FEC Cites Committees for Failure to File Kentucky and Oregon Pre-Primary Reports

FEC Cites Committees for Failure to File Kentucky and Oregon Pre-Primary Reports

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Election Commission cited three Congressional campaign committees today for failing to file the Pre-Primary report required by the Federal Election Campaign Act (the Act) for primary elections on May 20, 2008, in Kentucky and Oregon.

As of 5 p.m., May 15, 2008, the required disclosure report had not been received from the following committees:

• Andrew Horne for U.S. Senate, principal campaign committee for Andrew John Horne, a candidate in Kentucky.  The committee’s treasurer is Lawrence L. Jones, II;

• Michael J. Kelley for Congress, the principal campaign committee for Michael James Kelly, a candidate in the 4th district in Kentucky. The committee’s treasurer is Michael Gabriel Bailey; and

• Joe Walsh for Congress, principal campaign committee for Joseph Walsh, a candidate in Oregon’s 3rd district.  The committee’s treasurer is Patricia E. Walsh.

This report was due to the FEC May 8, 2008, and should have included financial activity for the period April 1, 2008, through April 30, 2008.  If sent by certified or registered mail, the report should have been postmarked by May 5, 2008.

Some individuals and their committees have no obligation to file reports under federal election law, even though their names may appear on state ballots.  If an individual raises or spends less than $5,000, he or she is not considered a "candidate" subject to reporting under the Act.

The FEC notified committees involved in these primaries of their potential filing requirements on April 14, 2008.  Those committees who did not file on the due date were notified on May 9, 2008, that reports had not been received and that their names would be published if they did not respond within four business days.

Other political committees that support Senate and House candidates in elections, but are not authorized units of a candidate''''s campaign, are also required to file pre-primary reports, unless they report monthly.  Those committee names are not published by the FEC.

Further Commission action against non-filers and late filers is decided on a case-by-case basis. Federal law gives the FEC broad authority to initiate enforcement actions, and the FEC has implemented an administrative fine program with provisions for assessing monetary penalties.

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, the U.S. Senate, the Presidency and the Vice Presidency.

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