AO 2018-07 Mace
Nonconnected PAC formed by state candidate/officeholder.
Advisory opinions
Advisory opinions are official Commission responses to questions about how federal campaign finance law applies to specific, factual situations.
This archive contains advisory opinions from 1975 to the present. It also contains documents related to advisory opinions — such as requests, drafts and public comments — from 1990 to the present.
The advisory opinion processPending advisory opinion requests
Once the Office of the General Counsel has determined that an advisory opinion request meets all of the requirements to move forward for consideration by the Commission, the request is made public and is available for public comment for ten days.
Learn how to commentRecent advisory opinions issued
The Commission issues an advisory opinion when four or more Commissioners vote to approve it. These votes almost always occur during an open meeting.
Explore all advisory opinionsAO 2018-06 Liuba for Congress
Use of campaign funds for candidate's childcare expenses.
AO 2018-05 CaringCent, LLC
Vendor collecting and forwarding contributions to political committees.
AO 2018-04 Conservative Primary LLC
Website conducting straw polls and advertising results of such polls.
AO 2018-03 Committee to Elect Michael Gilmore
Use of campaign funds for, and volunteer attorney services regarding, lawsuit by voters seeking quicker special election.
AO 2018-02 Alabama Academy of Radiology and ALRAD PAC
Conversion of nonfederal committee to joint federal-nonfederal committee.
AO 2018-01 Libertarian Party of Utah
Status as state committee of national party.
AO 2017-13 National Sorghum Producers and Sorghum PAC
Checkoff system for contributions to trade association and state affiliates acting as collecting agents.
AO 2017-12 Take Back Action Fund
Application of disclaimer rules to paid Facebook Image and Video ads