Compliance Cases Made Public
For Immediate Release: Contact: Kelly Huff
December 30, 1999 Ron Harris
Corrected release 1/3/2000 Sharon Snyder
Ian Stirton
COMPLIANCE CASES MADE PUBLIC
WASHINGTON -- The Federal Election Commission has recently made public its final action on nine matters previously under review (MURs). This release contains only summary information. Closed files should be thoroughly read for details, including the FEC’s legal analysis of the case. (See footnote at the end of this release.) Closed MUR files are available in the Public Records Office.
1. MUR 4395
RESPONDENTS: Clinton/Gore ’96 Primary Committee, Inc., Joan Pollitt, treasurer (DC)
COMPLAINANT: Goodwin P. Back (TN)
SUBJECT: Failure to report foreign travel as campaign-related expenses
DISPOSITION: No reason to believe*
[re: any provision of the Federal Election Campaign Act or Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account Act]
2. MUR 4480
RESPONDENTS: (a) Clinton/Gore ’96 Primary Committee, Inc., Joan Pollitt, treasurer (DC)
(b) Richard Morris (CT)
COMPLAINANTS: Richard A. Delgaudio, President, Legal Affairs Council (VA)
SUBJECT: Improper use of taxpayer funds for non-qualified campaign expenses
DISPOSITION: No reason to believe*
[re: any provision of the Federal Election Campaign Act or Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account Act]
3. MUR 4648/Pre-MUR 320
RESPONDENTS: (a) New York Republican Federal Campaign Committee, Michael
Avella, treasurer (NY)
- (b) William D. Powers (NY)
- (c) Jeffrey T. Buley (NY)
- (d) Arthur Bramwell (NY)
- (e) David R. Dudley (NY)
- (f) Mary F. Obwald (NY)
- (g) Gregory V. Serio (NY)
- (h) Luther Mook (NY)
- (i) Kings County Republican Committee and treasurer (NY)
- (j) Dorn & Associates, P.C. (NY)
COMPLAINANT: Referral by David R. Homer, (former) Assistant U.S. Attorney, Chief,
Criminal Division, Northern District of New York (NY)
SUBJECT: Failure to report proper purpose for disbursements; failure to report
full names and addresses of, and proper amounts of disbursements to recipients; failure to keep an account of name and
address of every person to whom disbursements were made; failure to maintain records; excessive cash disbursements; corporate
contribution; failure to register and report
DISPOSITION: (a-c) Conciliation Agreement: $128,000 civil penalty*
[re: failure to report proper purpose for disbursements; failure
to report full names and addresses of, and proper amounts of disbursements to recipients; failure to keep an account of name
and address of every person to whom disbursements were made; failure to maintain records; excessive cash
disbursements]
- (a) Reason to believe, but took no further action*
[re: corporate contribution]
- (d) Probable cause to believe, but took no further action*
[re: excessive cash disbursements]
Sent admonishment letter.
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- (e-h) Reason to believe, but took no further action*
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[re: excessive cash disbursements]
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(i) Reason to believe, but took no further action*
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[re: corporate contribution; failure to register and report]
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(j) Reason to believe, but took no further action*
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[re: corporate contribution]
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4. MUR 4669
RESPONDENTS: (a) Clinton/Gore ’96 Primary Committee, Inc., Joan Pollitt, treasurer (DC)
(b) Clinton/Gore ’96 General Committee, Inc., Joan Pollitt, treasurer (DC)
COMPLAINANTS: Mark Kleinman, People for Truth (DC)
SUBJECT: Failure to pay for campaign travel; failure to properly disclose
expenditures
DISPOSITION: (a-b) No reason to believe*
[re: any provision of the Federal Election Campaign Act or Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account Act]
5. MUR 4822
RESPONDENTS: Friends for Harry Reid, Paul Eisenberg, treasurer (NV)
COMPLAINANTS: National Republican Senatorial Committee, Steven J. Law, Executive
Director (DC)
SUBJECT: Failure to properly report payroll expenditures
DISPOSITION: Conciliation Agreement: $3,000 civil penalty*
Respondents agree to amend disclosure reports to properly report payroll expenditures; to properly report expenditures relating to
campaign staff in all future reports; and amend Statement of Organization to reflect the bank depository name change.
6. MUR 4906
RESPONDENTS: Iowa Democratic Party, Mary Maloney, treasurer (IA) COMPLAINANT: FEC Initiated (RAD)
SUBJECT: Failure to file disclosure report timely
DISPOSITION: Conciliation Agreement: $6,000 civil penalty*
7. MUR 4908
RESPONDENTS: D.C. Republican Committee Federal Campaign Committee, Roger Moffatt, treasurer (DC)
COMPLAINANT: FEC Initiated (RAD)
SUBJECT: Failure to file disclosure reports timely
DISPOSITION: Conciliation Agreement: $4,000 civil penalty*
8. MUR 4913
RESPONDENTS: Ryan for Congress Committee, Larry E. Everhart, treasurer (WI)
COMPLAINANT: FEC Initiated (RAD)
SUBJECT: Failure to file 48-hour reports
DISPOSITION: Conciliation Agreement: $6,000 civil penalty*
9. MUR 4939
RESPONDENTS: Feingold Senate Committee, Reuben Damm, treasurer (WI)
COMPLAINANT: FEC Initiated (RAD)
SUBJECT: Failure to file 48-hour reports; misreporting amount of contribution
DISPOSITION: Conciliation Agreement: $9,000 civil penalty*
*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.
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