D. Adam Smith

PAC · Political action committee

A committee that raises and spends money for political activity. Registration type does not establish its policy positions.

Connected PAC / separate segregated fund

Established by a corporation, labor organization, membership organization or trade association; contributions generally come from its restricted class.

Nonconnected PAC

Not sponsored by a corporation or labor organization; may solicit the general public, subject to contribution limits.

Super PAC · Independent expenditure-only

May raise unlimited contributions for independent spending, but cannot contribute directly to federal candidates or coordinate that spending with them.

Hybrid PAC

Keeps a separate account for unlimited independent-expenditure funds and a limited-contribution account that can contribute to candidates.

Party and campaign committees

Party committees represent political parties; authorized campaign committees act for candidates. Not every committee donor is a PAC.

Qualified / nonqualified

FEC registration status related to multicandidate contribution-limit eligibility, not a rating of reliability or merit.

Conduit / earmarked receipt

An intermediary forwards a donor’s contribution. Its name on a memo entry does not make it the original donor; avoid counting both entries as separate funding.

This view covers itemized money received by an authorized campaign committee, not independent spending by outside groups. It is not a complete reconciliation of the “PACs & committees” summary.