§30114 Use of contributed amounts for certain purposes

Summary

People’s campaign donations and other money given to someone because they hold or run for federal office can be used for campaign costs, ordinary and necessary official expenses, gifts to certain charities, transfers to party committees, donations to state or local candidates if state law allows, or any other legal purpose unless the law forbids it. The money must never be turned into personal use. The law lists nine examples of personal use, including mortgage, rent, utilities; clothing; non‑campaign car costs; country club fees; vacations; household food; tuition; event or concert admissions; and gym or health‑club dues. A candidate or a candidate’s committee generally may not pay for a plane flight unless the plane is run by an FAA‑certified air carrier (or a foreign equivalent) and the trip must follow air‑carrier safety rules, or the campaign pays its pro‑rata share of the normal charter or rental cost (the charter cost divided by the number of candidates on the flight) within a commercially reasonable time after the flight. For candidates for Representative, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner, the flight is allowed only if the plane is run by an FAA‑certified carrier (or foreign equivalent) or by a federal or state government entity. A plane owned or leased by the candidate or an immediate family member may be used if the candidate’s use does not exceed their ownership share. Immediate family means father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, husband, wife, father‑in‑law, or mother‑in‑law. A “leadership PAC” is a type of political committee defined elsewhere in the law.