Act Quote by Bradley A. Smith
“The usual test under the Federal Election Campaign Act for whether something counts as a campaign expenditure is whether the obligation would have existed but for the campaign. If so, it is not a campaign expenditure.”
About This Quote
Source Legal Text: Federal Election Campaign Act commentary, 2002
A campaign expense is defined by whether the obligation existed without the campaign; otherwise it’s not an expense.
In simple terms: Expense depends on campaign causation
Key Takeaway
Check causation before classifying expenses
Themes
law
campaign finance
regulation
Mood
analytical
formal
Type
legal
educational
When to use this quote
- political fundraising
- budget planning
- compliance auditing
Key Concepts
causation
legal definition
Questions to Reflect On
- How to determine causation in ambiguous cases?
- What safeguards prevent misclassification?
A Different Perspective
Complex cases may blur causation lines
![“I'm very skeptical of the amount of money that goes into military expenditure, not just in the poor countries [but] also in the rich. I think it's one of the most massive wastes in the world, but education is [at the] other end. It's the bearer of the greatest fruits that mankind has ever known.” quote by Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/16a/amartya-sen-2518_amount_i-m-very-skeptical-of-the-amount-of-mone_685148.jpg)
