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Federal Election Commission | United States of America
  • Press Release

Compliance Cases Made Public

April 14, 2000


 

For Immediate Release:                                                                                             Contact:   Kelly Huff
April 14, 2000                                                                                                                                Ron Harris
                                                                                                                                                        Sharon Snyder
                                                                                                                                                        Ian Stirton



COMPLIANCE CASES MADE PUBLIC



WASHINGTON -- The Federal Election Commission has recently made public its final action on 19 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 4646


	


	RESPONDENTS: (a) Amy Robin Habie (FL)


    




  1. (b) Wallace Walker (FL)
    2. 

  2. (c) Rhea Weil (FL)
    3. 

  3. (d) Lawrence Herman (FL)
    4. 

  4. (e) Sue Sakolsky (FL)
    5. 

  5. (f) Sonia Pinkus (FL)
    6. 

  6. (g) Carol J. Lewis (FL)
    7. 

  7. (h) David Boies (NY)
    8. 

  8. (i) Friends of Jane Harman, Jacki Bacharach, treasurer (WA)
    9. 

  9. (j) Kennedy for Senate 2000, John S. Zamparelli, treasurer (MA)	 
    10. 
    
    




	COMPLAINANT:	Scott P. Lewis and Carol J. Lewis (FL)


	SUBJECT:	Contributions in the names of others


DISPOSITION: (a-f) Conciliation Agreement: $ 50,000 civil penalty*


    


  1. 	Conciliation Agreement: $ 750 civil penalty*
    2. 

  2. 	Took no action*
    3. 




	 (i-j)	Took no action*


		[re: The Commission instructed respondents to disgorge equivalent 		amounts of impermissible contributions to United States Treasury.]



2.	MUR 4753


	


	RESPONDENTS: (a) Cammermeyer 2 Congress, Paul Fournier, treasurer (WA)


		(b)	Margarethe Cammermeyer (WA)		


	COMPLAINANT: Paul M. Elvig (WA)


	SUBJECT:	Failure to provide contributor information and demonstrate "best efforts"


DISPOSITION: (a) Conciliation Agreement: $ 15,000 civil penalty*


    


  1. No reason to believe*
    2. 





	



3.	MUR 4766


	


	RESPONDENTS:	(a) Philip Morris Companies, Inc. (NY)


    
  
  • (b) Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. (KY)
    • 
  
  • (c) Lorillard Tobacco Company (NC)
    • 
  
  • (d) R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (NC)
    • 
  
  • (e) United States Tobacco (CT)
    • 
  
  • (f) Honorable Mitch McConnell, Chairman, National Republican Senatorial Committee (DC)
    • 
  
  • (g) National Republican Senatorial Committee, J. Stanley Huckaby, treasurer (DC)
    • 




	COMPLAINANT:	Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, William D. Novelli, former 


		President (DC)


	SUBJECT:	Corporate contributions 


	DISPOSITION: (a-e) No reason to believe*


		(f-g) No reason to believe*


[re: any violation of the Act]



 



4.	MUR 4812


	RESPONDENTS:	(a) Honorable Robert L. Barr, Jr. (GA)


		(b)	Bob Barr for Congress, Charles C. Black, treasurer (GA)		


	COMPLAINANT: Democratic Party of Georgia, Steve C. Anthony, Executive Director (GA)
SUBJECT:	Disclaimer; fundraising practices and materials


DISPOSITION: (a-b) No reason to believe*






5.	MUR 4847 


RESPONDENTS: (a) Honorable Robert D. Inglis (SC)


		(b)	Inglis for Senate Committee, Inc., Jeffrey J. Parker, treasurer (SC)


	COMPLAINANT: Richard Harpootlian (SC)


SUBJECT: Failure to report receipt of in-kind contributions from political committees;
failure to return or deposit political committee contribution checks within 10 days of treasurer’s receipt; failure to itemize contributions from authorized
campaign committees, failure to itemize disbursements


	DISPOSITION: (a) No reason to believe*


		(b) Conciliation Agreement: $ 8,000 civil penalty*


[Respondents will amend their 1998 30 Day Post-General Report to disclose in-kind contributions from the National Chamber Alliance for
Politics and the National Taxpayers Union Campaign Fund.]


 



6.	MUR 4869


	RESPONDENTS:	American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO (KY)	


	COMPLAINANT: Marcus S. Hash (KY)


	SUBJECT:	Use of union dues for endorsement of federal candidates


	DISPOSITION: No reason to believe*






7.	MUR 4885/Pre-MUR 362


	RESPONDENTS:	(a)	Laredo National Bank (TX)


    
  
  • (b) Gary G. Jacobs (TX)
    • 
  
  • (c) Mrs. Gary G. Jacobs (TX)
    • 




	COMPLAINANT:	Referral by Robert B. Serino, Deputy Chief Counsel, Comptroller of the 			Currency, Administration of National Banks (DC)


	SUBJECT:	National bank contribution/contributions in the name of another


	DISPOSITION:	(a-b) Conciliation Agreement: $ 30,000 civil penalty*


    (c) Reason to believe, but took no further action*






8.	MUR 4911


RESPONDENTS: (a) President William Jefferson Clinton (DC)


    




  1. (b) Vice President Albert Gore, Jr. (DC)
    2. 

  2. (c) Gore 2000, Inc., Jose Villareal, treasurer (DC)
    3. 

  3. (d) Hillary Rodham Clinton (NY)
    4. 

  4. (e) Hillary Rodham Clinton for US Senate Exploratory Committee, William J. Cunningham, III, treasurer (NY)
    5. 

  5. (f) Mrs. Albert Gore, Jr. (DC)
    6. 
    
    




	COMPLAINANT: Samuel Vardanian (FL)


	SUBJECT:	Use of government resources in connection with federal elections


DISPOSITION: (a-f) No reason to believe*


		


9.	MUR 4912 


	RESPONDENTS:	Mid-America Conservative Political Action Committee (MACPAC), 			Les Borsay, treasurer (IA)	 


	COMPLAINANT: FEC Initiated (RAD)


	SUBJECT:	Failure to file disclosure report


DISPOSITION: Reason to believe, but took no further action*






10.	MUR 4921


RESPONDENTS: Touma for Congress, Richard M. Gabrys, treasurer (MI)


	COMPLAINANT: FEC Initiated (RAD)


	SUBJECT:	Failure to file 48-hour reports


DISPOSITION: Conciliation Agreement: $ 4,000 civil penalty*






11.	MUR 4928


RESPONDENTS: (a) MSBDFA Management Group, Inc. (MD)


    




  1. (b) Stanley W. Tucker (MD)
    2. 

  2. (c) Timothy L. Smoot (MD)
    3. 

  3. (d) Catherine D. Lockhart (MD)
    4. 

  4. (e) R. Randy Croxton (MD)
    5. 
    
    




	COMPLAINANT: Sua sponte


	SUBJECT:	Corporate contributions/contributions in the names of others


DISPOSITION: (a) Conciliation Agreement: $ 4,000 civil penalty*


    




  1. (b) Conciliation Agreement: $ 2,300 civil penalty*
    2. 

  2. (c) Conciliation Agreement: $ 1,100 civil penalty*
    3. 

  3. (d) Conciliation Agreement: $    750 civil penalty*
    4. 
    
    








  • (e) Conciliation Agreement: $    750 civil penalty*

    

    • 
    
    
    


     
    


    12.	MUR 4959
    

    	RESPONDENTS:	National Marine Manufacturers Association Political Action Committee, 		Mick Blackistone, treasurer (DC)	
    

    	COMPLAINANT:	FEC Initiated (RAD)	
    

    	SUBJECT:	Failure to file disclosure reports
    

    DISPOSITION: Conciliation Agreement: $1,300 civil penalty*


    

     
    

    The Enforcement Priority System (EPS) rates all incoming cases against objective criteria to determine whether they warrant use of the Commission’s limited resources. 
    


    Cases dismissed under EPS fall into two categories:  low-rated cases and stale cases.  Low-rated cases are those that do not warrant use of the Commission’s resources to pursue because of their lower significance relative to other pending matters. Stale cases are those that initially received  a higher rating but have remained unassigned for a significant period due to a lack of staff resources for effective investigation.   Effective enforcement relies upon the timely pursuit of complaints and referrals to ensure compliance with the law.  Investigations concerning activity more remote in time usually require a greater commitment of resources, primarily due to the fact that the evidence of such activity becomes more difficult to develop as it ages.   The utility of commencing an investigation declines as these cases age, until they reach a point when activation of a case would not be an efficient use of the Commission’s resources.  As cases reach this point, they are recommended for dismissal.
    
    

    Dismissed - Low Rated
    
    

    1.	Pre-MUR 384
    

    	
    

    	RESPONDENT:
    	Michael A. Magnoli (AL)	

    	COMPLAINANT: Referral by Craig C. Donsanto, Director, Election Crimes Branch,
Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice (DC)
    

    SUBJECT: Contributions in the names of others
    


     
    


    2.	Pre-MUR 386
    

    	RESPONDENTS:	(a) William J. Colley (AL)
    

      




    1. (b) Herman R. Shoemaker (AL)
      2. 

    2. (c) W. F. Hart (AL)
      3. 
      
      

    


    	COMPLAINANT: Sua sponte
    

    SUBJECT: Contributions in the names of others
    

     
    


    3.	MUR 4782
    

    	RESPONDENTS:	(a) Republican National Committee (RNC), Alec Poitevint, treasurer (DC)		(b)	National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), Donna M. 			Anderson, treasurer (DC)
    

      




    1. (b) Honorable Eric J. Ensign (NV)
      2. 

    2. (c) Ensign for Senate, Linzel L. McBride, treasurer (NV)
      3. 
      
      

    


    	COMPLAINANT: Ralph W. Stephens, Ralph W. Stephens US Senate Campaign
Committee (NV)
    

    SUBJECT: Excessive contribution
    

     
    


    4.	MUR 4787
    

    	RESPONDENTS:	(a)	American Conservative Union Political Action Committee 
    

    			(ACU-PAC), Harold T. Yoder, treasurer (VA)
    

      




    1. (b) Citizens United Political Victory Fund, Kevin Allen, treasurer (VA)
      2. 

    2. (c) Citizens United, Floyd G. Brown, Chairman (VA)
      3. 

    3. (d) David Bossie (VA)
      4. 
      
      

    


    	COMPLAINANT: Richard Eslinger (OH)
    

    SUBJECT: Failure to register and report
    

     
    


    5.	MUR 4875
    

    	RESPONDENTS:	(a) New Jersey Network (NJN) (NJ)
    

    		(b)	Michael Aron (NJ)
    

    	COMPLAINANT: George E. Borcher (NJ)
    

    SUBJECT: Failure to provide equal time; failure to allow candidate to participate in
debate
    

     
    


    6.	MUR 4894
    

    	RESPONDENT:	Zack Exley	 (MA)
    

    	COMPLAINANT: Benjamin L. Ginsberg, Esquire (DC)
    

    SUBJECT: Failure to report independent expenditures; failure to register and report;
corporate contribution
    

     
    


    7.	MUR 4896
    

    RESPONDENTS: Surburban O’Hare Commission (SOC) (IL)
    

    	COMPLAINANT: Brent M. Christensen, Esquire (IL)
    

    	SUBJECT:	Disclaimer
    

     
    


    *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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    This information is not intended to replace the law or to change its meaning, nor does this information create or confer any rights for or on any person or bind the Federal Election Commission or the public.

    The reader is encouraged also to consult the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (52 U.S.C. 30101 et seq.), Commission regulations (Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations), Commission advisory opinions and applicable court decisions.