The Money Tree

While candidates may schmooze or send out direct mail pieces as part of their fund-raising efforts, sometimes they only need to shake the money tree of PACs and 527s, which don't face the same contribution limits (or mortgage payments) that the average donor does.

In 2004, 527s and PACs became more prominent as groups learned to exploit the loopholes of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act. High-spending PACs that year included America Coming Together, MoveOn.org and the Media Fund on the left, and Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and the College Republican National Committee on the right.

While PACs are more limited in their influence (they can only give $5,000 to each …