Supreme Court Will Consider Lifting Limit On Individual Campaign Donations

Another blow to campaign funding laws may be in the offing, as the Supreme Court preps to take up a case challenging limits on the total amount individual donors can give directly to all candidates and political parties. Current law caps donations to all members of Congress at $48,600, and at $74,600 for party committees. The appellants – the Republican National Committee, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and an Alabama businessman – argue these contributions should be treated as protected free speech. If they prevail, and with caps on donations to each individual candidate still intact, wealthy donors could spend a total of as much as $3.6 million per election cycle by giving the maximum amount to party committees and candidates.