MUR #5546

RESPONDENTS: Progress for America Voter Fund (527); Bonfiglio, Barbara Wixon, Esq.; Brown, Ralph; Bush, George W.; Bush-Cheney '04, Inc.; Carter, Mary Anne; Cheney, Richard B.; FYI Messaging LLC; Feather, Tony; Hirschmann, Susan; Kjellander, Bob; Larson, Jeff; McCabe, Brian; Paxon, L. William ("Bill"); Progress for America (501(c)(4); Purpura, Salvatore; Republican National Committee (RNC); Synhorst, Thomas J.; The Leadership Forum

COMPLAINANT: Russo, Steven C.

SUBJECT: Contributions-Prohibited; Expenditures-Exemptions

DISPOSITION: The Commission decided by a vote of 6-0, on an amended pre-meeting tally, to take the following actions in MUR 5546:1. Take no further action with respect to allegations that Progress for America Voter Fund made coordinated expenditures, resulting in excessive in-kind contributions to the Republican National Committee and Bob Kjellander, in his official capacity as Treasurer.2. Take no further action with respect to allegations that Progress for America Voter Fund made coordinated expenditures, resulting in excessive in-kind contributions to Bush-Cheney '04, Inc. and Salvatore Purpura, in his official capacity as Treasurer.3. Take no further action with respect to allegations that the Republican National Committee and Bob Kjellander, in his official capacity as Treasurer, knowingly accepted excessive in-kind contributions in the form of coordinated expenditures.4. Take no further action with respect to allegations that Bush-Cheney '04, Inc. and Salvatore Purpura, in his official capacity as Treasurer, knowingly accepted excessive in-kind contributions in the form of coordinated expenditures.5. Approve the appropriate letters.6. Take no further action and close the file as to all Respondents.
The Commission decided by a vote of 4-1 to take the following actions in MUR 5546:1. Find no reason to believe The Leadership Forum, Susan B. Hirschmann, as President, L. William Paxon, as Vice President, and Barbara Bonfiglio, as Treasurer violated any provision of the Act by making prohibited or excessive in-kind contributions in the form of coordinated expenditures to Bush-Cheney '04 or the Republican National Committee.2. Find reason to believe Progress for America Voter Fund violated 2 U.S.C. § 441a(a)(1)(A).3. Take no action at this time as to Progress for America, Inc. or PFA-VF President Brian McCabe, PFA-VF Treasurer Mary Anne Carter, and PFA-VF Secretary Ralph R. Brown.4.Take no action at this time as to Bush-Cheney '04, Inc. and David Herndon, in his official capacity as Treasurer; President George W. Bush; Vice President Richard B. Cheney; The Republican National Committee and Mike Retzer, in his official capacity as Treasurer.5.Approve the Factual and Legal Analysis, as recommended in the General Counsel's Report dated June 6, 2005; subject to deletion of the following language:a) Attachment 2, Page 4: the phrase which begins with the word "which" on Line 6, through the word "states" at the end of Line 7.b) Attachment 2, Page 6: the sentence which begins with the word "All" on Line 4, through the word "leadership" at the end of Line 5.c) Attachment 2, Page 6: the phrase "just two candidates" from the end of Line 6, through the beginning of Line 7.d) Attachment 2, Page 6: the sentence which begins with the word "There" on Line 7, through the word "office" at the end of Line 8.6. .......... REDACTED .......... 7.Approve the appropriate letters.