Week of July 16 - July 20, 2012

Weekly Digest

Week of July 16 – 20

COMMISSION MEETINGS AND HEARINGS

No Commission Executive Sessions or Open Meetings were scheduled this week.

ENFORCEMENT

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

MUR 6519   
RESPONDENTS: Calvin C. Fayard, Jr.; Cynthia Fayard; Chalyn Fayard; Cathryn Caroline Fayard; Calvin C. Fayard, III; Frances Gray Fayard; Carolyn Mistoler; D. Blayne Honeycutt; and Valerie Honeycutt
COMPLAINANT: Kevin P. LeMaire
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that Calvin C. Fayard, Jr. or Cynthia Fayard provided the funds their daughter Chalyn Fayard used to make a $10,000 contribution to the federal account of the Democratic State Central Committee of Louisiana. The complaint alleged further that the $55,000 in additional contributions to that federal account, which the committee reported had been made by Fayard family members, were in fact contributions from an unnamed source.
DISPOSITION: The Commission found no reason to believe the respondents violated the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended, (the Act) or Commission regulations in light of available information that shows Chalyn Fayard made the $10,000 contribution with her own funds, and because respondents denied the speculative allegations regarding the additional $55,000 in contributions.  

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

The Commission made public one campaign finance enforcement matter that was resolved through its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) program.

ADR 612 – Friends of Sean Bielat and Norm Fay, in his official capacity as treasurer. The respondent agreed to (1) implement compliance measures, (2) send a representative to an FEC conference and (3) pay a civil penalty of $2,750.

For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System.

AUDITS

Final Audit Report on the National Right to Life Political Action Committee. On July 20, the Commission made public the Final Audit Report on the National Right to Life Political Action Committee, covering activity between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2008. The Commission found a misstatement of financial activity.

Click here for general information about final Audit Reports. Audits are broken down into three categories: Authorized Committees, Unauthorized Committees, and Title 26 Audit Reports.

LITIGATION

Conway for Senate v. FEC (No. 12-cv-00244 (CRS)). On July 18, the Commission filed its Answer to Plaintiff''''s Complaint in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.

Free Speech v. FEC (No. 2:12-cv-127 (SWS)). On July 13, the plaintiff filed a Motion for Preliminary Injunctive Relief in the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming.

Shaun McCutcheon, et al. v. FEC (No. 12-cv-01034 (JEB, JRB, RLW)). On July 20, the plaintiffs filed a Reply Memorandum in Support of Motion for Preliminary Injunction in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Stop This Insanity, Inc. Employee Leadership Fund, et al. v. FEC (No.1:12-cv-01140 (BAH)). On July 10, Stop This Insanity, Inc. Employee Leadership Fund, Stop This Insanity, Inc., Glengary, LLC, Todd Cefaratti and Ladd Ehlinger filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.  The complaint challenges the constitutionality of certain contribution restrictions under the Act. On July 18, the plaintiffs filed a Motion for Preliminary Injunction.

Van Hollen v. FEC (No. 12-5117). On July 20, Plaintiff-Appellee Chris Van Hollen filed a Brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

Wagner v. FEC (No. 11-cv-1841 (JEB)). On July 12, the plaintiff filed a Motion for Summary Judgment in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

OUTREACH

On July 12, Vice Chair Ellen L. Weintraub discussed campaign finance law and Commission operations with government and political leaders from Ukraine as part of the State Department''''s International Visitor Leadership Program.

On July 17, Debbie Chacona, Assistant Staff Director for the Reports Analysis Division, and Reports Analysis Division Branch Chief Mike Hartsock made a presentation on best practices for compliance to the PAC Pals group.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS

July 20: July Monthly Reports were due. For more information on monthly reporting dates, refer to the 2012 Monthly Reporting page of the Commission website.

This week the FEC posted on its website screen-fillable versions of FEC Forms 5, 7 and 9.

UPCOMING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

August 28, Washington, DC. Roundtable Workshop on Pre-Election Communications. Additional information is available on the Educational Outreach page of the Commission website.

UPCOMING REPORTING DUE DATES

The Commission posted the filing deadlines for the Special Election in Michigan’s 11th  Congressional District. For information on reporting dates for this election, refer to the Special Election Report Notice.

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.

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.

Printed copies of the 2012 edition of Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations are now available. To order, call (800)424-9530 (press 6) or send an email to info@fec.gov.

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