Connected PAC

A connected PAC is a political committee that is affiliated with a corporation, labor union, trade group or health organization. The affiliated corporate entity is allowed to provide resources to the PAC such as office space, letterhead, or administrative expenses which would otherwise have been prohibited as a corporate contribution[1]. 

This is advantageous because the PAC does not have to pay for these administrative expenses using regulated funds raised for the purposes of advancing the PAC’s mission. The regulated funds can be preserved in their entirety for contributions to candidates or electioneering expenditures. However, connected PACs are only able to solicit contributions from members of their “restricted class”. For corporations, the restricted class is typically executives and shareholders while for unions the restricted class is members of the union[2]. 

---

[1] "SSFs and Nonconnected PACs." Federal Election Commission. Web. 11 Dec. 2011. <http://www.fec.gov/pages/brochures/ssfvnonconnected.shtml>.

[2] "Corporations and Labor Organizations." Federal Election Committee. Jan. 2007. Web. 11 Dec. 2011. <http://www.fec.gov/pdf/colagui.pdf>.