FEC Approves Advisory Opinion

WASHINGTON – The Federal Election Commission today approved an advisory opinion and discussed another advisory opinion request.

 Advisory Opinion Request 2018-10 (United Utah Party Candidate Committee). The Commission approved an advisory opinion in response to a request from the United Utah Party Candidate Committee (UUP) regarding its status. The opinion concluded that UUP qualifies as a state committee of a political party. A state party organization not affiliated with a national political party qualifies as a state committee of a political party if three criteria are met: (1) the state party organization itself must qualify as a political party; (2) the state party organization itself must possess an official party structure; and (3) the state party organization must be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the party at the state level.

 Advisory Opinion Request 2018-08 (Congressman Darrell Issa). The Commission discussed an advisory opinion request from Congressman Darrell Issa, who asked whether he could reactivate his previous committee for the U.S. Senate, which was administratively terminated in 2005, and use funds from his principal campaign committee to repay a portion of the personal loans he had made to the Senate committee in 1998.  The Commission voted on a draft advisory opinion but did not approve the draft by the requisite four votes.