Nonprofits Wield Some Serious Campaign Cash

Repeating a long-established pattern in campaign finance overhauls, the decline of one group gives birth to another: The new groups quickly filled the void and even carved out an advantage that had eluded 527s and PACs: keeping their contributors confidential. Federal law only requires the new nonprofit groups to spend half of their revenue on a “major purpose,” such as advocacy of social welfare for 501(c)4 groups or business interests for 501(c)6 groups.