FEC cites six committees for failure to file 12-Day Pre-Primary Financial Report

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Election Commission cited six campaign committees today for failing to file the 12-Day Pre-Primary Report required by the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act), for the primary election being held on March 17, 2020 in Illinois and Ohio.

As of March 13, 2020, the required disclosure report had not been received from:

• Sarah Gad 2020 (IL-01)
• Rachel Ventura for Congress (IL-11)
• Casey for Senate (IL-00)
• Darren Duncan for Congress (IL-15)
• Friends of Kathi Flanders (OH-10)

An incomplete report was received from:

• Elect Fawell (IL-17)

The pre-primary report was due on March 5, 2020, and should have included financial activity for the period January 1, 2020, through February 26, 2020. If sent by certified or registered mail, the report should have been postmarked by March 2, 2020.

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

The Commission notified committees involved in these primary elections of their potential filing requirements on February 14, 2020. Those committees that did not file by the due date were sent notification on March 6, 2020, that their 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 quarterly 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.