FEC approves advisory opinion, proposed final audit report

WASHINGTON – At its open meeting today, the Federal Election Commission approved an advisory opinion. Prior to the meeting, the Commission approved a proposed final audit report.

Advisory Opinion 2021-13 (Matthew Hoh) The Commission approved Advisory Opinion 2021-13. The requestor, a combat veteran who receives disability compensation from the Veterans Administration, intends to run for U.S. Senate in the 2022 election cycle and asked whether his disability compensation constitutes “earned income” for purposes of the Commission’s candidate salary regulation at 11 C.F.R. § 113.1(g)(1)(i)(I). The Commission concluded that the requestor’s disability benefits do not constitute “earned income” and therefore cannot be used to calculate the amount of any candidate salary that he might receive under the regulation. During the discussion, the Commission heard from the requestor. Commissioner Shana M. Broussard issued a Statement.

Proposed Rule of Agency Procedure Concerning the Treatment of Foreign State Respondents at the Initiation of the Enforcement Process The Commission held over discussion of a proposed rule submitted by Chairman Allen Dickerson that would require the Commission to notify the United States Department of State at the inception of Commission enforcement matters involving foreign state respondents.

Proposed Final Audit Report on the Republican Party of Minnesota – Federal. In a tally vote prior to the open meeting, the Commission approved the Proposed Final Audit Report on the Republican Party of Minnesota – Federal report, covering campaign finance activity between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2018. The Commission approved findings relating to recordkeeping for employees, recordkeeping for communications, disclosure of transfers and allocation ratios, and disclosure of loans and loan repayments.

Audit Division Recommendation Memorandum on the Democracy Engine, Inc. PAC The Commission held over discussion of this matter until the next open meeting.