Week of April 28 – May 2, 2025
Commission meetings and hearings
On April 29 and 30, the Commission met in executive session.
On April 30, the Commission held an open meeting.
Election of Officer
On April 30, the Commission elected Shana M. Broussard to serve as Chair of the Commission, effective July 1, 2025.
Advisory Opinions
Opinions Issued
Advisory Opinion 2025-05 (PoliticalMeetings.com) On April 30, the Commission approved an advisory opinion in response to a request from Politicalmeetings.com (PM.com) in response to its proposal to allow its subscribers to make small monthly contributions to candidates and national political party committees via PM.com’s web-based platform and to provide subscribers access to non-public information about political meetings and events with recipient candidates. The Commission concluded that PM.com’s proposal is permissible under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act), and Commission regulations and it would not result in the making of contributions from PM.com or from the sole member of PM.com to candidates or national political party committees.
Advisory Opinion 2025-07 (4 Libertarian State Committees) On April 30, the Commission approved an advisory opinion in response to a joint request from four Libertarian state party committees: the Libertarian Party of Idaho, the Libertarian Party of Maine, Inc., the Libertarian Party of Maryland, and the Libertarian Party of Vermont. The Commission concluded that the four respective committees qualify as state committees of a political party under the Act and Commission regulations.
Enforcement
The Commission made public seven closed cases and two additional Statement of Reasons, as follows. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Search System.
COMPLAINANT: Al Lindley
RESPONDENTS: Mullin for America and Lisa Lisker, in her official capacity as treasurer (the Committee); Markwayne Mullin; and Mullin Plumbing, Inc. (Mullin Plumbing)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that Mullin, a 2022 candidate for U.S. Senate from Oklahoma, Mullin Plumbing, and the Committee violated the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act), when the Committee disseminated at least one campaign advertisement showing a Mullin Plumbing vehicle with the business name, company employees, and logo clearly visible. The complaint also alleged that Mullin Plumbing also violated the Act when it disseminated a television advertisement that used Mullin’s voice while Mullin was a candidate for the U.S. Senate.
DISPOSITION: The Commission closed the file. Vice Chairman James E. "Trey" Trainor, III and Commissioner Allen J. Dickerson and Commissioner Shana M. Broussard issued Statements of Reasons.
COMPLAINANT: Campaign Legal Center
RESPONDENTS: Make America Great Again, Again! Inc. and Charles Gantt, in his official capacity as treasurer (the Committee); ML Organization, LLC (ML Organization); and William Pulte
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that Pulte made a contribution in the name of another through ML Organization when it purportedly contributed $500,000 to the Committee on November 1, 2021. The complaint based its allegation on ML Organization’s lack of an online presence and public information suggesting that Pulte was connected to ML Organization.
DISPOSITION: On February 27, 2024, the Commission found no reason to believe that the Committee, ML Organization or William Pulte made, knowingly accepted, or allowed one’s name to be used in the making of a contribution in the name of another. The Commission found reason to believe the Committee failed to report attribution information regarding ML Organization’s contribution. On March 26, 2025, the Commission entered into a conciliation agreement providing for the Committee to cease and desist from further violations. The Commission did not seek a civil penalty in this matter but noted that it reserves its right to do so in future matters concerning this violation. Commissioners Broussard, Dickerson, Dara Lindenbaum, and Trainor issued a Supplemental Statement of Reasons.
COMPLAINANT: Campaign Legal Center
RESPONDENTS: Free Market, LLC (Free Market); C.T. Fitzpatrick; Kelley Fitzpatrick; and Alabama Conservatives Fund and Kaylen Melton, in her official capacity as treasurer (ACF)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that C.T. and Kelley Fitzpatrick made a contribution in the name of another through Free Market to ACF when Free Market purportedly contributed $250,000 to ACF on January 27, 2022, in violation of the Act. The complaint based its allegation on the temporal proximity between Free Market’s formation and the contribution, Free Market’s apparent lack of business operations or income, its lack of an online presence, and public information suggesting that C.T. and Kelley Fitzpatrick supported the same candidate supported by ACF.
DISPOSITION: On February 27, 2024, the Commission found reason to believe that ACF violated the Act by failing to report attribution information with respect to Free Market’s contribution. The Commission dismissed the allegation that Free Market failed to provide attribution information. On March 25, 2025, the Commission entered into a conciliation agreement providing for ACF to cease and desist from further violations. The Commission did not seek a civil penalty in this matter but noted that it reserves its right to do so in future matters concerning this violation. The Commission closed the file as to the remaining respondents. Commissioners Broussard, Dickerson, Lindenbaum, and Trainor issued a Statement of Reasons and a Supplemental Statement of Reasons.
COMPLAINANT: Campaign Legal Center
RESPONDENTS: Passionforest, LLC (Passionforest); and SOS America PAC and Gloria Maggiolo, in her official capacity as treasurer (the Committee)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that Passionforest allowed its name to be used to effect a $500,000 contribution made on October 28, 2022, to the Committee on behalf of a true contributor or contributors in violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act). The complaint further alleged that Passionforest may be owned or operated by one or more persons living in China and may therefore have been used to conceal prohibited contributions from foreign nationals. The complaint based its allegations on Passionforest’s minimal online presence and other public information indicating that it did not have the financial means to make a $500,000 contribution.
DISPOSITION: On January 14, 2025, the Commission found reason to believe Passionforest violated the Act by failing to provide the required attribution information regarding its contribution at the time it was made. The Commission voted to dismiss the remaining allegations as to Passionforest and the Committee and closed the file as to the Committee. On March 26, 2025, the Commission entered into a conciliation agreement providing for Passionforest to cease and desist from further violations. The Commission did not seek a civil penalty in this matter but noted that it reserves its right to do so in future matters concerning this violation. Commissioners Broussard, Dickerson, Lindenbaum, and Trainor issued a Supplemental Statement of Reasons.
COMPLAINANT: Campaign Legal Center
RESPONDENTS: Dean Phillips; Dean 24, Inc. and Andrew Minck, in his official capacity as treasurer (Dean 24); and We Deserve Better, Inc., and Justin Phillips, in his official capacity as treasurer (We Deserve Better)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that We Deserve Better, an independent expenditure-only political committee, coordinated television advertising with Dean Phillips, a 2024 Presidential candidate, and his principal campaign committee, Dean 24, thus making prohibited in-kind contributions to Phillips and Dean 24.
DISPOSITION: The Commission dismissed the allegations.
COMPLAINANT: Rick Boyer
RESPONDENTS: McGuire for Virginia and Jason Boles, in his official capacity as treasurer (Federal Committee); John J. McGuire; and Friends of John McGuire SD10 (State Committee)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that McGuire, a 2024 congressional candidate for Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District, as well as the Federal Committee and the State Committee, violated the Act when the State Committee made, and McGuire and the Federal Committee knowingly accepted and the Federal Committee failed to report, prohibited in-kind contributions.
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the complaint.
COMPLAINANT: Julia Z. Haller, America First Legal Foundation
RESPONDENTS: Alvin L. Bragg, Jr.; Joseph R. Biden, Jr.; and Harris for President f/k/a Biden for President and Keana Spencer, in her official capacity as treasurer (Biden Committee)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. coordinated the prosecution of President Donald J. Trump with President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and the Biden Committee, in violation of the Act. Specifically, the complaint alleged that Bragg’s purported coordination with Biden and the Biden Committee resulted in an excessive and unreported in-kind contribution from Bragg to the Biden Committee.
DISPOSITION: The Commission dismissed the allegations. Vice Chairman Trainor and Commissioner Dickerson issued a Statement of Reasons.
MURs 7207, 7268, 7274, and 7623 (Russian Federation, et al.) On April 25, Commissioner Dickerson issued a Second Supplemental Statement of Reasons.
MURs 8328, 8342, and 8343 (National Public Radio and The Washington Post, et al.) On April 28, Vice Chairman Trainor and Commissioner Dickerson issued a Statement of Reasons.
Regulations and agency procedures
Request for Commission Directive 69 Guidance (LRA 1219) On April 30, the Commission discussed a joint Office of General Counsel (OGC) and Office of Compliance (OC) request for Commission guidance under agency Directive 69 regarding the permissibility of a principal campaign committee’s remediation of impermissible general election contributions in its account after losing the primary election by donating those contributions to a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. OGC and OC recommended that the Commission conclude that the Committee’s disbursement of unrefunded general election contributions to a charitable organization was not permissible under the Act. The Commission considered but was unable to approve the proposed recommendation by the required four affirmative votes.
Office of General Counsel Recommendations at the Initial State of the Enforcement Process (Pursuant to 52 U.S.C. § 30109(a)) On April 30, the Commission discussed a proposed agency directive regarding recommendations from OGC at the initial stage of the enforcement process. The proposed directive would establish a 120-day timeframe for OGC to recommend dismissal or further action on a complaint, would require OGC to provide written justification and an estimated completion date in cases where that requirement cannot be met, and would require OGC to provide quarterly status updates to the Commission as part of its regular reports. The Commission considered the proposed agency directive, but the proposal did not receive the required four affirmative votes.
Commissioner Statements
On April 23, Commissioner Dickerson submitted his Resignation Letter to the President.
On April 30, Commissioner Dickerson issued a Statement Upon the Conclusion of His Term and Vice Chairman Trainor, Commissioner Broussard, and Commissioner Lindenbaum each issued Statements on his departure.
Outreach
On April 29-30, the Commission hosted a webinar for political party committees.
From May 2-5, Acting Chairman Trainor observed the Presidential elections in Romania.
Litigation
Campaign Legal Center v. FEC (Case No. 20-809); Campaign Legal Center v. FEC (Case No. 20-1778); and Campaign Legal Center v. FEC (Case No. 21-406) On May 2, the Commission made public a Vote Certification regarding these cases.
Campaign Legal Center v. FEC (Case No. 22-1976) On May 2, the Commission made public a Vote Certification regarding this case.
Press releases
Upcoming Commission meetings and hearings
May 20, 2025: The Commission is scheduled to meet in executive session.
May 22, 2025: The Commission is scheduled to hold an open meeting.
Upcoming educational opportunities
May 20-21, 2025: The Commission is scheduled to host a webinar for candidate committees.
June 4, 2025: The Commission is scheduled to host a webinar for nonconnected committees.
For more information on upcoming training opportunities, see the Commission’s Trainings page.
Upcoming reporting due dates
May 20: May Monthly Reports are due. For more information, see the 2025 Monthly Reporting schedule.
Additional research materials
Contribution Limits. In addition to the current limits, the Commission has posted an archive of contribution limits that were in effect going back to the 1975-1976 election cycles.
Federal election results are available. The data was compiled from the official vote totals published by state election offices.
FEC Notify: Want to be notified by email when campaign finance reports are received by the agency? Sign up here.
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 Presidential Election Campaign Fund Tax Checkoff Chart provides information on balance of the Fund, monthly deposits into the Fund reported by the Department of the Treasury, payments from the Fund as certified by the FEC, and participation rates of taxpayers as reported by the Internal Revenue Service. For more information on the Presidential Public Funding Program, see the Public Funding of Presidential Elections page.
The FEC Record is available as a continuously updated online news source.
Join the FEC on X and YouTube
Follow @FEC on X 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. The use of the agency’s logo, name, and likeness on other media has not been authorized by the FEC.
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- Myles Martin
- Deputy Press Officer
- Myles Martin