Uncovered investigative findings by student reporters expose a widespread issue in the federal campaign financing system.
In an investigation led by student journalists Lillie Boudreaux and Mason Ald at Arizona State University's Howard Center for Investigative Journalism, a loophole in federal election law regarding leadership PACs has been uncovered.
The investigation focused on Arizona members of Congress and their use of leadership PAC funds, but it opens opportunities for other journalists to examine candidates in their local markets or states. The reporters spent much of the reporting period looking through countless expense reports and setting guidelines for what expenses were normal and what could have qualified as personal use.
A leadership PAC, as defined by the Federal Election Commission (FEC), is a political committee that is directly or indirectly established, financed, maintained or controlled by a candidate or an individual holding federal office. Unlike the candidate's 'authorized' campaign committees, leadership PACs are not bound by the same personal-use ban that applies to authorized committees.
This loophole has led to concerns, as Arizona candidates have spent leadership PAC funds on out-of-state trips, five-star international hotels, airfare for private planes, and other items that could be considered personal use. The thorough fact-checking process was crucial during the investigation, especially when naming private businesses and federal candidates for office, to ensure accuracy and protect reputations.
For Ald, asking questions, particularly to more experienced colleagues, was key to his success in the investigation. He explained that footnotes in the investigation were similar to academic in-text footnotes, requiring detailed citations and hyperlinks to supporting documents. Boudreaux, who was primarily responsible for writing the story, advised reporters to keep all research organized to make the project more manageable.
Mark Greenblatt, the executive editor of the Howard Center and a professor of practice at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, stated that bipartisan agreement around the issue is a clear sign that the system is broken. He suggested that journalists can replicate the investigation by downloading documents from the FEC website.
Political journalists Alan R. O’Connor and Sarah L. Johnson from Arizona State University found in a 2023 investigation that leadership policy action committees in the United States might be misused by candidates, with approximately 25 such cases flagged by state authorities. The FEC Commissioners have unanimously recommended a ban on personal-use spending from all PACs.
Both Boudreaux and Ald agreed that the investigation made them more attentive reporters and that despite the stress and exhaustion, it was worth it. They hope that their findings will lead to a more transparent and accountable system in political funding.
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