What is a super PAC?

A super PAC is the informal name for an 'independent expenditure-only committee' as defined by the Federal Election Commission. Unlike a traditional political action committee (PAC), which may make limited direct contributions to candidate campaigns and party committees, a super PAC makes no direct contributions to candidates or parties and may not coordinate its spending with any campaign. Because it operates independently, its spending is classified as an 'independent expenditure' -- the committee decides on its own how and when to spend on political communications such as television advertising, digital ads, and voter contact operations. In exchange for accepting these restrictions, a super PAC may accept unlimited contributions from corporations, unions, and individuals.

The legal foundation for super PACs rests on two rulings issued within weeks of each other in early 2010. Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (decided January 21, 2010), held that the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting independent political expenditures by corporations, associations, and labor unions. Relying directly on Citizens United, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit decided SpeechNow.org v. FEC, 599 F.3d 686 (March 26, 2010), holding that FECA's contribution limits cannot constitutionally apply to groups that make only independent expenditures. The Federal Election Commission formally confirmed the structure in Advisory Opinion 2010-11 (July 22, 2010), concluding that 'independent expenditure-only committees' could accept unlimited contributions from corporations, unions, and individuals. The popular name 'super PAC' was coined by journalist Eliza Newlin Carney and entered common usage rapidly after the two rulings.

Super PACs must register with the FEC and file regular public disclosure reports listing donors and expenditures above reporting thresholds. The Supreme Court upheld the disclosure requirement for direct super PAC spending in Citizens United itself (an 8-1 vote on that specific question, with only Justice Thomas dissenting), so super PAC filings are publicly searchable at fec.gov. However, certain nonprofit organizations classified as 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations under the Internal Revenue Code may donate to super PACs without being required to publicly disclose their own underlying donors, a practice commonly called 'dark money' because the original funding source is not publicly identified.

Super PACs have played a major role in presidential campaign finance in every election since 2012. For 2028, every major presidential candidate is expected to have one or more affiliated super PACs that raise and spend unlimited outside money to boost advertising and field operations beyond what campaign contribution limits allow. Because coordination between a campaign committee and an affiliated super PAC is legally prohibited, campaigns and their outside groups must maintain formal separation -- a requirement that has generated extensive FEC guidance and federal litigation over what counts as prohibited 'coordination.' All super PAC expenditure disclosures are public and searchable in real time at fec.gov.