The American Federation for Children this week terminated its Idaho-based political action committee that spent more than half a million dollars on state elections in 2024 and will instead use a national super PAC to support school choice candidates in the state this year.

Shifting to a national super PAC will make it more difficult for Idahoans to track money the American Federation for Children spends to influence voters in Idaho.

The Texas-based nonprofit will now funnel money into Idaho directly from its AFC Victory Fund super PAC instead of the Idaho Federation for Children PAC, which it established in January 2024.

Brian Jodice, national press secretary for the American Federation for Children, confirmed these plans in a call with Idaho Education News on Wednesday.

“We’re active in a lot of states across the country,” Jodice told EdNews. “Obviously, Idaho we’ve cared deeply about over the last few years, specifically, over the last year getting that school choice program stood up.”

The group plans to continue supporting candidates who “support the issue,” Jodice added.

The school choice program Jodice referred to is the $50 million Parental Choice Tax Credit the Legislature passed last year through House Bill 93. Parents can receive up to $5,000 in tax credits per child that attends a non-public school. Students with special needs can claim up to $7,500.

The AFC Victory Fund, which is registered in Alabama, in 2024 contributed $560,000 to the Idaho Federation for Children PAC, which is registered in Idaho but headquartered in Maryland. The Idaho PAC’s only other donation in 2024 was a $5,000 contribution from Malaleuca Inc., a wellness company based in Idaho Falls.

According to data on Idaho Sunshine, not a single individual in Idaho has contributed to the Idaho Federation for Children PAC.

With a large out-of-state donation in hand, the Idaho Federation for Children PAC in 2024 reported $432,923 in independent expenditures to support and oppose candidates, and $129,180 in other expenses. (View the full list of expenditures below.)

But as of this week, the American Federation for Children decided to cut out the middleman and terminate the Idaho Federation for Children PAC.

Different reporting requirements

National PACs do not have to follow the same reporting requirements as in-state committees.

Idaho PACs have to register with the secretary of state and file monthly reports that list expenditures they make to support or oppose candidates. These in-state PACs also have committee profile pages on Idaho Sunshine with easy-to-digest information listing their contributions, expenses and independent expenditures. These profiles for Idaho PACs also include charts that show how much money comes from out of state versus in state, and from companies or individuals.

But national PACs do not have committee profiles on Sunshine, are not required to submit monthly reports and do not show up as easily in searches.

Instead, national PACs register with the Federal Election Commission and must simply submit independent expenditure reports to the Idaho secretary of state, as laid out in state law.

State law requires PACs to report their independent expenditures no less than one week before election day, or within 48 hours if those expenses total more than $1,000 and are made “after the 16th day before, but more than 48 hours before” the election.

“PACs that are registered with the FEC can contribute to local candidates and PACs, but they do not have to register in Idaho,” according to a statement the Idaho secretary of state’s office sent EdNews. “We just ask that those that receive the contributions report the FEC number on their report.”

How to find national PAC spending

National PACs will not show up in simple committee searches on Idaho Sunshine.

To track national PAC spending in Idaho, go to the Idaho Sunshine independent expenditure tab or the filings and reports tab and search for the committee’s name to view independent expenditure reports. These reports show how much money PACs have spent and include lists of which candidates the groups are supporting or opposing.

Who did the Idaho Federation for Children PAC support and oppose in 2024?

Here’s a list of some of the PAC’s independent expenditures in 2024. 

• Supported:
  • Rep. Wendy Horman: $47,534
  • Sen. Chuck Winder: $19,629
  • Sen. Julie VanOrden: $16,282
  • Rep. Dori Healey: $7,794
  • Sen. Codi Galloway: $6,349
  • Rep. David Cannon: $128
• Opposed:
  • Rep. Melissa Durrant: $80,655
  • Sen. Rick Just: $78,390
  • Rep. Kenny Wroten: $73,370
  • Rep. Rick Cheatum: $63,546
  • Mary Shea (Democratic House candidate): $26,968
  • Kathy Dawes (Democratic House candidate): $12,272

Where does the AFC Victory Fund’s money come from?

From 2023 to 2024, the AFC Victory Fund reported $13.47 million in contributions, according to FEC data.

The super PAC’s biggest funder is billionaire school choice supporter Jeff Yass. He gave the super PAC $8.7 million in 2023 and 2024.

Other contributors include former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and her husband, Dick, who contributed a combined $1.45 million.