MUR #7527

RESPONDENTS: News for Democracy; News for Democracy, LLC

COMPLAINANTS: Arnold, Kendra; Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT)

SUBJECT: Committees-Political; Disclaimer; Foreign Nationals; Reporting

DISPOSITION: The Commission decided by a vote of 6-0 to take the following actions in MUR 7527: Reject the Office of General Counsel’s recommendations in the Memorandum to the Commission dated March 8, 2023.
The Commission decided by a vote of 5-1 to take the following actions in MUR 7527: 1. Accept the Conciliation Agreement with News for Democracy, as recommended in the Memorandum to the Commission dated February 10, 2023. 2. Approve the appropriate letters. 3. Close the file.
The Commission decided by a vote of 5-1 to take the following actions in MUR 7527: 1. Approve the attached Conciliation Agreement, as recommended in the Memorandum to the Commission dated November 9, 2022. 2. Send the appropriate letters.
The Commission failed by a vote of 2-4 to: Approve the Factual and Legal Analyses, as recommended in the First General Counsel’s Report dated November 3, 2021, subject to the Errata circulated by the Office of General Counsel on December 8, 2021.
The Commission decided by a vote of 5-1 to: a. Approve the Factual and Legal Analysis for News for Democracy, as recommended in the First General Counsel’s Report dated November 3, 2021, and as last circulated by Commissioner Cooksey’s Office on September 23, 2022 at 11:05 a.m. b. Direct the Office of General Counsel to draft a Conciliation Agreement for Commission consideration consistent with the Factual and Legal Analysis for News for Democracy, as recommended in the First General Counsel’s Report dated November 3, 2021 and as last circulated by Commissioner Cooksey’s Office on September 23, 2022 at 11:05 a.m. . . . REDACTED . . .
The Commission failed by a vote of 3-3 to: Find reason to believe that News for Democracy and News for Democracy LLC violated 52 U.S.C. §§ 30102, 30103, and 30104(a) by failing to register and report as political committees.
The Commission decided by a vote of 5-1 to: a. Find reason to believe that News for Democracy violated 52 U.S.C. § 30104(c)(1) by failing to report independent expenditures. b. Find reason to believe that News for Democracy violated 52 U.S.C. § 30120(a) by failing to include required disclaimer on ads containing express advocacy. c. Take no action at this time as to the allegation that News for Democracy violated 52 U.S.C. § 30121 by accepting foreign national contributions. d. Take no action at this time against News for Democracy LLC. e. Authorize the Office of General Counsel to enter into pre-probable cause conciliation with News for Democracy. f. Send the appropriate letters.