Week of November 13 –November 17, 2017

Commission meetings and hearings

• On November 14 and 16, the Commission held an executive session.
  
• On November 16, the Commission held an open meeting.
  

Alternative dispute resolution

The Commission made public three campaign finance enforcement matters that were resolved through its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) program, as follows. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System.

ADR 828

COMPLAINANT: FEC-Initiated
RESPONDENT: National Right to Life Political Action Committee and Wayne Cockfield, in his official capacity as treasurer
SUBJECT:  The respondent failed to file a 24-Hour Report to support two independent expenditures totaling $30,000 that were disclosed on the 2016 30-Day Post-General Report.
DISPOSITION: The respondent agreed to (1) designate a compliance specialist, (2) develop and certify implementation of a compliance operations manual that includes internal controls consistent with those described in the Commission’s Internal Controls and Political Committees advisory document and the Best Practices for Committee Management, as well as a process to track receipt of, and response to, communications with the Commission, (3) conduct an internal education program for staff  to discuss internal controls and distribute the compliance manual, and (4) pay a civil penalty of $3,375.

ADR 829

COMPLAINANT: FEC-Initiated
RESPONDENT: Adam Clayton Powell for Congress and Mark Jay Weinstein, in his official capacity as treasurer         
SUBJECT:  The respondent failed to refund, redesignate, or reattribute 2016 General Election contributions totaling $25,550 within the permissible timeframe following the candidate’s loss in the 2016 New York Primary Election.
DISPOSITION: The respondent agreed to (1) pay a civil penalty of $2,550, (2) file amended reports disclosing any reattributions, redesignations, and refunds, and (3) continue to file disclosure reports until such time as a termination report is approved.

ADR 833

COMPLAINANT: FEC-Initiated
RESPONDENT: National Right to Life Victory Fund and Wayne Cockfield, in his official capacity as treasurer
SUBJECT:  The respondent failed to file a 24-Hour Report to support to support two (2) independent expenditures totaling $61,813.59 that were disclosed on the 2016 30-Day Post-General Report.
DISPOSITION: The respondent agreed to (1) designate a compliance specialist, (2) develop and certify implementation of a compliance operations manual which includes internal controls consistent with those described in the Commission’s Internal Controls and Political Committees advisory document and the Best Practices for Committee Management, as well as a process to track receipt of, and response to, communications with the Commission, (3) conduct an internal education program for staff  to discuss internal controls and distribute the compliance manual, and (4) pay a civil penalty of $6,000.

Litigation

• Campaign Legal Center, et al. v. FEC (Case 1:16-CV-00752-TNM). On November 9, the Commission filed a Reply in Support of Its Motion for Summary Judgment in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. 
  
• Level the Playing Field, et al. v. FEC (Case 1:15-cv-01397-TSC). On November 10, the Plaintiffs Level the Playing Field, Peter Ackerman, Green Party of the United States, and Libertarian National Committee, Inc. filed a Reply Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Further Support of Their Motion for Summary Judgment and in Opposition to Defendant’s Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. 
  

Rulemaking and agency procedures

REG 2011-02: Internet Communication Disclaimers

On November 13, the comment period on the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Internet Communication Disclaimers closed. Comments, which are being published on a rolling basis as they are reviewed, are available here. On November 16, the Commission unanimously approved a motion that directs the Office of General Counsel to draft a notice of proposed rulemaking that “proposes revisions to Commission rules governing disclaimers on paid internet and digital communications and does not propose changes to any other rules adopted by the Commission in the Internet Communications Rulemaking of 2006.” Commissioner Ellen L. Weintraub issued a Statement.

Public disclosure

On November 14, the Commission’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) made public its report entitled, Required Review under the Data Act. On November 16, OIG made public its FY 2017 Financial Statements.

Outreach

On November 16, Commissioner Ellen L. Weintraub discussed the role and work of the Commission with students from Gettysburg College.

Educational programs

On November 14-15, the Commission hosted a Regional Conference for candidates, parties and separate segregated funds, in Washington DC. Chairman Steven T. Walther, Vice Chair Caroline C. Hunter, and Commissioners Lee E. Goodman, Matthew S. Petersen, and Ellen L. Weintraub participated in roundtable discussions. Additional information is available on the Educational Outreach page of the Commission website.

Press releases

FEC Moves to Draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Internet Communication Disclaimers (issued  November 17)

Upcoming Commission meetings and hearings

• December 5:  The Commission is scheduled to hold an executive session.
  
• December 7: The Commission is scheduled to hold an open meeting and executive session.
  

Meeting dates are subject to change. Please contact the Press Office the week of the scheduled meeting for confirmation.

Upcoming educational programs

• December 6: Nonconnected PAC Webinar. Additional information is available on the Educational Outreach page of the Commission website.

Upcoming reporting due dates

• November 20: November Monthly Reports are due. For more information on monthly reporting dates, refer to the 2017 Monthly Reporting page of the Commission website.
  
• December 20: December Monthly Reports are due. For more information on monthly reporting dates, refer to the 2017 Monthly Reporting page of the Commission website.

Additional research materials

The Official 2016 Presidential General Election Results are available in the Library section of the website. This listing was compiled from the official vote totals published by state election offices.

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

The 2017 edition of the Combined Federal State Disclosure and Election Directory is available on the new Commission website. 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.

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.