MUR #6494

RESPONDENTS: Schmidt for Congress Committee; Braun, Joseph; Brey, Donald C. , Esq.; Fein, Bruce; McCurdy, G Lincoln; Morrison, Sarah; Saltzman, David; Schmidt, Jeannette H.; Schmidt, Peter; Turkish American Legal Defense Fund; Turkish American Legal Expense Fund; Turkish Coalition of America, Inc; Watters, Elizabeth

COMPLAINANT: Krikorian, David

SUBJECT: Contributions-Prohibited; Contributions-Corporations; Personal use; Reporting

DISPOSITION: The Commission decided by a vote of 4-2 to take the following actions in MUR 6494: 1. Accept the conciliation agreement with Schmidt for Congress Committee and Peter Schmidt in his official capacity as treasurer, as recommended in the Memorandum from the Acting General Counsel and Acting Associate General Counsel for Enforcement dated April 21, 2016. 2. Accept the conciliation agreement with the Turkish Coalition of America, Inc. and G. Lincoln McCurdy, as recommended in the Memorandum from the Acting General Counsel and Acting Associate General Counsel for Enforcement dated April 21, 2016. 3. Approve the appropriate letters. 4. Close the file.
The Commission failed by a vote of 3-3 to: a. Find reason to believe that the Turkish Coalition of America, Inc. and the Turkish American Legal Defense Fund and Lincoln McCurdy, as president of the Turkish Coalition of America, Inc., violated 52 U.S.C. § 30118(a) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441b(a)). b. Find no reason to believe that Bruce Fein, David Saltzman, Donald Brey, Sarah D. Morrison or that Elizabeth J. Watters violated 52 U.S.C. § 30118(a) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441b(a)). c. Find reason to believe that Jeannette H. Schmidt knowingly and willfully violated 52 U.S.C. § 30118(a) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441b(a)). d. Find reason to believe that Schmidt for Congress Committee and Phillip Greenburg in his official capacity as treasurer knowingly and willfully violated 52 U.S.C. § 30118(a) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441b(a)). e. Find reason to believe that Schmidt for Congress Committee and Phillip Greenburg in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. § 30104(b) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 434(b)). f. Find no reason to believe that Jeannette H. Schmidt, Schmidt for Congress Committee, and Phillip Greenburg in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. § 30114(b) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 439a(b)). g. Find no reason to believe that Phillip Greenburg in his personal capacity violated 52 U.S.C. § 30104(b) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 434(b)). h. Find no reason to believe Peter Schmidt violated 52 U.S.C. § 30104(b) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 434(b)). i. Find no reason to believe that Joseph Braun violated 52 U.S.C. § 30104(b) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 434(b)). j. Approve the Factual and Legal Analyses, as recommended in the First General Counsel's Report dated July 31, 2014.k. Enter into pre-probable cause conciliation with the Turkish Coalition of America and G. Lincoln McCurdy, as president of the Turkish Coalition of America, prior to a finding of probable cause to believe and approve the conciliation agreement, as recommended in the First General Counsel's Report dated July 31, 2014. l. Enter into pre-probable cause conciliation with Jeanette H. Schmidt and Schmidt for Congress Committee and Phillip Greenburg in his official capacity as treasurer, prior to a finding of probable cause to believe and approve the conciliation agreement, as recommended in the First General Counsel's Report dated July 31, 2014. m. Approve the appropriate letters.
The Commission failed by a vote of 3-3 to: a. Find reason to believe that the Turkish Coalition of America, Inc. and the Turkish American Legal Defense Fund and Lincoln McCurdy, as president of the Turkish Coalition of America, Inc., violated 52 U.S.C. § 30118(a) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441b(a)). b. Find no reason to believe that Bruce Fein, David Saltzman, Donald Brey, Sarah D. Morrison or that Elizabeth J. Watters violated 52 U.S.C. § 30118(a) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441b(a)). c. Find no reason to believe that Jeannette H. Schmidt, Schmidt for Congress Committee, and Phillip Greenburg in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. § 30114(b) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 439a(b)). d. Find no reason to believe that Phillip Greenburg in his personal capacity violated 52 U.S.C. § 30104(b) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 434(b)). e. Find no reason to believe Peter Schmidt violated 52 U.S.C. § 30104(b) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 434(b)). f. Find no reason to believe that Joseph Braun violated 52 U.S.C. § 30104(b) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 434(b)). g. Find reason to believe that Jeannette Schmidt, Schmidt for Congress Committee and Phillip Greenburg in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. § 30118(a) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441b(a)). h. Approve the Factual and Legal Analyses, as recommended in the First General Counsel's Report dated July 31, 2014 and as circulated by the Chair's office on 1/12/15 and include Jeannette Schmidt in the discussion of the violation of 52 U.S.C. § 30118(a) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441b(a)). i. Enter into pre-probable cause conciliation with the Turkish Coalition of America prior to a finding of probable cause to believe and approve the conciliation agreement, as recommended in the First General Counsel's Report dated July 31, 2014 and as circulated by Commissioner Petersen's office on 1/12/15 ...REDACTED... j. Enter into pre-probable cause conciliation with Jeanette Schmidt, Schmidt for Congress Committee and Phillip Greenburg in his official capacity as treasurer, prior to a finding of probable cause to believe and approve the conciliation agreement, as recommended in the First General Counsel's Report dated July 31, 2014 and as circulated by the Chair's office on 1/12/15 ...REDACTED... k. Approve the appropriate letters.
The Commission decided by a vote of 5-1 to: a. Find reason to believe that the Turkish Coalition of America, Inc. and Lincoln McCurdy, as president of the Turkish Coalition of America, Inc., violated 52 U.S.C. § 30118(a) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441b(a)). b. Find no reason to believe that Bruce Fein, David Saltzman, Donald Brey, Sarah D. Morrison or that Elizabeth J. Watters violated 52 U.S.C. § 30118(a) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441b(a)). c. Find reason to believe that Schmidt for Congress Committee and Phillip Greenburg in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. § 30118(a) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441b(a)). d. Find reason to believe that Schmidt for Congress Committee and Phillip Greenburg in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. § 30104(b) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 434(b)).e. Find no reason to believe that Jeannette H. Schmidt, Schmidt for Congress Committee, and Phillip Greenburg in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. § 30114(b) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 439a(b)). f. Find no reason to believe that Phillip Greenburg in his personal capacity violated 52 U.S.C. § 30104(b) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 434(b)). g. Find no reason to believe Peter Schmidt violated 52 U.S.C. § 30104(b) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 434(b)). h. Find no reason to believe that Joseph Braun violated 52 U.S.C. § 30104(b) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 434(b)). i. Approve the Factual and Legal Analysis for Brey, Morrison, and Watters, as recommended in the First General Counsel's Report dated July 31, 2014. j. Approve the Factual and Legal Analyses as recommended in the First General Counsel's Report dated July 31, 2014 and as circulated by the Chair's office on 1/12/15. k. Enter into pre-probable cause conciliation with the Turkish Coalition of America prior to a finding of probable cause to believe and approve the conciliation agreement, as recommended in the First General Counsel's Report dated July 31, 2014 and as circulated by Commissioner Petersen's office on 1/12/15 . . . REDACTED . . . l. Enter into pre-probable cause conciliation with Schmidt for Congress Committee and Phillip Greenburg in his official capacity as treasurer, prior to a finding of probable cause to believe and approve the conciliation agreement, as recommended in the First General Counsel's Report dated July 31, 2014 and as circulated by the Chair's office on 1/12/15 . . . REDACTED . . . m. Approve the appropriate letters. n. Authorize the Office of General Counsel to make any necessary technical and conforming amendments.