MUR #7340
GREAT AMERICA COMMITTEESummary
RESPONDENTS: Great America Committee; America First Action, Inc.; America First Policies, Inc.; Crate, Bradley T.; Hobbs, Cabell; Kaufman, Ronald C.; MO Strategies, Inc.; Make America Great Again PAC (f/k/a Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.); Obst, Marty; Parscale Strategy, LLC; Parscale, Bradley J.; Pence, Michael R.; Proch, Jon; Republican National Committee (RNC); Trump, Donald J.
COMPLAINANTS: Ryan, Paul S.; Common Cause
SUBJECT: Contributions; Reporting; Soft Money
DISPOSITION: The Commission failed by a vote of 2-3 to:a. Dismiss under Heckler v. Chaney the allegation that Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and Bradley T. Crate in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. § 30125(e) and 11 C.F.R. § 300.61 by soliciting soft money.b. Approve the Factual and Legal Analysis, as recommended in the First General Counsel’s Report dated November 24, 2020, subject to the edits last circulated by Commissioner Cooksey’s Office on March 24, 2021 at 12:44 p.m.
The Commission decided by a vote of 5-0 to:a. Close the file.b. Issue appropriate letters.
The Commission failed by a vote of 3-2 to:a. Find reason to believe that Donald J. Trump and Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and Bradley T. Crate in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. § 30125 by establishing, financing, maintaining, or controlling America First Policies, Inc. and America First Action, Inc., which raised and spent soft money.b. Find reason to believe that America First Policies, Inc. and America First Action, Inc. and Jon Proch in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. § 30125 by accepting soft money contributions as organizations established, financed, maintained, or controlled by a federal candidate or office holder.c. Find reason to believe that Donald J. Trump; Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and Bradley T. Crate in his official capacity as treasurer, though their agent, Brad Parscale, violated 52 U.S.C. § 30125 by raising soft money for America First Policies, Inc. and America First Action, Inc.d. Take no action at this time regarding the allegation that the Republican National Committee and Ronald C. Kaufman in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. § 30125.e. Take no action at this regarding the allegation that Michael R. Pence, and Great America Committee and Cabell Hobbs in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. § 30125.f. Find reason to believe that America First Policies, Inc. violated 52 U.S.C. §§ 30116 and 30118 by making excessive and prohibited contributions in the form of coordinated expenditures.g. Find reason to believe that Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and Bradley T. Crate in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. §§ 30104(b), 30116, and 30118 by receiving and failing to report excessive and prohibited contributions in the form of coordinated expenditures.h. Find reason to believe that Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and Bradley T. Crate in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. § 30125(e) and 11 C.F.R. § 300.61 by soliciting soft money.i. Direct the Office of General Counsel to draft appropriate Factual and Legal Analyses consistent with these findings.j. Authorize the use of compulsory process.k. Approve the appropriate letters.
The Commission failed by a vote of 2-2 to:a. Dismiss the allegation that Donald J. Trump and Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and Bradley T. Crate in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. § 30125 by establishing, financing, maintaining, or controlling America First Policies, Inc. and America First Action, Inc., which raised and spent soft money.b. Dismiss the allegation that America First Policies, Inc. and America First Action, Inc. and Jon Proch in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. § 30125 by accepting soft money contributions as organizations established, financed, maintained, or controlled by a federal candidate or office holder.c. Dismiss the allegation that Donald J. Trump; Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and Bradley T. Crate in his official capacity as treasurer; or the Republican National Committee and Ronald C. Kaufman in his official capacity as treasurer, though their agent, Brad Parscale, violated 52 U.S.C. § 30125 by raising soft money for America First Policies, Inc. and America First Action, Inc.d. Dismiss the allegation that Michael R. Pence, and Great America Committee and Cabell Hobbs in his official capacity as treasurer, through their agent, Marty Obst, violated 52 U.S.C. § 30125 by raising soft money for America First Policies, Inc. and America First Action, Inc.e. Dismiss the allegation that America First Policies, Inc. violated 52 U.S.C. §§ 30116 and 30118 by making excessive and prohibited contributions in the form of coordinated expenditures.f. Dismiss the allegation that Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and Bradley T. Crate in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. §§ 30104(b), 30116, and 30118 by receiving and failing to report excessive and prohibited contributions in the form of coordinated expenditures.g. Approve the Factual and Legal Analyses, as recommended in the First General Counsel’s Report dated November 24, 2020, that correspond to those dismissed respondents.h. Close the file as to America First Policies, Inc.; America First Action, Inc. and Jon Proch in his official capacity as treasurer; Republican National Committee and Ronald C. Kaufman in his official capacity as treasurer; Parscale Strategy, LLC; Bradley J. Parscale; Great America Committee and Cabell Hobbs in his official capacity as treasurer; President Donald J. Trump; Vice President Michael R. Pence; MO Strategies, Inc.; and Marty Obst.i. Issue appropriate letters.
Disposition
Disposition | Penalty | Respondent | Citation |
---|---|---|---|
Dismissed-Other | Obst, Marty | ||
Parscale Strategy, LLC | |||
America First Action, Inc. | 52 U.S.C. §30125 | ||
Proch, Jon | 52 U.S.C. §30125 | ||
Trump, Donald J. | 52 U.S.C. §30125 | ||
MO Strategies, Inc. | |||
America First Policies, Inc. |
52
U.S.C.
§30116
52 U.S.C. §30118 52 U.S.C. §30125 |
||
Republican National Committee (RNC) | 52 U.S.C. §30125 | ||
Crate, Bradley T. |
52
U.S.C.
§30104(b)
52 U.S.C. §30116 52 U.S.C. §30118 52 U.S.C. §30125 11 CFR 300.61 |
||
Great America Committee | 52 U.S.C. §30125 | ||
Hobbs, Cabell | 52 U.S.C. §30125 | ||
Kaufman, Ronald C. | 52 U.S.C. §30125 | ||
Parscale, Bradley J. | |||
Pence, Michael R. | 52 U.S.C. §30125 | ||
Make America Great Again PAC (f/k/a Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.) |
52
U.S.C.
§30104(b)
52 U.S.C. §30116 52 U.S.C. §30118 52 U.S.C. §30125 11 CFR 300.61 |
Documents
Participants
Relationship | Name |
---|---|
Primary respondent | Great America Committee |
Previous respondent | America First Action, Inc. |
America First Policies, Inc. | |
Crate, Bradley T. | |
Hobbs, Cabell | |
Kaufman, Ronald C. | |
MO Strategies, Inc. | |
Make America Great Again PAC (f/k/a Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.) | |
Obst, Marty | |
Parscale Strategy, LLC | |
Parscale, Bradley J. | |
Pence, Michael R. | |
Proch, Jon | |
Republican National Committee (RNC) | |
Trump, Donald J. | |
Complainant | Common Cause |
Ryan, Paul S. | |
Respondent's counsel | Crosland, E. Stewart |
Jones Day | |
Sowards Newton, Megan |