FEC: DNC independent spending outstrips RNC
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Democratic National Committee spent $27.2 million on behalf of John Kerry's campaign for president in the first 18 days of October, according to the Federal Election Commission.
The Republican Party was thrifty in comparison, spending only $5 million dollars on independent election expenditures, according to their FEC filing.
Christine Iverson, an RNC spokeswoman, declined to comment on the disparity, telling CNN, "We have an election 12 days away. We are not going to discuss strategy."
A DNC spokesman attributed the difference in sums to a Democratic effort to match the Bush-Cheney campaign's war chest.
"Having independent expenditures is an option under the law," said spokesman Jano Cabrera. "We decided to exercise that option in order to try to get close to parity. The Bush campaign can buy its own ads. Typically there's a discrepancy between the amount of money Democrats and Republicans raise, from our perspective this is a means of making up ground."
The FEC reported that during the first half of October, party committees, political action committees (PACs), and other groups reported making nearly $87.2 million in independent expenditures on behalf of -- or against -- federal candidates. Most of this spending was reported by the two major parties, whose national, senatorial and congressional campaign committees reported $73.2 million in independent spending.
Independent expenditures expressly advocate the election or defeat of a clearly identified federal candidate by using phrases such as "vote for" or "defeat" and are independent of a candidate's campaign.
Political committees, using funds within the limits and prohibitions of federal law, may make unlimited independent expenditures. Individuals also are permitted to make unlimited independent expenditures.
The FEC also reported that the National Republican Congressional Committee reported spending $19.9 million supporting Republican and opposing Democratic candidates for the House of Representatives, while the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spent $13.7 million.
Other groups reporting at least $1 million in independent spending in October included the National Republican Senatorial Committee, $4.6 million; the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, $2.5 million; the United Auto Workers PAC, $2.3 million; the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund, $2.1 million; MoveOn PAC, $1.3 million; the Service Employees International Union PAC, $1.1 million; and the League of Conservation Voters Inc., $1 million.
