FEC allows campaign donations via text messaging

[June 12, 2012]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal election officials say small-dollar donors may use their cell phones' text messaging to contribute to political campaigns.

The Federal Election Commission ruled unanimously Monday in favor of Democratic- and Republican-leaning groups and campaign-finance watchdogs that had asked the commission to allow the contributions.

The new rules allow a donor to send a text message to a campaign authorizing a donation to be paid through a charge to the donor's cell phone bill. A similar practice was used following the Haitian earthquake to contribute financial assistance.

The president of the political advertising firm Armour Media, Mark Armour, who helped usher in the change, calls the decision a game-changer for political contributions.

Donations via text messaging are capped at $50 per cell number per month. That's the limit for anonymous donations.

[Associated Press; By JACK GILLUM]

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