Week of February 5 - February 9, 2018

Commission meetings and hearings

• On February 6, the Commission held an executive session.
  
• On February 8, the Commission held a public audit hearing on McSally for Congress and an open meeting.
  

Advisory Opinions

Advisory opinion issued

Advisory Opinion 2017-13 (NSP and Sorghum PAC). 

On February 8, the Commission issued an advisory opinion, concluding that the National Sorghum Producers and Sorghum PAC and the state organizations constitute a federation of trade associations under Commission regulations, the checkoff system proposed in the request is permissible, and the state organizations may serve as collecting agents for Sorghum PAC. During the discussion, the Commission heard from the requestor.

Request received

Advisory Opinion Request 2018-01 

(Libertarian Party of Utah). On February 2, 2017, the Commission made public Advisory Opinion Request 2018-01, which asks whether the requestor qualifies as a state committee of a political party.

Enforcement

The Commission made public two closed cases, as follows. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System.

MUR 7255

• COMPLAINANT: Pamela Goza-Quiroga
  
• RESPONDENTS: Trump Make America Great Again Committee and Bradley T. Crate, in his official capacity as treasurer (the Committee) 
  
• SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that the Committee improperly withdrew funds from the complainant’s checking account.
  
• DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter in consideration of Commission priorities. The Commission observed the small amounts allegedly in violation, and noted that the Committee refunded all but the complainant’s first contribution, which she had authorized. 
  

MUR 7278

• COMPLAINANT: Lee Miller
  
• RESPONDENTS: McClintock for Congress and David Bauer, in his official capacity as treasurer (the Committee)
  
• SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that the Committee incorrectly described the purpose of disbursements for child support payments in disclosure reports filed with the Commission, and that it failed to disclose the type and purpose for a disbursement.
  
• DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter in consideration of Commission priorities. The Commission observed that the alleged violations were technical in nature.
  

Audits

Proposed Final Audit Report on the Hawaii Democratic Party

On February 7, the Commission approved the Proposed Final Audit Report on the Hawaii Democratic Party, covering campaign finance activity between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2012. The approved findings relate to the misstatement of financial activity, receipt of contributions that exceed limits, receipt of apparent impermissible funds, reporting of debts and obligations, recordkeeping for employees, failure to properly report media-related expenditures, and allocation of expenditures. The Commission directed the Audit Division to include in the Additional Issues section of the final audit the failure to properly report media-related expenditures-dissemination.

Upcoming Commission meetings and hearings

• The open meeting previously scheduled for February 15 has been canceled.
  
• Meeting dates are subject to change. Please contact the Press Office the week of the scheduled meeting for confirmation.
  

Press releases

• Lee Goodman to depart Federal Election Commission (issued February 7)
  
• FEC issues an advisory opinion and approves a proposed final audit report (issued February 8)
  

Upcoming educational programs

• February 21-22: Scottsdale, Arizona Regional Conference for candidates, parties and separate segregated funds. Additional information is available on the Educational Outreach page of the Commission website.
  

Upcoming reporting due dates

• February 20: February Monthly Reports are due. For more information on monthly reporting dates, refer to the 2018 Monthly Reporting page of the Commission website.
  

Additional research materials

Additional research materials about the agency, campaign finance information, and election results are available through the Library section of the Commission website.

The 2017 Campaign Guide for Corporations and Labor Organizations is available. Other Campaign Guides are available, as well.

The 2018 Congressional Primary Election Dates list is available.

Federal Elections 2016: Election Results for the U.S. President, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives is available. The data was compiled from the official vote totals published by state election offices.

The 2017 edition of the Combined Federal State Disclosure and Election Directory is available. This publication identifies the federal and state agencies responsible for the disclosure of campaign finances, lobbying, personal finances, public financing, candidates on the ballot, election results, spending on state initiatives and other financial filings.

The FEC Record is available as a continuously updated online news source.

The 2017 edition of Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations can be downloaded from the website.  To order printed copies, call (800) 424-9530 (press 6) or send an email to info@fec.gov.

The FEC is moving.

In March 2018, the Commission will be moving from its current location at 999 E Street, NW, Washington, DC to 1050 First Street, NE, Washington, DC. The Commission will begin receiving mail at its new address on March 5, 2018. 

Join the FEC on Twitter and YouTube

Follow @FEC on Twitter to receive the latest information on agency updates, news releases, and weekly activity. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, FECTube: FECConnect on Demand, to watch instructional videos that have been designed to help candidates and committees comply with federal campaign finance laws. Note that the FEC is not currently available through other social media platforms at this time. The use of the agency’s logo, name, and likeness on other mediums has not been authorized by the FEC.