FEC Approves Advisory Opinions and Audit Report

FEC APPROVES ADVISORY OPINIONS AND AUDIT REPORT

WASHINGTON – At its open meeting today, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) approved two advisory opinions and a final audit report on the Tennessee Democratic Party.

Advisory Opinion 2011-03 (DSCC, RNC, NRCC, DCCC, and NRSC).  The Commission approved an advisory opinion that concluded that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), the Republican National Committee (RNC), the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) may use recount funds to pay costs associated with a lawsuit brought by Ralph Janvey seeking disgorgement of funds under Texas state law.

Advisory Opinion 2011-04 (AIPAC). The Commission approved an advisory opinion that concluded that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a non-profit 501(c)(4) corporation dedicated to maintaining and improving the bonds between the United States and Israel, may post candidate position papers on its members-only website. Any costs associated with posting the papers would not be considered contributions or expenditures because posting the papers constitutes a permissible membership communication.

Final Audit Report on Tennessee Democratic Party.  The Commission approved the final audit report on the Tennessee Democratic Party (TDP), covering campaign finance activity between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2006. The Commission found that TDP (1) misreported certain coordinated party expenditures or shared operating expenditures as allocable federal election activity and (2) failed to disclose payees’ addresses in approximately 18 percent of itemized expenditures reviewed in a sample.

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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