Week of February 4 - February 8, 2013
Weekly Digest Week of February 4 – 8
COMMISSION MEETINGS AND HEARINGS
On February 5, the Commission held an executive session.
No Commission open meetings were held this week. Click here for agendas and related documents for open meetings. Click here for audio recordings for selected meetings, hearings and presentations.
ADVISORY OPINIONS
Drafts AO 2012-38 (Socialist Workers Party). On February 7, the Commission made public two drafts of Advisory Opinion 2012-38. The Socialist Workers Party (SWP) has, since 1979, maintained a partial exemption from the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended, (the Act) and Commission regulations requiring reporting to the FEC of the identities of contributors to the SWP and the identities of recipients of SWP disbursements. The SWP files reports with the Commission containing coded references for itemized contributors and recipients of disbursements, rather than names, addresses and other identifying information. The SWP requests renewal of this partial exemption. Comments on the drafts are due by noon on February 13. Advisory Opinions and Requests are available through the Advisory Opinions search page in the Law and Regulations section of the Commission website.
LITIGATION
Free Speech v. FEC (Case 12-8078). On February 4, the Commission filed a Brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
James v. FEC (Case 12-683). On February 4, the Solicitor General on behalf of the Commission, filed a Motion to Dismiss or Affirm in the United States Supreme Court.
Libertarian National Committee, Inc. (LNC) v. Federal Election Commission (No. 1:11-cv-00562-RLW). Oral arguments are scheduled for February 25 in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
OUTREACH
On February 6, Chair Ellen L. Weintraub participated in a panel discussion on campaign finance reform at the University of Maryland.
On February 8, Chair Weintraub discussed the role and work of the Commission at a campaign finance conference held at Willamette University.
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE
On February 4, the Commission’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) made public its Inspection of the Commission''''s Disaster Recovery Plan and Continuity of Operations Plans. On the same day, OIG made public its December 2012 Review of Outstanding Recommendations.
FEDERAL REGISTER
On February 6, the Commission published a Notice of Adjustments to Contribution and Expenditure Limitations and Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold in the Federal Register.
UPCOMING COMMISSION MEETINGS
February 14: The Commission is scheduled to hold an open meeting.
UPCOMING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
February 13, Federal Election Commission, Washington, DC. “Candidate 101: Preparing for the Next Election Cycle” Webinar for new candidates and their campaign staff. Additional information, including registration forms, 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 2013 Monthly Reporting page of the Commission website.
OTHER RESOURCES
The 2012 edition of the Combined Federal State Disclosure and Election Directory is available in the Public Records section of the 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.
An index to the Record news articles published in 2012 is available on the Commission website. The Record news page is available in the Publications section of the Commission website. Sign up to receive email notification when new articles are posted.
The FEC Annual Reports from 1975-2006 are now available on the website. Beginning in 2007, the Commission consolidated its Annual Report with its Performance and Accountability Report (PAR) to provide a single account of the agency''''s activities for each fiscal year.
Printed copies of the 2012 edition of Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations are now available and can be downloaded from the website. To order, call (800)424-9530 (press 6) or send an email to info@fec.gov.
Instructional videos are available on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/FECTube?feature=watch. These videos are also available on the Commission''''s E-Learning resources page at http://www.fec.gov/info/elearning.shtml. Follow us on Twitter - http://twitter.com/fec |