MUR #7491

RESPONDENTS: American Ethane Company, LLC; Bold Strategies, LLC; Conservative Louisiana; Houghtaling, John; Mike Johnson for Louisiana; Nikolaev, Konstantin; Ruckert, Kyle; Spies, Charles "Charlie" R.; Vanderbrook, William J.

COMPLAINANT: Allen, William Rodney

SUBJECT: Committees-Candidate; Committees-PAC; Contributions-Corporations; Contributions-In the name of another; Contributions-Prohibited; Foreign Nationals

DISPOSITION: The Commission decided by a vote of 5-0 to take the following actions in MUR 7491: 1. Accept the Conciliation Agreement with American Ethane Co., LLC, and John Houghtaling, as recommended in the Memorandum to the Commission dated September 9, 2022. 2. Approve the appropriate letters. 3. Close the file.
The Commission decided by a vote of 5-0 to: 1. Authorize pre-probable cause conciliation with American Ethane Co., LLC and John Houghtaling and approve the revised conciliation agreement, as recommended in the Second General Counsel’s Report dated February 11, 2021, and as circulated by Commissioner Cooksey’s Office at 9:52 a.m. on June 21, 2022. 2. Approve the appropriate letters.
The Commission failed by a vote of 3-3 to: a. Dismiss the allegation that American Ethane Co., LLC, and John Houghtaling violated 52 U.S.C. § 30122 by making contributions in the name of another and 52 U.S.C. § 30121 by making prohibited foreign national contributions. b. Dismiss the allegations that Bold Strategies LLC; Kyle Ruckert; Conservative Louisiana and Michele Reisner in her official capacity as treasurer; Mike Johnson for Lousiana and William Vanderbrook, in his official capacity as treasurer; and Konstantin Nikolaev violated the Act. c. Close the file as to Bold Strategies LLC; Kyle Ruckert; Conservative Louisiana and Michele Reisner in her official capacity as treasurer; Mike Johnson for Louisiana and William Vanderbrook, in his official capacity as treasurer; and Konstantin Nikolaev. d. Approve the appropriate letters.
The Commission failed by a vote of 3-3 to take the following actions in MUR 7491: 1. Authorize pre-probable cause conciliation with American Ethane Co., LLC and John Houghtaling in connection with violations of 52 U.S.C. §§ 30118 and 30121. 2. Approve the Conciliation Agreement, as recommended in the Second General Counsel’s Report dated February 11, 2021, subject to the edits last circulated by Commissioner Weintraub’s Office on September 13, 2021 at 4:49 p.m. 3. Approve the appropriate letters.
The Commission decided by a vote of 4-0 to: 1. Find reason to believe that American Ethane Co., LLC and John Houghtaling violated 52 U.S.C. § 30121(a)(1)(A) by making prohibited foreign national contributions; or in the alternative, find reason to believe that American Ethane Co., LLC and John Houghtaling violated 52 U.S.C. § 30118(a) by making prohibited corporate contributions. 2. Take no action at this time as to the allegation that American Ethane Co., LLC and John Houghtaling 52 U.S.C. § 30122 by making contributions in the name of another. 3. Take no action at this time as to Conservative Louisiana and Charles R. Spies in his official capacity as treasurer, Mike Johnson for Louisiana and William Vanderbrook in his official capacity as treasurer, Konstantin Nikolaev; Bold Strategies, LLC, and Kyle Ruckert. 4. Approve the Factual and Legal Analysis, as recommended in the First General Counsel’s Report dated June 13, 2019 and last circulated by Vice Chairman Petersen’s Office on July 21, 2019; and a. Further instruct the Office of General Counsel to include a footnote in that Factual and Legal Analysis putting the respondent on notice about the possibility of an investigation unearthing further information related to a giving in the name of another scheme in violation of 52 U.S.C. § 30122. 5. Approve the use of compulsory process. 6. Approve the appropriate letters