PAC Fundraising for Political Candidates

Each year, your League’s Governmental Affairs team coordinates fundraising efforts for America’s Credit Unions PAC and Maine’s Credit Unions PAC. Both political action committees (PACs) were formerly called the Credit Union Legislative Action Council (CULAC) despite being two independent organizations. Their recent name changes better reflect their separate roles in state and federal advocacy. These funds are contributed to federal and state candidates who support credit unions and our issues. 

Contributions to either PAC are strictly voluntary and are accepted on a continuous basis. Checks should be made payable to America’s Credit Unions PAC or Maine’s Credit Unions PAC and mailed to: 

Maine Credit Union League 
ATTN: PAC C/o: Ethan Barber 
PO Box 1236 
Portland, ME 04104 

 

FAQ

Maine’s Credit Unions PAC, or MCU PAC, is a state-level political action committee dedicated to electing political candidates that support the credit union movement in Maine. It was formerly called the Credit Union Legislative Action Council, or CULAC for short. 

Before the merging of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and the National Association of Federally Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU), the federal credit union political action committee was also called CULAC. After the formation of America’s Credit Unions, the federal PAC became America’s Credit Unions PAC. 

A political action committee, also known as a PAC, is a way for people to pool their political contributions. PACs are organized around a particular cause. Instead of researching individual candidates and choosing which to donate to yourself, individuals can donate to a PAC on an issue they support, which will then donate to candidates and political parties on your behalf. 

There are many factors that go in to choosing which candidates to support. Most importantly, we want to make sure the candidates know what makes credit unions different and are committed to supporting the political needs of credit unions. We also make sure prospective candidates share our ethics and values and have strong future prospects. The credit union movement is bipartisan, so we support candidates and parties on both sides of the aisle. 

No. All donations to either the state or federal PAC are voluntary. You should donate if you believe in the cause and want to see credit unions advance. For people who are excited about politics, it’s a great way to participate. For people who don’t care about politics, it’s a way to make sure what you care about is represented without having to get involved. 

No. Just like making a donation to a candidate or political party, these contributions are used for political purposes and are not tax-deductible. The difference with MCU PAC and ACU PAC is that you are choosing to support pro credit union candidates.