| WASHINGTON -- The Federal
Election Commission has recently made public its final action on three matters previously
under review (MURs). This release contains only disposition information. Specific
released documents placed on the public record within the following closed MURs are cited
following DISPOSITION heading. Release of these documents is consistent with the district
court opinion in the December 19, 2001, decision of AFL-CIO v. FEC, now on appeal to the
D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Once an appellate decision is rendered, the Commission will
review documents related to cases released in the interim.
| 1. |
MUR 4976 |
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| RESPONDENTS: |
(a) Committee to Elect Mark James (b) Draft
Mark James for Congress, Larry Kifer, treasurer
(c) Mark James
(d) Friends of Jon Porter Committee |
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| COMPLAINANT: |
Robert Conrad |
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| SUBJECT: |
Failure to register as political committee |
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| DISPOSITION: |
(a-c) Conciliation Agreement: $1,000 civil
penalty* (d) Took no action* |
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| DOCUMENTS ON PUBLIC RECORD: |
General Counsel’s Report #2 (dated March
11, 2003); certification of vote by Commissioners (dated March 14, 2003); Conciliation
Agreement; receipt of payment (dated February 5, 2003) |
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| 2. |
MUR 5264 |
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| RESPONDENTS: |
(a) Honorable Charles F. Bass (b) Bass Victory
Committee, Alexander Bass, treasurer |
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| COMPLAINANT: |
Eugene F. Douglas |
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| SUBJECT: |
Failure to file Statement of Candidacy timely |
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| DISPOSITION: |
(a-b) Reason to believe, but took no further
action* Sent admonishment letter. |
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| DOCUMENTS ON PUBLIC RECORD: |
First General Counsel’s Report;
certification of vote by Commissioners (dated October 30, 2002) |
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| 3. |
MUR 5330 |
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| RESPONDENTS: |
United Food & Commercial Workers
International Union, Joseph T. Hansen, treasurer |
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| COMPLAINANT: |
FEC Initiated |
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| SUBJECT: |
Failure to file disclosure reports timely;
failure to disclose communication costs |
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| DISPOSITION: |
Conciliation Agreement: $15,000 civil penalty* |
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| DOCUMENTS ON PUBLIC RECORD: |
Receipt of payment (dated December 19, 2002);
Conciliation Agreement; certification of vote by Commissioners (dated January 6, 2003) |
*There are four administrative stages to the FEC enforcement process:
| 1. Receipt of proper complaint |
3. "Probable cause" stage |
| 2. "Reason to believe" stage |
4. Conciliation stage |
It requires the votes of at least four of the six Commissioners to take any action. The
FEC can close a case at any point after reviewing a complaint. If a violation is found and
conciliation cannot be reached, then the FEC can institute a civil court action against a
respondent. |
