Curtailing Big Checks (washingtonpost.com)

Curtailing Big Checks (washingtonpost.com): "Curtailing Big Checks
Thursday, March 31, 2005; Page A18
ONE OF THE most striking -- some would say ominous -- developments of the 2004 campaign was the growth of so-called 527 groups operating outside the usual campaign contribution limits. With political parties barred by the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law from taking huge 'soft-money' checks from corporations, labor unions and wealthy individuals, some of this largess migrated to outside groups, many newly formed by party operatives to try to fill the soft-money void. According to a study by the Campaign Finance Institute, such groups (named after the tax code provision that governs their operations) raised $405 million in 2004, up dramatically from the $151 million they collected in 2002.
The rise of these groups -- and the likelihood that they will play an even more influential role in future elections -- represents a cause for concern that some of the previous abuses of the soft money system will replicate themselves. That hasn't happened yet; corporate contributions to 527s, for example, actually declined from $32 million in 2002 to $26 million last year. But as 527s become a more entrenched part of the political system, the risk grows that contributions will be spurred by the hope of buying influence among politicians who will take note -- or so some donors "