About Us

About IAPAC

The Iranian American Political Action Committee (IAPAC) is the registered bipartisan connected PAC of PAAIA.  IAPAC contributes to candidates for public office who are attuned to the concerns of the Iranian American community.  In addition, IAPAC supports and encourages Iranian Americans to actively participate in the U.S. democratic process and run for public office.

Political Action Committees are an important part of the American political process.  IAPAC is a critical tool in PAAIA’s advocacy efforts.  To assure that our message is heard on Capitol Hill, IAPAC contributions are a means of access to discuss policy positions and/or educate our elected officials, and encourage increased community participation. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

A Political Action Committee (PAC) is the popular term for a political committee that is organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates for public office. A PAC can represent business, labor or ethnic interests and be organized as a connected (separate segregated fund) or as a non-connected committee. According to FEC guidelines, a PAC must register within 10 days of its formation and provide the names and addresses for the PAC officials and members and any connected organization.

Iranian American accomplishments have been both significant and numerous. Today, there are successful Iranian Americans in almost every walk of life in American society. Iranian Americans have excelled in law, medicine, education, art, the media and sports. However, there is one area in which Iranian American achievement is lacking - that is the political arena. The reality of the American political system is that it is dependent on financial contributions. PACs are playing an ever increasing and significant role in the American electoral system because they allow communities to pool their resources for maximum impact. According to the FEC, PACs contributed $220 million to federal candidates in the 1997-1998 election cycle. With the passage of the McCain-Feingold Act covering campaign contributions, the importance of PACs and of ethnic groups such as the Iranian American community becomes significantly enhanced.

No! IAPAC has no relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran. IAPAC is political action committee focused on the needs of our community in the United States and is not focused on U.S. policy towards Iran, establishing ties with or legitimizing the government of Iran.

Information about PACs

  • A contribution to a PAC is anything of value given to influence a federal election. This includes gifts of money, gifts of goods and services (in-kind contributions) and loans and guarantees or endorsements of loans.
  • All receipts to a PAC must be forwarded to the Treasurer or designated assistant for deposit immediately. Prior to depositing the funds, the Treasurer or his/her designee must review each check to determine if any on their face are illegal or questionable.n
  • A PAC may only receive contributions from U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are eighteen years or older. Foreign nationals are prohibited from contributing to a PAC.
  • A PAC is prohibited from accepting contributions from corporations and labor unions.
  • A PAC is prohibited from accepting contributions from federal government contractors.
  • A PAC may raise funds by selling fundraising items or tickets to fundraising events. The full price for the ticket or event is the contribution amount, even if a part of the costs are going to defray the cost of the fundraising program.
  • Any contribution more than $100.00 must be received via check or written instrument.
  • A copy of each solicitation, receipt, response card and return contributions must be maintained by a PAC for a minimum of three (3) years for FEC purposes.
  • A PAC may receive up to $5,000 per calendar year from a legal contributor for its federal account.
  • The maximum contribution to a federal candidate from a multi-candidate PAC is $5,000 per election.
  • The maximum contribution to a federal candidate from a non-multi-candidate PAC is $1,000 per election.
  • To qualify as a multi-candidate committee, a non-connected PAC must receive contributions from at least 51 persons, be registered with the FEC for at least six months and contribute to at least five federal candidates.
  • A multi-candidate PAC may give $15,000 per year to a national party committee.
  • A non-multi-candidate PAC may give $20,000 per year to a national party committee.
  • The Republican and Democratic parties each have three national party committees. A non-connected PAC may also make independent expenditures or conduct issue advertising.
  • A non-connected PAC must file monthly or quarterly reports of its receipts, expenditures and contributions to the FEC.

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