A federal probe into donations to two Ohio Republican candidates puts a spotlight on the complex web of campaign contribution limits — where at least 80 separate state and federal standards govern how an individual, a political party, a political action committee, or even a 7-year-old can donate thousands of dollars to a political campaign.

The ongoing investigation at the Suarez Corporation specifically involves the $5,000 contribution limit from an individual to a federal candidate, and whether frequent Republican donor Benjamin Suarez tried to skirt that limit.

But that $5,000 standard is far from uniform across the political spectrum. A national or state political party could give that federal candidate $10,000 this year, and a fellow candidate could give $4,000.

The differences are much larger at the state and local level.

Any individual age 7 or older can give a state House or state Senate candidate on Ohio’s November ballot up to $23,087.40 this year.

And there is no limit at all on what an individual can give to a candidate for county, city or other local office.

“Ohio’s contribution limits only apply to statewide candidates,” said Philip Richter, executive director of the Ohio Elections Commission. “If you’re running for county commission, you can receive $1 million from somebody if they’re so inclined.”

While there are limits on giving directly to state and federal candidates, rules at both levels allow for political party or unaffiliated groups to spend unlimited amounts on “in-kind” contributions, such as television ads and mailers in support of those candidates.

“The courts have said that when you exchange money directly with a candidate or party or PAC, that’s when there’s the potential for either real corruption or the appearance of it,” said Bob Biersack, senior fellow at the Center for Responsive Politics.”

Numerous employees at the Suarez Corporation — some of whom had never made a campaign donation before and appeared to be of modest means — gave maximum allowable $5,000 contributions to both U.S. Senate candidate and Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel and U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci last year, according to published reports.