MUR #6528

RESPONDENTS: Michael Grimm for Congress; Biton, Ofer; Grimm, Michael; Mosdot Shuva Israel Synagogue; Pinto, Yoshiyahu Yosef; Unknown Respondents A, B, C; Watkins, Nancy H.

COMPLAINANT: Duffy, Paul A.

SUBJECT: Contributions-Limitations; Contributions-In the name of another; Other; Reporting

DISPOSITION: The Commission decided by a vote of 5-1 to take the following actions in MUR 6528: 1. Close the entire file. 2. Approve the appropriate letters.
The Commission decided by a vote of 6-0 to take the following actions in MUR 6528: 1. Find reason to believe that Michael Grimm knowingly and willfully violated 11 C.F.R. § 110.20. 2. Find reason to believe that Michael Grimm for Congress and Nancy H. Watkins in her official capacity as treasurer knowingly and willfully violated 11 C.F.R. § 110.20. 3. Take no action on the allegations that Michael Grimm knowingly andwillfully violated 52 U.S.C. §§ 30116(f) and 30122 in light of the statute of limitations on any relevant conduct. 4. Take no further action on the previous reason to believe findings that Michael Grimm for Congress and Nancy H. Watkins in her official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. §§ 30104(b), 30116(f), and 30122 in light of the statute of limitations on any relevant conduct. 5. Enter into pre-probable cause conciliation with Michael Grimm and Michael Grimm for Congress and Nancy H. Watkins in her official capacity as treasurer, . . . REDACTED . . . 6. Take no action on the allegations that Ofer Biton, Rabbi YoshiyahuYosef Pinto, Mosdot Shuva Israel Synagogue, and Unknown Respondents A, B, and C violated the Act in light of the statute of limitations on any relevant conduct, and close the file as to them. 7. Approve the Factual and Legal Analyses for Ofer Biton and Mosdot Shuva Israel Synagogue as circulated by Commissioner Weintraub's Office on September 30, 2015 at 4:38 pm and as edited at the table. 8. Approve the Factual and Legal Analysis for Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto as circulated by Vice Chairman Petersen's Office on October 5, 2015 at 4:18pm and as further edited at the table. 9. Approve the Factual and Legal Analysis for Michael Grimm and Michael Grimm for Congress and Nancy H. Watkins in her official capacity as treasurer as circulated by Vice Chairman Petersen's Office on October 5, 2015 at 4:18 pm and as further edited at the table. 10. Authorize the Office of General Counsel to make any necessary technical and conforming edits. 11. Approve the appropriate letters.
The Commission failed by a vote of 3-3 to: a. Find reason to believe that Michael Grimm knowingly and willfully violated 52 U.S.C. § 30121(a)(2). b. Find reason to believe that Michael Grimm for Congress and Nancy H. Watkins in her official capacity as treasurer knowingly and willfully violated 52 U.S.C. § 30121(a)(2). c. Enter into pre-probable cause conciliation with Michael Grimm and Michael Grimm for Congress and Nancy H. Watkins in her official capacity as treasurer, . . . REDACTED . . . as recommended in the Second General Counsel's Report dated September 24, 2015. d. Dismiss the allegations that Ofer Biton, Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto, Mosdot Shuva Israel Synagogue, and Unknown Respondents A, B, and C violated the Act and close the file as to them. e. Approve the Factual and Legal Analyses as recommended in the Second General Counsel's Report dated September 24, 2015. f. Approve the appropriate letters.
The Commission failed by a vote of 3-3 to: a. Find reason to believe that Michael Grimm knowingly and willfully violated 52 U.S.C. § 30121(a)(2). b. Find reason to believe that Michael Grimm for Congress and Nancy H. Watkins in her official capacity as treasurer knowingly and willfully violated 52 U.S.C. § 30121(a)(2). c. Enter into pre-probable cause conciliation with Michael Grimm and Michael Grimm for Congress and Nancy H. Watkins in her official capacity as treasurer, . . . REDACTED . . . as recommended in the Second General Counsel's Report dated September 24, 2015 . . . REDACTED . . . d. Dismiss the allegations that Ofer Biton, Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto, Mosdot Shuva Israel Synagogue, and Unknown Respondents A, B, and C violated the Act and close the file as to them. e. Approve the Factual and Legal Analyses as recommended in the Second General Counsel's Report dated September 24, 2015 last circulated by Vice Chairman Petersen's Office at 1:52 P.M. on October 1, 2015 and with edits as discussed at the Table regarding the distinction between Rabbi Pinto's activities and his wife?s activities. f. Authorize technical and conforming edits. g. Approve the appropriate letters.
1. Find reason to believe that Michael Grimm for Congress and Nancy H. Watkins in her official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. §§ 30104(b), 30116(f), and 30122 (formerly 2 U.S.C. §§ 434(b), 441a(f) and 441f). 2. Take no action at this time with respect to respondents Michael Grimm, Ofer Biton, Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto, and Mosdot Shuvah Israel Synagogue. 3. Approve the Factual and Legal Analysis as recommended in the First General Counsel's Report dated October 30, 2014 and as last circulated by Commissioner Goodman's Office on April 15, 2015 at 4:56 P.M. and the Office of General Counsel's proposed edit to footnote 8 as discussed at the Table on April 21, 2015, and authorize the Office of General Counsel to make any necessary technical and conforming changes. 4. Approve the use of compulsory process. 5. Send the appropriate letters.
The Commission failed by a vote of 3-3 to:1. Find reason to believe that Michael Grimm and Michael Grimm for Congress and Lisa Lisker in her official capacity as treasurer knowingly and willfully violated 52 U.S.C. § 30125(e)(1)(A) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441i(e)(1)(A)). 2. Find reason to believe that Michael Grimm and Michael Grimm for Congress and Lisa Lisker in her official capacity as treasurer knowingly and willfully violated 2 U.S.C. § 30116(f) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441a(f)). 3. Find reason to believe that Michael Grimm and Michael Grimm for Congress and Lisa Lisker in her official capacity as treasurer knowingly and willfully violated 11 C.F.R. § 110.4(c)(2). 4. Find reason to believe that Michael Grimm for Congress and Lisa Lisker in her official capacity as treasurer violated 2 U.S.C. § 30104(b)(3)(A) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 434(b)(3)(A)). 5. Find reason to believe that Unknown Respondent A violated 52 U.S.C. § 30116(a)(1)(A) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441a(a)(1)(A)). 6. Find reason to believe that Unknown Respondent A violated 52 U.S.C. § 30123 (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441g) and 11 C.F.R. § 110.4(c)(1). 7. Find reason to believe that Unknown Respondent B violated 52 U.S.C. § 30121(a)(1)(A) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441e(a)(1)(A)). 8. Find reason to believe that Ofer Biton knowingly and willfully violated 52 U.S.C. § 30121(a)(2) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441e(a)(2)). 9. Find reason to believe that Michael Grimm and Michael Grimm for Congress and Lisa Lisker in her official capacity as treasurer knowingly and willfully violated 52 U.S.C. § 30121(a)(2) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441e(a)(2)). 10. Find reason to believe that Unknown Respondent B violated 52 U.S.C. § 30122 (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441f). 11. Find reason to believe that Unknown Respondent C violated 52 U.S.C. § 30122 (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441f) and 11 C.F.R. § 110.4(b)(iii). 12. Find reason to believe that Michael Grimm and Michael Grimm for Congress and Lisa Lisker in her official capacity as treasurer knowingly and willfully violated 52 U.S.C. § 30122 (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441f) and 11 C.F.R. §§ 110.4(b)(iv) and 110.6 (c)(2). 13. Find reason to believe that Ofer Biton knowingly and willfully violated 52 U.S.C. § 30122 (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441f) and 11 C.F.R. § 110.4(b)(iii). 14. Find reason to believe that Ofer Biton knowingly and willfully violated 52 U.S.C. § 30125(e)(1)(A) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441i(e)(1)(A)). 15. Take no action at this time regarding allegations that Biton violated 11 C.F.R. § 110.6. 16. Take no action at this time with respect to Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto. 17. Take no action at this time with respect to Mosdot Shuvah Israel Synagogue. 18. Approve the Factual and Legal Analyses, as recommended in the First General Counsel's Report dated October 30, 2014, with the amendments to the Factual and Legal Analyses documents as circulated by the Office of General Counsel on March 2, 2015 at 4:04 P.M. 19. Approve the use of compulsory process. 20. Approve the appropriate letters.