What are funds spent by groups with no affiliation to parties called?

• A. Hard Money
• B. Soft Money
• C. Independent Expenditures
• D. Grassroots Donations

Answer: (C)

Funds spent by groups with no affiliation to parties are called independent expenditures. These expenditures are those made by individuals or groups that advocate for or against a candidate or specific election issue without coordinating directly with any political party or candidate's campaign. Independent expenditures are crucial in elections, as they allow for substantial financial contributions that can significantly influence public perception and voter behavior, while still maintaining a level of separation from the candidates themselves.

In the context of campaign finance, independent expenditures can play a vital role in shaping the political landscape, especially when they are financed by organizations or individuals seeking to promote particular messages or values. This distinguishes them from other types of political spending, such as hard money and soft money. Hard money is directly contributed to a candidate's campaign and is subject to strict regulations, while soft money typically refers to unregulated funds for party-building activities. Grassroots donations refer to funds collected from individual small donors, which is quite different from the independent expenditures made by larger organizations or groups.