FEC Completes Action on Three Enforcement Cases

1.

MUR 5703

RESPONDENTS:

(a)   Martha T. Rainville Congressional Exploratory Committee, Kevin J. Manahan, treasurer

COMPLAINANT:

Richard T. Cassidy

SUBJECT:

Failure to register and report

(a-b) No reason to believe*

The complaint alleged that Respondents violated the Act by raising funds for Ms. Rainville’s campaign without registering with the Commission and filing the proper reports. Respondents stated that they timely filed all necessary reports. Based on the complaint, as well as review of other publicly available information, the Commission found no reason to believe that the respondents violated the Act.

DOCUMENTS ON PUBLIC RECORD:

Documents from this matter are available from the Commission’s web site at http://www.fec.gov by entering 5703 under case number in the Enforcement Query System.  They are also available in the FEC’s Public Records Office at 999 E St. NW in Washington.

RESPONDENTS:

(a)   US-Cuba Democracy Political Action Committee   (USCDPAC), Gus Machado, treasurer

COMPLAINANT:

Melanie Sloan, Executive Director, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)

SUBJECT:

Contribution from a federal contractor

The complaint alleged that USCDPAC accepted a prohibited contribution from Steptoe & Johnson, a federal contractor, because the firm extended credit to the USCDPAC for at least two-years, and has not made any attempt to collect on the debt that could not possibly have been considered “commercially reasonable.” Steptoe & Johnson stated that the debt at issue was repaid and the firm treated the debt to the manner in which it treats similar balances with other clients. In light of the amount of the alleged activity, the repayment of the debt by the committee, statements provided by respondents and a review of the merits of the case in context with the FEC’s priorities and resources, the Commission decided to exercise its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the case.

*The Enforcement Priority System (EPS) rates all incoming cases against objective criteria to determine whether they warrant use of the Commission’s limited resources.

DOCUMENTS ON PUBLIC RECORD:

Documents from this matter are available from the Commission’s web site at http://www.fec.gov by entering 5676 under case number in the Enforcement Query System.  They are also available in the FEC’s Public Records Office at 999 E St. NW in Washington.

RESPONDENTS:

(a)   Angie Paccione for Congress, John M. Ericson, Jr.,             treasurer

COMPLAINANT:

Ron W. Buxman

SUBJECT:

Personal use of campaign funds; disclaimer

The complaint alleged that an offer made by the Angie Paccione for Congress to give paid vacations and non-campaign related trips to individuals who raised and contributed funds to her Congressional campaign violated the law. The complaint also contends that the e-mail failed to include a disclaimer. The candidate denied that she or anyone with authority in her campaign approved the e-mail messages. Once she learned of the e-mail’s existence, she sent a follow-up e-mail roughly three hours and forty-five minutes later retracting the first e-mail. In light of the action taken by the respondents and the fact that the offer never came to fruition, the Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter.

*The Enforcement Priority System (EPS) rates all incoming cases against objective criteria to determine whether they warrant use of the Commission’s limited resources.

DOCUMENTS ON PUBLIC RECORD:

Documents from this matter are available from the Commission’s web site at http://www.fec.gov by entering 5734 under case number in the Enforcement Query System.  They are also available in the FEC’s Public Records Office at 999 E St. NW in Washington.

1. Receipt of proper complaint

3. “Probable cause” stage

2. “Reason to believe” stage

4. Conciliation stage