Kevin Diaz at the Star-Tribune examines leadership PACs (political action committees) run by Minnesota elected leaders. Leadership PACs are operated by elected officials, historically US Senators and Representations.

In the process, Diaz discovered the same patterns that I saw in March: leadership (read politician-owned and directed) PACs have quadrupled in number in the past decade even though PACs, as a campaign finance category, peaked in the 1990s. Moreover, campaign rhetoric to the contrary, PAC money accounts for an insignificant amount of the overall dollars raised-and-spent to run for president.

Far too much of leadership PAC money goes towards self-aggrandizement of the politician, not the campaigns of others running for office (the ostensible purpose of the PAC).

Diaz writes that leadership PACS "permit pols and donors to get around ordinary fundraising limits and rules on giving gifts, throwing parties and paying for travel." Here are two examples:

When the Republican National Convention takes place in the Twin Cities this summer, one of the hottest tickets in town will be a golf outing at Hazeltine National Golf Course in Chaska. Minnesota Congressman John Kline has already put down a $4,800 deposit.

The money will not come out of Kline's pocket or any campaign account. Instead, it will be paid by his own political action committee (PAC), the same type used by industry lobbies and special interest groups.

In another example, Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman, while lobbying his fellow Republicans in his bid to become chair of the Republican National Senatorial Committee, "used $45,000 from his PAC to throw a reception at the 2004 GOP convention."

What do you think? Should elected Congressional officials be allowed to form PACs to give money to political campaigns ... and to fund activities that they otherwise would have to fund out of their own pockets?