13 Things We Learned about Money in Politics in 2013

4. The IRS proposed bright line rules for 501(c)(4)s, which would clarify what counts as “candidate-related political activity” for tax purposes. This would replace the IRS's current facts and circumstances approach.
3. American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) lost corporate sponsors after the Trayvon Martin's murder trial brought a spotlight to their ‘stand your ground’ model legislation. Reporting by The Guardian indicates ALEC is trying to re-attract ex-members through a Prodigal Son project. The report also suggests ALEC may create a sister organization called the "Jeffersonian Project" to engage in more lobbying.
2. Following the cues of Move to Amend, Free Speech for People, and Lawrence Lessig's Rootstrikers, the constitutional amendment movement to reverse Citizens United v. FEC picked up steam as Oregon became the 16th State to call for the amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
1. The McCutcheon v. FEC case showed the Supreme Court has not lost its appetite for hearing campaign finance cases. If Shaun McCutcheon gets his wish, the federal aggregate contribution limit for individuals will be lifted for the first time since Watergate. Apparently, the current limit of $123,200 is just too low for him. The case could also change the law in nine states with aggregate limits, where FollowtheMoney.org found a fraction of one percent of individual donors gave the maximum contributions allowed during the 2010 and 2012 elections.

13 Things We Learned about Money in Politics in 2013 | Brennan Center for Justice