Week of January 31 - February 4, 2011
Weekly Digest Week of January 31 – February 4
COMMISSION MEETINGS On February 1, the Commission held an Executive Session. Click here for Sunshine Act Notices for Executive Sessions.
On February 3, 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.
Supplements Received AOR 2011-01 (Robin Carnahan for Senate). On February 1, the Commission made public a supplement to Advisory Opinion Request 2011-01. The requester asks if a separate legal defense fund may be established to defray Robin Carnahan for Senate''''s costs of defending against a copyright infringement lawsuit. The requester also asks whether donations to the legal defense fund must comply with the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act). AOR 2011-02 (Senator Scott Brown and Scott Brown for U.S. Senate Committee, Inc.). On February 1 and February 4, the Commission made public two supplements to Advisory Opinion Request 2011-02. In the request, Senator Brown and the Scott Brown for U.S. Senate Committee (the Committee) ask whether they may engage in, and use campaign funds to pay for, a variety of activities related to the upcoming publication and promotion of Senator Brown’s book, including: (1) purchasing bulk numbers of the book for campaign purposes; (2) using the Committee''''s website and social media sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, to post material promoting the book; (3) using Committee email and mailing lists to promote the book; (4) hosting fundraising activities in cities where the book''''s publisher has arranged promotional events; and (5) collecting email data from people attending the Senator’s book signing events. Advisory Opinions and Requests are available through the Advisory Opinions search page in the Law and Regulations section of the FEC website.
ENFORCEMENT The Commission made public two closed cases and three Statements of Reasons. MUR 6267 – Jonathan Paton; Paton for Senate and Jonathan Paton, in his official capacity as treasurer; and Jonathan Paton for Congress and Jeffrey John Hill, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission agreed to accept a conciliation agreement providing for the respondents to pay a civil penalty of $1,800. MUR 6340 – McDowell for Congress and Cynthia S. Shutt, in her official capacity as treasurer; Supporters of Gary McDowell; and Gary McDowell. The Commission dismissed the matter. MUR 6277 – Robert E. Kirkland; Kirkland for Congress and Ronald H. Kirkland, in his official capacity as treasurer; and Ronald H. Kirkland. A Statement of Reasons was issued by Vice Chair Caroline C. Hunter and Commissioners Donald F. McGahn and Matthew S. Petersen. MUR 6279 – US Dry Cleaning Corporation; David Vitter; David Vitter for U.S. Senate and William Vanderbrook, in his official capacity as treasurer; Robert and Regina Lee; Tim and Mary Denari; Riaz and Donna Chauthani; and Jamal and Cymetria Ogbe. A Statement of Reasons was issued by Vice Chair Hunter and Commissioners McGahn and Petersen. For information regarding each of the above matters, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System. LITIGATION Carey v. FEC (Civ. No. 11- 259(RMC)). On January 31, Retired Admiral James Carey, Kelly S. Eustis, and the National Defense Political Action Committee (Plaintiffs) filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia seeking a declaratory judgment that the contribution limits applicable to political committees in 2 U.S.C. §§ 441a (a)(1)(C) and 441a(a)(3) violate the First Amendment. Plaintiffs argue that these laws impermissibly prohibit non-connected political committees from soliciting and accepting unlimited contributions to one bank account designated for independent expenditures, while maintaining a second, separate bank account designated for source- and amount-limited contributions to candidates and their authorized political committees. The complaint also seeks injunctive relief enjoining the Commission from enforcing the above-mentioned provisions as applied to Plaintiffs. The Complaint was filed concurrently with a Motion for Preliminary Injunction.
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE On February 3, the Commission made public the 2011-2012 Price Index Adjustments for Contribution and Expenditure Limitations and Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure on the FEC website. During the current, two-year election cycle, individuals may contribute up to $2,500 per election to federal candidates for President, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives and up to $30,800 per year to national party committees. An individual’s total contribution to all federal campaigns, parties and other political committees combined may not exceed $117,000 between Jan.1, 2011 and Dec. 31, 2012.
PRESS RELEASES FEC Announces 2011-2012 Campaign Cycle Contribution Limits (issued February 3)
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS January 31: Year-end Reports were due. For more information on reporting dates, refer to the 2011 Reporting Dates page of the FEC website.
UPCOMING REPORTING DUE DATES February 20: February Monthly Reports are due. For more information on monthly reporting dates, refer to the 2011 Monthly Reporting page of the FEC website.
UPCOMING EVENTS
April 6, 2011, Washington, DC. FEC Seminar for House and Senate Campaign Committees. Registration information and schedule are on the 2011 Conference/Seminar Schedule page of the FEC website.
OTHER RESOURCES The February 2011 issue of The Record is in the Publications section of the FEC website. Sign up to receive email notification when a new issue of the Record is posted.
The February 2011 Supplements to the FEC’s Campaign Guides are on the Campaign Guides page of the FEC website.
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