No corporate PAC pledge facts for kids

The no corporate PAC pledge is a promise some politicians in the United States make. They promise not to accept money for their campaigns from special groups called "corporate political action committees" (PACs). These PACs collect money from companies.

When politicians refuse this money, it can help them get more support from everyday people. This is called "grassroots support." Some people believe that not taking money from corporations is a key part of being a progressive politician.

More and more politicians have been taking this pledge. In 2018, about three out of four Democratic candidates in important races said they would not take corporate PAC money.

What is the No Corporate PAC Pledge?

The "no corporate PAC pledge" is a promise. Politicians make this promise to not take political donations from groups called "corporate PACs." A PAC is a group that collects money. They use this money to help elect or defeat politicians. Corporate PACs get their money from companies.

When a politician takes this pledge, it means they want to show they are not influenced by big companies. They want to focus on what regular people need.

Why is This Pledge Important?

This pledge can help politicians connect with voters. It shows they are trying to represent the people, not just big businesses. It can also help them get support from many small donors. This is known as "grassroots support." It means support comes from many ordinary citizens.

How the Pledge Grew Over Time

The idea of not taking corporate PAC money has become more popular. It wasn't always a common thing for politicians to do.

Early Days: Barack Obama

In 2008, former president Barack Obama decided not to accept corporate PAC money. But back then, this was not a widespread practice. It only started to become more common around 2018.

The 2018 and 2020 Elections

During the 2018 elections, a group called End Citizens United helped organize this pledge. About 185 Democratic candidates agreed not to take corporate PAC money. Famous politicians like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Cory Booker, and Kamala Harris were among them. Two Republican candidates also took the pledge that year.

In the 2020 elections, about 155 candidates made the same promise. By the end of 2020, 52 members of the U.S. House of Representatives had taken the pledge.

What are Political Action Committees (PACs)?

A PAC, or Political Action Committee, is a group that raises and spends money. They do this to help elect or defeat political candidates.

End Citizens United is a PAC that helped start the "no corporate PAC money" pledge. Another group, the Justice Democrats, also supports candidates who take this pledge.

Finding Ways Around the Pledge

Sometimes, politicians who take the pledge find ways to still get money from companies. This is called "circumventing" the pledge. It means they find a "loophole." A loophole is a small gap in the rules that allows someone to avoid them.

For example, Congresswoman Elaine Luria was criticized. She took the pledge but later started accepting corporate money after she was elected.

Different Kinds of Donations

Some politicians who took the pledge used other groups to get corporate money. These groups are sometimes called "shell PACs." They can hide where the money really comes from.

Also, some politicians accepted money from the New Democrat Coalition PAC. This group itself gets money from corporations.

The pledge also doesn't stop politicians from taking money directly from company leaders or executives. This is another way corporate money can still reach campaigns.

The "Symbolic" Pledge

Some experts say that for new candidates, taking the pledge can be mostly symbolic. This is because new candidates often don't get many corporate donations anyway. So, promising not to take money they likely wouldn't get might not change much.

Another way politicians can get money from companies is through "trade associations." These are groups of businesses in the same industry. While corporate PACs represent one company, trade associations can get money from many companies and their employees. So, politicians can say they don't take money from corporate PACs, but still get money from groups that represent company interests.