A ticket to a political party fundraiser could cost as much $100,200 in the 2016 election cycle, following a routine increase in Federal Election Commission contribution caps and last year’s Supreme Court ruling striking down the overall limit on individuals’ political contributions. Under new FEC limits, which are adjusted for inflation in odd-numbered years, individuals can give up to $5,400 to candidates—$2,700 for their primary campaigns, and another $2,700 for the general election—and up to $33,400 per year to national party committees in the 2016 cycle. Previously, the limit was $2,600 to candidates and $32,400 to national party committees per year. In April 2014, the Supreme Court threw out the $123,200 cap on what individuals could give to federal candidates and political committees over a two-year election cycle, saying the limits infringed on First Amendment free-speech rights.
Within two weeks, the three national GOP party committees formed a joint fundraising committee allowing them to host events where they could request checks three times the size of what they could accept on their own.
Previously, they were not barred from creating a joint committee, but the aggregate limit would usually block individuals from giving the joint effort more than each committee’s cap.
Full Article: FEC Raises Contribution Caps for 2016 – WSJ.