AMPAC Activities

Direct Contributions

The most widely recognized activity by political action committees (PACs) is direct contributions to campaigns. Working in tandem with state medical society PACs, AMPAC contributes to physician-friendly candidates for the U.S. Senate and House from both political parties. Many factors are considered when making contribution decisions, including state PAC recommendations, incumbent vote records, and competitiveness of races. Federal election law allows PACs to contribute up to $5,000 to a candidate per election (i.e., primary, general, run-off, and special elections) in the form of direct and/or in-kind contributions.

Independent Expenditures

Independent expenditures (IEs) are political communications (digital, TV or radio ads, direct mail, phone calls, etc.) that expressly advocate the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate. IEs are paid for with a PAC’s “hard” dollar funds. While federal election law requires a PAC to report its IEs in a timely fashion, there are no limits on how much a PAC may spend.

In most election cycles, AMPAC conducts IE campaigns on behalf of physician-friendly candidates in tight races. It is AMPAC’s longstanding policy to conduct only positive IE campaigns on behalf of AMPAC-supported candidates using language such as “vote for” and “re-elect.” In other words, AMPAC does not engage in “negative” campaigning.
 

Partisan Communications

Federal election law allows organizations like the American Medical Association (AMA) to communicate with its members and members of affiliated organizations (called its “restricted class”) about support for specific candidates. These communications, which usually take the form of letters or glossy mail pieces, are called partisan communications. AMPAC uses partisan communications to raise money for, or educate physicians about, specific candidates. They are paid for with corporate funds (i.e., “soft money”) from the AMA Political Education Fund, which is administered by AMPAC.

Electioneering Communications

Electioneering communications is when an ad is broadcast on TV, radio, or cable within 30 days of a primary election or 60 days of a general election. The ad clearly identifies a federal candidate, and is broadcast in the jurisdiction where the electorate can vote for the candidate.

Electioneering communications are vital components of any voter communication plan because, unlike independent expenditures, they enable AMPAC to spend corporate funds (i.e., “soft money”) to educate voters and the general public. The typical electioneering communication consists of a TV or radio ad describing why Congress should address a specific issue and concludes with a call-to-action like, “Call Senator John Doe and ask him to support the Act.” Electioneering communications that identify a federal candidate cannot express advocacy or use language such as, “vote for,” “defeat,” and “re-elect.” As with AMPAC’s IE campaigns, AMPAC electioneering communications are positive in nature and only done for physician-friendly candidates.