Candidate’s father steers six figures into PAC attacking rival in Kansas GOP primary

“The phenomenon of family-funded super PACs are a symptom of a broken campaign finance system,” said Brendan Fischer, director of federal reform at the Washington-based Campaign Legal Center. Fischer said that PACs funded by family members undermine the requirement that super PACs be independent from a campaign. The federal law’s current wording allows them to exist as easy avenue for wealthy parents to put more money toward their children’s election than would be allowable by giving directly to the campaign. Adkins’ mother, Grace Landes, has donated $5,200 to Adkins’ campaign this cycle, a small fraction of the amount her husband put toward the PAC. “It gives a candidate who comes from a wealthy family an advantage,” Fischer said. “Unless the campaign finance system is reformed we are likely to see this phenomenon of family-funded super PACs continue to arise in Kansas and across the country.”

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