Week of December 30, 2024 – January 3, 2025

Commission meetings and hearings

No open meetings or executive sessions were scheduled this week.

Enforcement

The Commission made public six closed cases this week, as follows. For more information, see the Enforcement Search System.

MUR 7028
COMPLAINANT: Rupert Baptiste
RESPONDENTS: Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union No. 9 (the Union); and Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union No. 9 PAC and Michael Maloney, in his official capacity as treasurer (the PAC)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that the Union (1) solicited and accepted contributions for the PAC without obtaining the appropriate written authorizations demonstrating the voluntary nature of the contributions, (2) operated a reverse check-off system by which contributions were deducted from wages unless an employee opted out, and (3) used the funds collected to make federal contributions and expenditures.
DISPOSITION: On October 30, 2018, the Commission entered into a conciliation agreement providing for the Union and the PAC to (1) jointly pay a civil penalty of $92,650, (2) ensure that all solicitations comply with the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act), and Commission regulations, and that signed payroll deduction authorizations were obtained for all Union members contributing to the PAC, (3) refund contributions withheld from pay of Complainant Baptiste between 2012 and 2017 in the amount of $1,426.93, (4) send notifications by mail to the last known address of each of the 1,310 members, from whom they obtained contributions between 2012 and 2017, informing them of the improper payroll deductions for PAC contributions and of their right to request reimbursement of such contributions, and refund the previously unauthorized contributions of all members who requested refunds. The complainant subsequently reported that the union and the PAC were violating the conciliation agreement. On May 17, 2024, the Commission filed a Complaint for Declaratory, Injunctive, and Other Appropriate Relief to enforce the terms of the conciliation agreement. On December 16, 2024, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia entered a Consent Judgment providing for the defendants to pay a total joint civil penalty of $240,000 and to perform certain other remedial measures.

MUR 8005

COMPLAINANT: Matthew G. Rascon
RESPONDENTS: Stephen Houlahan for Congress and Steven J. Stelman, in his official capacity as treasurer (Federal Committee); Stephen W. Houlahan; and Stephen Houlahan for Santee Mayor 2020 (Mayoral Committee)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that Houlahan, the Federal Committee and the Mayoral Committee (1) failed to include proper disclaimers in public communications and websites, timely amend Houlahan’s 2022 Statement of Candidacy and Statement of Organization to reflect a change in congressional districts, and timely file his 2024 Statement of Candidacy, (2) listed the wrong district on disclosure reports, (3) provided inaccurate information on a Statement of Organization by listing the email address of a third-party compliance company under contact information, (4) failed to report contributions and expenditures relating to a fundraiser for a legal defense fund, (5) diverted $972.55 from the Mayoral Committee to the Federal Committee, and (6) converted campaign funds to personal use in connection with $1,676.14 in hotel accommodations. Houlahan was a 2022 and 2024 candidate for California’s 48th Congressional District.
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter.

MUR 8229

COMPLAINANT: Phil Plummer
RESPONDENTS: Amy Cox for Congress and Amy Cox, in her official capacity as treasurer (the Committee); and Amy Cox
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that Cox and the Committee failed to timely file her Statement of Candidacy within 15 days of becoming a candidate. Cox was a 2024 candidate for Ohio’s Tenth Congressional District.
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter.

MUR 8234

COMPLAINANT: Americans for Public Trust and Caitlin Sutherland, Executive Director
RESPONDENTS: Keith Gross; and Keith Gross for Florida and Jason D. Boles, in his official capacity as treasurer (the Committee)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that Gross and the Committee converted campaign funds to personal use by offering to send contributors a copy of a book written by Gross in exchange for contributing any amount to the Committee and posting links on Gross’s social media account to platforms where the book could be purchased.
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter.

MUR 8264

COMPLAINANT: Alan R. Ostergren
RESPONDENT: David Pautsch for Congress and David Pautsch, in his official capacity as treasurer (the Committee)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that Pautsch and the Committee produced and distributed public communications without adequate disclaimers. Pautsch was a 2024 candidate for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District.
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter.

MUR 8277

COMPLAINANT: Thomas Wilsdon
RESPONDENTS: Pfeifer for Congress and Peter Pfeifer, in his official capacity as treasurer (the Committee); and Peter Pfeifer
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that Pfeifer failed to file a Statement of Candidacy within 15 days of becoming a candidate and the Committee failed to file a Statement of Organization within 10 days of its designation. Pfeifer was a 2024 candidate for Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District.
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter.

Administrative Fines

The Commission made public 16 closed cases, as follows. For more information, see the case documents in the Administrative Fine Search System.

AF 4752 Holly McCormack for Congress and Holly McCormack, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $37,795.

AF 4753 John Conyers for Congress and Office of Treasurer, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $8,354.

AF 4755 Jones, Herb (US House) and Office of Treasurer, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $2,994.

AF 4756 Jose Castillo for Congress and Jose Castillo, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $815.

AF 4757 Justin Moore for Texas and Frederick Haynes III, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $415.

AF 4758 Merika Coleman for Congress and Deanna Reed, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $7,958.

AF 4760 National Elevator Constructors PAC/Intn’l Union of Elevator Constructors (NEC PAC) and Larry McGann, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $5,124.

AF 4761 Outdoor Advertising Association of America Political Action Committee and Michael S. Hershey, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $853.

AF 4763 Phil Arballo for Congress and Paul Fausone, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed no civil penalty.

AF 4764 Philip Drake Uniting America 2024 and Phil Drake, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $14,146.

AF 4765 Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union 74 Political Action Committee and Michael Hackendorn, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $1,871.

AF 4766 Raja Chaudhry Campaign, Inc. and Leon Zeno, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $9,725.

AF 4767 Santos Limon for Congress and Santos Limon, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $1,497.

AF 4769 The Seasonal Employer PAC and Peter Delany, Jr., in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $3,462.

AF 4771 West Virginia Freedom Builders Inc and Matthew Cox, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $6,188.

AF 4772 YR Victory Fund and Brandon Prichard, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed no civil penalty.

Regulations and agency procedures

Civil Monetary Penalties Annual Inflation Adjustments 2025 On January 3, the Commission’s Final Rules to adjust its civil monetary penalty amounts for inflation were published in the Federal Register. The Commission determined these amounts through a statutory formula, which applies the most recent cost-of-living adjustment ratio, issued by the Office of Management and Budget, to the current amounts. The amended civil monetary penalties took effect as of the publication date.

Upcoming Commission meetings and hearings

January 14, 2025: The Commission is scheduled to meet in executive session.

January 28, 2025: The Commission is scheduled to meet in executive session.

January 30, 2025: The Commission is scheduled to hold an open meeting.

Upcoming educational opportunities

January 15, 2025: The Commission is scheduled to host Year-End reporting and FECFile webinars for political action committees (PACs) and party committees.

January 22, 2025: The Commission is scheduled to host Year-End reporting and FECFile webinars for candidate committees.

For more information on upcoming training opportunities, see the Commission’s Trainings page.

Upcoming reporting due dates

January 31, 2025: Year-End Reports are due. For more information, see the 2024 Quarterly and Monthly Reporting schedules.

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 Elections 2020: 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.

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.

Other election-related resources

Videos on protecting U.S. elections. The FBI’s Protected Voices initiative provides videos designed to help political campaigns protect themselves from foreign influence. The 2019 videos offer guidance on ransomware, business email compromise, supply chain, social media literacy, and foreign influence operations. Other videos, released in 2018, include cyber hygiene topics such as social engineering, patching, router hardening, and app and browser safety.

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.