> The groups avoided helping candidates on purpose, said Mr. Engle, a Washington lawyer they recently hired as a legal advisor. He said they made sure not to ex

> The groups avoided helping candidates on purpose, said Mr. Engle, a Washington lawyer they recently hired as a legal advisor. He said they made sure not to exceed $1,000 in direct aid to federal candidates — which could trigger a requirement to register with the F.E.C. — or to exceed state-by-state thresholds that would trigger a requirement to register with state agencies. That left them regulated by the I.R.S., which monitors 527 groups that the others do not. > “Helping candidates directly is not always the best use of money. Candidates often have more than enough money,” Mr. Engle said. It's wild that the lawyer they hired is saying this in their defense.