FEC approves future 2019 meeting dates, discusses advisory opinion requests and motion to amend Commission directive

WASHINGTON – The Federal Election Commission at its open meeting today approved a list of future meeting dates for 2019. It also discussed two advisory opinion requests and a motion to amend a Commission directive.

Future Meeting Dates. The Commission approved future meeting dates for open meetings and executive sessions in 2019.

Advisory Opinion Request 2018-12 (Defending Digital Campaigns, Inc.) The Commission discussed and held over a vote on an advisory opinion request from Defending Digital Campaigns, Inc. (DDC). The request concerns DDC’s proposal to provide or facilitate the provision of certain cybersecurity services, software, and hardware for free or at a reduced cost to federal candidate committees and national party committees on a nonpartisan basis and according to pre-determined, objective criteria. During the discussion, the Commission heard from Counsel for the requestor.

Advisory Opinion Request 2019-05 (System73) The Commission discussed and held over a vote on an advisory opinion request from System73 concerning its proposal to pay a political committee a “license fee” for the exclusive rights to livestream the committee’s political event. During the discussion, the Commission heard from Counsel for the requestor.

Motion to Amend Directive 68 to Establish Deadlines for the Timely Processing of Enforcement Matters. The Commission discussed a motion to amend Commission Directive 68, which provides written guidelines on providing status reports on enforcement matters to respondents in the matters, as well as to the Commission.