How are political action committees involved in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission?

In McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission (2014), political action committees (PACs) were central to the legal challenge regarding campaign finance limits.12

The case specifically addressed the constitutionality of "aggregate limits"—federal restrictions on the total amount of money an individual could contribute to all candidates, political party committees, and noncandidate PACs combined during a two-year election cycle. Shaun McCutcheon, the plaintiff, argued that these aggregate limits were unnecessary to prevent corruption, noting that existing "base limits" already restricted how much an individual could give to any single PAC or candidate, thereby preventing the funneling of large sums of money.31

The Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of the plaintiff, striking down these aggregate limits as a violation of the First Amendment. It is important to note that the ruling did not affect "base limits," which continue to restrict individual contributions to specific PACs and candidates. Additionally, the decision did not apply to "Super PACs," as those organizations do not contribute directly to candidates and operate independently of political campaigns.1