For Immediate Release: Contact: Kelly Huff
July 15, 1997 Ron Harris
Sharon Snyder
Ian Stirton
WASHINGTON -- The Federal Election Commission has made public its final action on 21 matters previously under review (MURs). This release contains only summary information. Closed files should be thoroughly read for details, including the FEC’s legal analysis of the case. (Please see footnote at the end of this release.) Closed MUR files are available in the Public Records Office.
1. MUR 3991
RESPONDENTS: (a) Brown for President, Blaine Quick, treasurer (CA)
(b) Quarterdeck Office Systems, Inc. (CA)
(c) Drug, Hospital & Health Care Employees Union, Local 1199 (NY)
(d) Chromosohm Media, Inc. (CA)
(e) Robert Klahn (CA)
(f) Linda Bourbeau (MA)
(g) Michael C. Bourbeau (MA)
(h) Jodie Evans (CA)
COMPLAINANT: FEC Initiated (Audit - 1992 Election)
SUBJECT: Corporate contributions; union contributions; excessive contributions (in the form of staff advances); failure to accurately report debt
DISPOSITION: (a) Probable cause to believe, but took no further action*
[re: corporate contribution; union contribution; excessive contributions; failure to accurately report debt]
No probable cause to believe*
[re: union contribution]
Reason to believe, but took no further action*
[re: corporate contribution]
(b) Conciliation Agreement: $ 40,000 civil penalty*
(c) Conciliation Agreement: $ 14,000 civil penalty*
(d) Reason to believe, but took no further action*
[re: corporate contribution]
(e-h) Reason to believe, took no further action*
[re: excessive contributions (in the form of staff advances)]
Sent admonishment letters.
2. MUR 4182
RESPONDENTS: (a) Taxpayers for Phillips, Mark Weaver, treasurer (VA)
(b) Dr. Stephen C. Graves (AZ)
COMPLAINANT: FEC Initiated (RAD)
SUBJECT: Excessive contributions; exceeding the annual $25,000 contribution limit; failure to designate separate principal campaign committee; failure to include name of Vice Presidential candidate in name of committee
DISPOSITION: (a) Probable cause to believe, but took no further action*
[re: excessive contributions; failure to include name of Vice Presidential candidate in name of committee]
Sent admonishment letter.
(b) Conciliation Agreement: $ 10,000 civil penalty*
[re: excessive contributions; exceeding the annual $25,000 contribution limit; failure to designate separate principal campaign committee]
3. MUR 4247
RESPONDENTS: (a) EMC Corporation (MA)
(b) Richard J. Egan, CEO, EMC Corporation (MA)
(c) Citizens for Peter Torkildsen, Edward P. McGuire, treasurer (MA)
(d) Peter Blute for Congress Campaign Committee, Susan Copeland, treasurer (MA)
(e) Romney for U.S. Senate Campaign Committee, Judy Pagliuca, treasurer (MA)
(f) Pete Wilson for President Committee, Inc. Mark G. Hoglund, treasurer (CA)
(g) The Honorable William F. Weld (MA)
(h) Weld for Senate, Inc., Anthony Russo, treasurer (MA)
COMPLAINANT: Bud Jackson of Jackson Communications (MA)
SUBJECT: Corporate contributions/corporate solicitation and facilitation
DISPOSITION: (a-b) Reason to believe, but took no further action*
(c-h) Took no action*
4. MUR 4406
RESPONDENTS: (a) The Honorable James A. McDermott (WA)
(b) Friends of Jim McDermott, Charles M. Williams, treasurer (WA)
COMPLAINANTS: Kenneth Boehm, Chairman, National Legal and Policy Center (VA)
SUBJECT: Improper use of congressional funds for political activity; excessive contributions; failure to report contributions
DISPOSITION: (a-b) No reason to believe* [re: any provision of the Act]
5. MUR 4420
RESPONDENTS: Mississippi Democratic Party Political Action Committee, Jodie Robinson, treasurer (MS)
COMPLAINANT: FEC Initiated (RAD)
SUBJECT: Failure to file disclosure report timely
DISPOSITION: Conciliation Agreement: $ 4,300 civil penalty*
6. MUR 4455
RESPONDENT: City of Milwaukee (WI)
COMPLAINANTS: John F. Fuchs, counsel for Milwaukee Police Association Local 21, IUPA, AFL-CIO (WI)
SUBJECT: Failure to establish voluntary payroll deduction program for political contributions
DISPOSITION: Took no action*
7. MUR 4456
RESPONDENT: Jackson Mint Ltd. (IN)
COMPLAINANTS: Randi J. Bronk, Campaign Administrator, Christopher Cox Congressional Committee (CA)
SUBJECT: Commercial use of contributor list
DISPOSITION: Took no action*
8. MUR 4457
RESPONDENTS: (a) Donna E. Shalala, Secretary of Health and Human Services,
Department of Health and Human Services (DC)
(b) Bruce C. Vladeck, Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration (DC)
(c) Clinton Administration (DC)
COMPLAINANT: Wayne D. Shows (LA)
SUBJECT: Use of government publication to endorse federal campaign
DISPOSITION: (a-c) Took no action*
9. MUR 4458
RESPONDENT: KMA - AM (Radio) (IA)
COMPLAINANTS: Jay B. Marcus, Marcus for Congress (IA)
SUBJECT: Failure to use pre-established objective criteria for selection of candidates for participation in debates
DISPOSITION: Took no action*
10. MUR 4461
RESPONDENTS: (a) Americans for Freedom of Choice PAC, Michael Hudson, treasurer (DC)
(b) Emily’s List, Ellen R. Malcolm, treasurer (DC)
(c) Association of Trial Lawyers of America PAC (ATLA-PAC), Carmen Belefonte, treasurer (DC)
(d) American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees PAC, William Lucy, treasurer (DC)
COMPLAINANTS: Oregon Republican Party, Marge Beckerich, Executive Director, (OR)
SUBJECT: Excessive contributions
DISPOSITION: (a-d) Took no action*
11. MUR 4462
RESPONDENTS: Ellen O. Tauscher (CA)
COMPLAINANT: Maria Cino, former Executive Director, National Republican Congressional Committee (DC)
SUBJECT: Exceeding $25,000 annual contribution limit (1992)
DISPOSITION: Took no action*
12. MUR 4464
RESPONDENTS: (a) The Honorable Charles W. Norwood, Jr. (GA)
(b) Norwood for Congress, Abram J. Serotta, treasurer (GA)
(c) Frederick and Susan Thielke (GA)
(d) Katie, Abbey and Becca Thielke (GA)
(e) Duncan and Lynda Johnson (GA)
(f) Laura Johnson and Duncan Johnson, Jr. (GA)
(g) Drs. Charles and Kim Wirsing (GA)
(h) Jackie, Robyn and Debbie Wirsing (GA)
COMPLAINANTS: Steve Anthony, Executive Director, Democratic Party of Georgia (GA)
SUBJECT: Contributions in the names of others/contributions by minors/excessive contributions
DISPOSITION: (a-h) Took no action*
13. MUR 4465
RESPONDENTS: (a) Lincoln for Congress, Margaret E. Lape, treasurer (AK)
(b) Lincoln for Senate and treasurer (AK) (state committee)
COMPLAINANT: Camille Ten-Eyck (AK)
SUBJECT: Failure to itemize contributors; use of non-federal (state) funds
DISPOSITION: (a-c) Took no action*
14. MUR 4469
RESPONDENTS: Carol Moseley-Braun for U.S. Senate, Billie Page, treasurer (IL)
COMPLAINANT: Jane Scott Brown (DC)
SUBJECT: Failure to accurately report debt
DISPOSITION: Took no action*
15. MUR 4475
RESPONDENTS: (a) Jack Vilberg and Manpower Temporary Services, Inc. (IL)
(b) Al Salvi (IL)
(c) Al Salvi for U.S. Senate, Dana M. Grigoroff, treasurer (IL)
COMPLAINANTS: Peter Lindstrom, Research Director, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DC)
SUBJECT: Corporate contribution/corporate solicitation and facilitation; disclaimer
DISPOSITION: (a-c) Took no action*
16. MUR 4479
RESPONDENTS: (a) Steve Owens for U.S. Congress, John Eck, treasurer (AZ)
(b) White House Military Office (DC)
(c) United States Government (DC)
COMPLAINANTS: Maria Cino, former Executive Director, National Republican Congressional Committee (DC)
SUBJECT: Excessive contribution (in the form of unreimbursed travel costs)
DISPOSITION: (a-b) Took no action*
17. MUR 4482
RESPONDENTS: (a) Mike McCormick (PA)
(b) Mike McCormick for Congress Committee, Mike Rollage, treasurer (PA) (c) Democrats for McCormick Committee, Mike Rollage, treasurer (PA)
COMPLAINANTS: L. Anthony Spossey, Chairman, Washington County Democratic Committee (PA)
SUBJECT: Failure to register committee
DISPOSITION: (a-c) Took no action*
18. MUR 4487
RESPONDENTS: (a) Citizens for a Strong America, Daniel J. Kehoe, Jr., treasurer (IL)
(b) E. Gene Vossler (IL)
(c) High Frontier and treasurer (VA)
(d) College Republicans and treasurer (CO)
COMPLAINANT: Joe Stern (CO)
SUBJECT: Corporate contributions
DISPOSITION: (a-d) Took no action*
19. MUR 4488
RESPONDENTS: (a) Ortiz for Congress Committee, Adelfino Palacios, Jr. (TX)
(b) Gerald G. Sawyer, Custodian of Records, Ortiz for Congress Committee (TX)
COMPLAINANTS: Maria Cino, former Executive Director, National Republican Congressional Committee (DC)
SUBJECT: Use of official resources for campaign activity in violation of House Ethics Rules; prohibited contributions; failure to report contributions
DISPOSITION: (a-b) Took no action*
20. MUR 4489
RESPONDENTS: (a) Steve Gill (TN)
(b) Gill for Congress Committee, Jeffrey S. Bivins, treasurer (TN)
(c) Wiles Ford-Mercury (TN)
(d) Ford Motor Credit Company (MI)
COMPLAINANTS: Will T. Cheek, Chairman, Tennessee Democratic Party (TN)
SUBJECT: Personal use of campaign funds; corporate contribution
DISPOSITION: (a-d) Took no action*
21. MUR 4623
RESPONDENTS: Robert Burch for Congress Committee, Marilyn Pizzini, treasurer (OH)
COMPLAINANT: FEC Initiated (RAD)
SUBJECT: Failure to file disclosure report timely
DISPOSITION: Conciliation Agreement: $ 1,400 civil penalty*
*There are four administrative stages to the FEC enforcement process:
1. Receipt of proper complaint 3. "Probable cause" stage
2. "Reason to believe" stage 4. Conciliation stage
It requires the votes of at least four of the six Commissioners to take any action. The FEC can close a case at any point after reviewing a complaint. If a violation is found and conciliation cannot be reached, then the FEC can institute a civil court action against a respondent.