Campaign Legal Center v. FEC alleges failure to act on complaint (20-2842)

On October 6, 2020, the Campaign Legal Center (plaintiff) filed suit against the FEC in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (the court). The plaintiff seeks injunctive and declaratory relief under the Federal Election Campaign Act (the Act).

Background

According to the court complaint, plaintiff filed an administrative complaint with the FEC on February 3, 2020, alleging that the Society of Young Women Scientist and Engineers LLC (SYWSE), its manager, Jennifer Lam, and other unknown persons violated the Act by making contributions in the name of another and by failing to register and file reports as a political committee. Plaintiff claims that SYWSE was created for the sole purpose of laundering contributions to 1820 PAC, an independent expenditure-only committee (“Super PAC”) registered with the FEC. According to plaintiff, SYWSE violated the Act’s “straw donor ban” which provides, in part, that no person shall make a contribution in the name of another. Plaintiff alleges that the contributions funneled to 1820 PAC required SYWSE to register with and report to the FEC as a political committee.

The plaintiff asks the court to declare that the FEC has acted contrary to law by failing to act on the administrative complaint, and to order the FEC to conform with that declaration within 30 days.

Resources

• Campaign Legal Center v. FEC (20-2842) litigation page