Campaign Contributing from the Crypt

According to a USA TODAYstudy of Federal Election Commission filings, 32 deceased people havecontributed over $586,000 to candidates and political parties since the startof 2009.

The recent donation to superPAC Kentuckians for Strong Leadership, which supports the re-election of SenateMinority Leader Mitch McConnell, has pushed the issue of post-death campaigncontributions into the spotlight.  Thedonation was made two months after the donor’s death, but the super PAC saysthe donation was actually made the day before the donor died, citing acomputer-software glitch as the reason behind the discrepancy.

Under FEC rules, individualscan make candidates or parties the beneficiaries of their estates, just as withcharities.  However, the donations mustcomply with the $5,200 contribution limit for federal candidates during eachelection cycle and the yearly $32,400 contribution limit for political parties.

Citing the Citizens United decision, a case is nowpending before a Washington, D.C., federal appellate court seeking to overturnthese limits on deceased donors.  TheLibertarian Party contends a $217,000 donation should be received in a lump-suminstead of annual installments, arguing the reasoning behind contributionlimits (potential corruption) is inapplicable to dead people.

See GregRossino, Dead People Gave Nearly $600k toCampaigns Since 2009, 11 Alive, Aug. 4, 2013.