Why was the Federal Election Commission involved in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission?

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) was involved in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission because it is the independent federal agency responsible for administering and enforcing the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA).1

In June 2012, Alabama businessman Shaun McCutcheon filed a lawsuit against the FEC to challenge the constitutionality of FECA’s aggregate contribution limits. McCutcheon argued that these limits infringed upon his First Amendment rights and were no longer necessary to prevent the reality or appearance of corruption. As the primary regulator of federal campaign finance, the FEC defended the existing laws, which were ultimately reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court.23