Turner and Associates, Tab Turner, and Edwards for President to Pay Civil Penalties

Washington -- The Federal Election Commission announced today that Tab Turner, his law firm, Turner & Associates of Little Rock Arkansas (the Firm), and Edwards for President (the principal campaign committee of John Edwards’ 2004 campaign) have agreed to pay a total of $59,500 in civil penalties for violations of the Federal Election Campaign Act (the Act) and FEC regulations over prohibited corporate contributions and making contributions in the name of another.

In January 2003, Mr. Turner hosted two fundraisers in Arkansas to benefit John Edwards’ presidential campaign.  Mr. Turner’s assistant at the Firm worked with Edwards for President to plan the fundraisers.  This assistant and other Firm employees contacted potential contributors, collected and forwarded contributions and prepared fundraising invitations.  All these activities were performed during normal work hours and as part of the employees’ job duties.  Mr. Turner also had his assistant solicit four Firm employees to make $2,000 contributions to the Edwards Committee and to then reimburse them through the Firm.  The night of the fundraisers, Mr. Turner used the Firm’s credit card to contribute $2,000 to the Edwards Committee and make a $2,000 contribution attributed to his brother and sister-in-law.  He also charged $2,357.88 in hotel and rental car expenses to the Firm for Edwards Committee staffers’ travel to the fundraisers.

Mr. Turner and his incorporated law firm, Turner and Associates, P.A., violated the Act by making contributions in the name of another with corporate funds, making prohibited corporate in-kind contributions and using corporate resources to facilitate contributions to Edwards for President.  Mr. Turner and the Firm will pay a $50,000 civil penalty. 

Edwards for President admitted it violated the Act by accepting prohibited in-kind contributions from Turner and Associates.  Edwards for President also violated the Act by accepting a contribution made by Mr. Turner in the name of his brother and sister-in-law.  In order to settle the matter, Edwards for President will not further contest this finding and will pay a $9,500 civil penalty.

The FEC admonished Mr. Turner’s assistant, his brother and sister-in-law and the four Firm employees whose contributions were reimbursed.  Finally, in situations unrelated to the facts described above, the FEC found no reason to believe respondents associated with the following law firms violated the Act: Howarth & Smith; Robinson, Calcagnie & Robinson; Shernoff, Bidart & Darras, LLP; and Wilkes & McHugh.

*There are four administrative stages to the FEC enforcement process:

It requires the votes of at least four of the six Commissioners to take any action. The FEC can close a case at any point after reviewing a complaint.  If a violation is found and conciliation cannot be reached, then the FEC can institute a civil court action against a respondent.                                                     

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