FEC Approves Advisory Opinion and an Audit Division Recommendation Memorandum

WASHINGTON – The Federal Election Commission today approved an advisory opinion and an Audit Division Recommendation Memorandum.

Advisory Opinion 2014-17 (Berkadia). The Commission concluded that Berkadia may authorize a trade association of which it is a member to solicit Berkadia’s administrative and executive personnel because Berkadia is wholly owned by two corporations and is affiliated with each of them. Counsel on behalf of the requestor was present at the meeting.

Audit Division Recommendation Memorandum on the Joe Walsh for Congress Committee, Inc. The Commission approved the Audit Division Recommendation Memorandum on the Joe Walsh for Congress Committee, Inc., covering campaign finance activity between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2012. The Commission approved findings related to (1) failure to exercise best efforts to obtain, maintain and submit occupation and employer information of individual contributors in connection with 106 contributions totaling $111,860 and (2) receipt of $92,325 in contributions in excess of the limit. The Audit Division will include in the Proposed Final Audit Report (PFAR) an additional issue addressing certain contributions for which the Committee did not report occupation and employer information. The Audit Division will prepare the PFAR within 30 days.

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.