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For Immediate Release
June 21, 2004		 Contact: Kelly Huff
Bob Biersack
Ian Stirton
George Smaragdis
COMPLIANCE CASE MADE PUBLIC

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Election Commission has recently made public its final action on a matter previously under review (MUR). This release contains only disposition information.

1.

MUR 4999

RESPONDENTS:

(a) Edward M. Bernstein

(b) Edward M. Bernstein and Associates, Inc.

(c) A Lot of People Supporting Ed Bernstein, Michael W. Kern, treasurer

(d) KVBC-TV

(e) KNVR-TV

(f) Sunbelt Communications

COMPLAINANT:

John Mason, Chairman, Republican Party of Nevada

SUBJECT:

Corporate contributions

DISPOSITION:

(a-c) Conciliation Agreement: $ 25,000 civil penalty*

The respondents violated the Act by making or receiving prohibited in-kind contributions by coordinating certain advertising expenditures.

(d-f) No reason to believe*

DOCUMENTS ON PUBLIC RECORD:

Documents from this matter are available from the Commission’s web site at http://eqs.sdrdc.com/eqs/searcheqs by entering 4999

under case number. They are also available in the FECs Public Records Office at 999 E St. NW in Washington.

2.

MUR 5392

RESPONDENTS:

(a) General Wesley K. Clark

(b) Clark for President, Dorian V. Weaver, treasurer

(c) The Richard C. Levitt Family Lecture Endowment Fund

(d) The University of Iowa Foundation

(e) The University of Iowa

(f) The University of Iowa College of Law

COMPLAINANTS:

Michael R. Davis

Jason R. Cole

Annette Steward

SUBJECT:

Excessive contribution

DISPOSITION:

(a-f) No reason to believe*

The complaints alleged that Wesley Clark violated the law in connection with a public lecture given by him on the University’s campus two days after he announced his candidacy. They claimed by attending a political event off campus prior to his lecture and criticizing the President during the lecture changed the character of General Clark’s appearance from academic discussion to one that was for the purpose of influencing a Federal election and by accepting payment from the University for this lecture, General Clark received, and the University respondents made, a contribution prohibited by the Act. The Commission found there was no reason to believe that the respondents violated the Act.

DOCUMENTS ON PUBLIC RECORD:

Documents from this matter are available from the Commission’s web site at http://eqs.sdrdc.com/eqs/searcheqs by entering 5392 under case number. They are also available in the FECs Public Records Office at 999 E St. NW in Washington.

*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.

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