Week of January 28 - February 1, 2013

Weekly Digest

Week of January 28 – February 1

COMMISSION MEETINGS AND HEARINGS

On January 29 and 31, the Commission held executive sessions.

On January 31, the Commission held an open meeting. Click here for agendas and related documents for open meetings. Click here for audio recordings for selected meetings, hearings and presentations.

ADVISORY OPINIONS

Advisory Opinions Issued

AO 2012-39 (Green Party of Virginia). On January 31, the Commission concluded that the Green Party of Virginia qualifies as a State committee of a political party because: (1) the Green Party of the United States is a political party; (2) the Green Party of Virginia is part of the official structure of the Green Party of the United States; and (3) the Green Party of Virginia is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Green Party of the United States at the State level.

Advisory Opinions and Requests are available through the Advisory Opinions search page in the Law and Regulations section of the Commission website.

ENFORCEMENT

The Commission made public one closed case. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System.

MUR 6559
COMPLAINANT: Jerry Curtis
RESPONDENT: Voters for Dick Muri and Colleen Morse, in her official capacity as treasurer; and Richard W. Muri
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that Muri failed to file a new Statement of Candidacy in a timely manner, and that Voters for Dick Muri and Morse, in her official capacity as treasurer, (the Committee) failed to file an amended Statement of Organization in a timely manner after redistricting changed the district in which Muri was a candidate. Muri was a 2012 candidate in Washington’s 10th Congressional District.
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter in light of the Committee’s attempts to seek guidance from the Commission and its quick remedial action when it learned of its reporting anomalies, and in consideration of Commission priorities.

RULEMAKING AND AGENCY PROCEDURES

On January 31, the Commission approved a draft of a Notice of Interpretive Rule on Reporting Ultimate Payees of Political Committee Disbursements in order to seek comment from the public on how political committees should report the ultimate payees of committee disbursements. Comments from the public responding to this request are due on or before March 4, 2013.

PUBLIC DISCLOSURE

On January 30, the Commission made public the 2013-2014 Price Index Adjustments for Contribution and Expenditure Limitations on the Commission website. During the current, two-year election cycle, individuals may contribute up to $2,600 per election to federal candidates for President, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives and up to $32,400 per year to national party committees. An individual’s total contribution to all federal campaigns, parties and other political committees combined may not exceed $123,200 between Jan.1, 2013 and Dec. 31, 2014.

PRESS RELEASES

FEC Announces 2013-2014 Campaign Cycle Contribution Limits (issued January 30)

FEC Summarizes 21-Month Campaign Activity of the 2012 Election Cycle (issued January 30)

FEC Approves Advisory Opinion, Draft Interpretative Rule on Itemizing Ultimate Payees of Committee Disbursements (issued January 31)

Bauerly Departs Federal Election Commission (issued February 1)

STATEMENTS

On January 31, Chair Ellen L. Weintraub issued a statement outlining her 2013 prioritiesfor the Commission.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS

January 31: Year-end Reports were due. For more information on reporting dates, refer to the 2013 Reporting Dates page of the FEC website.

The Commission posted the filing deadlines for the Special Election in Missouri’s 8th Congressional District. For information on reporting dates for this election, refer to the Special Election Report Notice.

UPCOMING COMMISSION MEETINGS

February 5: The Commission is scheduled to hold an executive session.

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 Official 2012 Presidential General Election Results are available in the Library section of the website. This listing was compiled from the official election results published by state election offices.

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.

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