaign messaging, planned expenditures or polling data.

 

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