Welcome to the Florida CCEs Database:

Exposing Florida’s Leadership Committees of Continuous Existence

NEW!! FL Legislature Passes Law to Force CCEs to Disclose their Contributors

The Committees of Continuous Existence Loophole

A campaign financing shell game is being played in Florida by stealth-like political organizations called Committees of Continuous Existence, or CCEs. Cloaked in catchy names and clever acronyms, these veiled and often deceptive organizations are redefining Florida’s political landscape, even as their true agendas remain hidden. Despite receiving unlimited contributions from oftentimes anonymous donors, the elected officials who benefit from these committees are not currently required to disclose their contributors or detail their expenditures.

Since their creation, 22 identifiable so-called “leadership CCEs” – CCEs that are controlled by elected officials in Florida – have collectively raked in over $3.39 million, $3.1 million in contributions greater than $1,000 from a single source. Over 41% ($1.28 million) in contributions in amounts greater than $1,000 have come from anonymous “members,” known only to our lawmakers and their accountants. Nearly 45% ($1.39 million) in contributions have come from business interests, individuals, and a few labor organizations that leaders have voluntarily disclosed their identities.

Tracking the expenditures of leadership CCEs is even more problematic. Over the past few years, the 22 CCEs have doled out over $2.4 million dollars. Where the bulk of this money is going, however, is anyone’s guess. Only 12.8% ($310,600) of total expenditures by these 22 CCEs has gone to the official political committees of fellow legislators, a surprisingly low figure, as this kind of spending was supposedly the original purpose of these leadership committees.

Who’s Influencing Florida’s Legislative Leaders?

CCE Summary Statistics

Contributions raised by 22 CCEs
Total	$3,104,268.02
Average per CCE	$141,103.09
Expenditures made by 22 CCEs
Total	$2,424,674.08
Average per CCE	$109,212.46

Who’s Giving and Who’s Getting??

Links to 22 Leadership CCEs

Senators

Representatives

Read our Op-Ed in the St. Petersburg Times:

“Committees Hold the Secret to Campaign Financing”

The Florida CCEs Database is a collaborative student-faculty effort to expose to the public who’s giving and who’s getting money from these secretive committees set up by our elected officials in Tallahassee.

For more information, contact:

Daniel A. Smith, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Political Science
University of Florida
Homepage: www.clas.ufl.edu/users/dasmith

Phone: 352-392-0262 x279

Nicole M. James

352-333-8307

What are Leadership CCEs?

Methodology for Florida CCEs Database

Links to Newspaper Stories on CCEs