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Federal Election Commission | United States of America
  • Press Release

District Court issues opinions in Campaign Legal Center v. FEC (Case No. 22-1976) and Campaign Legal Center v. FEC, et. al (Case No. 19-2336)

December 9, 2022

WASHINGTON – The United States District Court for the District of Columbia on Thursday issued opinions in two cases brought by the Campaign Legal Center against the Commission.

The court issued a Memorandum Opinion and Order in Campaign Legal Center v. FEC (Case No. 22-1976), granting the Commission’s motion to dismiss the case. The Plaintiff had filed suit against the Commission, challenging the Commission’s dismissal of the Plaintiff’s 2020 administrative complaint against Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and Trump Make America Great Again Committee. The complaint had alleged that the two committees violated the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act), by failing to properly disclose hundreds of millions of dollars in payments to subvendors and staff made through American Made Media Consultants, LLC, and Parscale Strategy, LLC. The Commission lacked the required votes to open an investigation and the matter was dismissed.

The court also issued a Memorandum Opinion and Order in Campaign Legal Center v. FEC, et. al (Case No. 19-2336), granting Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment, denying Defendant-Intervenors’ Motion for Summary Judgment, and ordering the Commission to conform with the decision within 30 days. In 2019, plaintiffs had filed suit seeking injunctive and declaratory relief for the Commission’s dismissal of their administrative complaint against Correct the Record (CTR) and Hillary for America. The Commission lacked the required votes to open an investigation and the matter was dismissed. In their complaint, Plaintiffs alleged informational injury as well as a violation of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). In 2021, the District Court found they lacked standing and dismissed the APA claim because it challenged the Commission’s legal reasoning, rather than the "facial validity" of the regulations. Earlier this year, however, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit reversed the 2021 district court decision.

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent regulatory agency that administers and enforces federal campaign finance laws. The FEC has jurisdiction over the financing of campaigns for the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, the Presidency and the Vice Presidency. Established in 1975, the FEC is composed of six Commissioners who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

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District Court issues opinion in Campaign Legal Center v. FEC (Case No. 22-1976)

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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.