Compliance Cases Made Public

1.

MUR 5418

RESPONDENTS:

(a)   Committee to Elect Charles Walker (GA/12), Lourdes   Gomez, treasurer

COMPLAINANT:

Kenneth F. Boehm, Chairman, National Legal and Policy Center

SUBJECT:

Excessive contributions

DISPOSITION:

(a)   Probable cause to believe, but took no further action*

       Sent admonishment letter.

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

            The respondents in this case were severed from MUR 5328 which was closed in March 2004. Please see MUR Release dated March 26, 2004. The complaint alleged that two leadership PACs (PAC to the Future and Team Majority) associated with Representative Nancy Pelosi were affliated committees and shared a common contribution limit, which had been exceeded on a number of occasions. The Commission found reason to believe the two candidate committees received excessive contributions by accepting contributions by affiliated committees.

DOCUMENTS ON PUBLIC RECORD:

Documents from this matter are available from the Commission’s web site at http://www.fec.gov by entering either 5418 under case number in the Enforcement Query System.  They are also available in the FEC’s Public Records Office at 999 E St. NW in Washington.

2.

MUR 5426

RESPONDENTS:

(a)   Dale Schultz

(b)   Dale Schultz for Congress (WI/03), Joseph J. Hasler, treasurer

COMPLAINANT:

Seth Boffeli, Communications Director, Democratic Party of Wisconsin

SUBJECT:

Use of non-federal account for a federal election

DISPOSITION:

(a-c)   Conciliation Agreement: $1,200 civil penalty*

            The complainant alleged that Wisconsin state senator Dale Schultz, a candidate for Congress in 2004, and his principle campaign committee, Dale Schultz for Congress improperly used funds and assets from Friends of Neighbors of Dale Schultz (state committee), to benefit his federal race. In response to the complaint, the state committee conceded that they had mistakenly paid for expenditures that benefited the federal race. The Commission found reason to believe the respondents violated the Act and conciliated with the Schultz respondents.

DOCUMENTS ON PUBLIC RECORD:

Documents from this matter are available from the Commission’s web site at http://www.fec.gov by entering either 5426 under case number in the Enforcement Query System.  They are also available in the FEC’s Public Records Office at 999 E St. NW in Washington.

3.

MUR 5520

RESPONDENTS:

(a)   The Republican Party of Louisiana, Charles L. Buckels, Jr., treasurer

(b)   The Billy Tauzin Congressional Committee (LA/03),      William C. Smith, treasurer

COMPLAINANT:

Roger P. Hamilton, Jr.

SUBJECT:

Excessive contributions/earmarked contributions

DISPOSITION:

(a-c)   No reason to believe*

            The complainant alleged that the campaign committee of Representative Wilbert “Billy” Tauzin II (Billy Tauzin Congressional Committee) intended to transfer funds to the Republican Party of Louisiana (RPL) with the understanding that the party committee would, in turn, direct those funds to benefit the campaign committee of the Congressman’s son, Wilbert “Billy” Tauzin III (Tauzin for Congress). The Tauzin II Committee denied that it earmarked funds transferred to the RPL and that the Congressman’s communications director was quoted out of context. The RPL contended that the transfers to the RPL from the Tauzin II Committee and the disbursements by the RPL complied with the Act and regulations, and that the Tauzin II Committee transfers were not earmarked. The Tauzin III Committee denied any knowledge of any efforts to funnel Tauzin II Committee money to the Tauzin III Committee. Based upon the unsubstantiated allegations and the rebuttals by the Respondents, the Commission found no reason to believe the Respondents violated the law.

DOCUMENTS ON PUBLIC RECORD:

Documents from this matter are available from the Commission’s web site at http://www.fec.gov by entering either 5520 under case number in the Enforcement Query System.  They are also available in the FEC’s Public Records Office at 999 E St. NW in Washington.