Weekly Digest
Week of July 20 – 24
COMMISSION MEETINGS AND HEARINGS
No Commission open meetings or executive sessions were scheduled this week.
ENFORCEMENT
The Commission made public one closed case and one Statement of Reasons, as follows. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System.
MUR 6651
COMPLAINANT: Brian Rothenberg, Progress Ohio
RESPONDENTS: Murray Energy Corporation; and Romney for President, Inc. and Darrell Crate, in his official capacity as treasurer
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that (1) Murray Energy Corporation (Murray Energy) made and Romney for President, Inc. and Crate, in his official capacity as treasurer (the Committee), received a prohibited corporate contribution when a mine owned by Murray Energy purportedly required its employees to attend a rally for Romney, and (2) Murray Energy impermissibly facilitated the making of contributions from its employees to Romney’s campaign by requiring employee attendance at the rally. Romney was a 2012 candidate for U.S. President.
DISPOSITION: The Commission closed the file. On July 24, Chair Ann M. Ravel and Commissioner Ellen L. Weintraub issued a Statement of Reasons.
ADMINISTRATIVE FINES
The Commission made public 33 campaign finance enforcement matters that were resolved through its Administrative Fines (AF) program, as follows. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System.
AF 2882 – Ann PAC and Patrick McSwain, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $1,090.
AF 2884 – Constitution Party National Committee and H. James Headings, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $660.
AF 2885 – Crowley Maritime Corporation Federal PAC and Daniel L. Warner, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $550.
AF 2887 – Duchossois Group PAC and Michael E. Flannery, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $660.
AF 2888 – Ironworkers Local 401 Political Action Fund and Charles J. Roberts, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $1,090.
AF 2889 – Oakland County Democratic Party and Phillip W. Reid, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $8,800.
AF 2890 – Stark County Republican Party and Joyce Hudnell, in her official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $550.
AF 2891 – The Hershey Company Political Action Committee and Debra L. Miller, in her official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $125.
AF 2924 – American Composites Manufacturers Association Political Action Committee and Tom Dobbins, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $120.
AF 2925 – American Lighting Association Political Action Committee and Richard D. Upton, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $275.
AF 2926 – American Political Action Committee and J.H. Versnel, in her official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $550.
AF 2927 – Chiang Patel and Yerby Inc PAC and David W. Hays, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $307.
AF 2928 – Deep Blue PAC and Margaret M. Infantino, in her official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $2,365.
AF 2929 – Democratic Foundation of Orange County and Glen Hatton, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $1,090.
AF 2930 – Duchossois Group PAC and Michael E. Flannery, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $275.
AF 2931 – Empire District Electric Company Political Action Committee and Larry Jay Williams, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $330.
AF 2932 – Empower Citizens Network and Robert Wayne Warther, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $275.
AF 2933 – Fiscal Leadership and Knowing Economics PAC and Hieu Tran, in her official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $885.
AF 2935 – Int Longshoremens Assoc (ILA) Local 1291 Political Action Committee and Martin Mascuilli, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $825.
AF 2936 – Medicinal Cannabis Superpac and Joseph Charles Houston, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $275.
AF 2937 – MVP Health Care Inc. Federal PAC and Jordan T. Estey, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $110.
AF 2938 – National Electrical Contractors Association Political Action Committee (NECAPAC) and Traci M. Pickus, in her official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $2,642.
AF 2939 – North American Meat Institute Political Action Committee and Pete Thomson, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $122.
AF 2940 – Our Voices Matter and Charles Pascal, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $4,950.
AF 2941 – Patriot Super PAC and Thomas Freiling, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $687.
AF 2942 – Plumbers And Pipefitters Local Union 74 and Mark R. Permar, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $687.
AF 2943 – Priorities for Iowa Political Fund and Sara Craig, in her official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $4,100.
AF 2946 – Spine PAC of the National Association of Spine Specialists and Eric J. Muehlbauer, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $550.
AF 2947 – Strategy PAC and James Malczewski, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $885.
AF 2948 – Takeover Super PAC and Thomas Freiling, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $275.
AF 2949 – Taxicab Limousine & Paratransit Association Political Action Committee (TLPA PAC) and Alfred B. Lagasse, III, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $180.
AF 2951 – University Public Issues Committee aka UPIC and Paul T. Schultz, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $102.
AF 2952 – USINPAC and Sanjay K. Puri, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $330.
LITIGATION
FEC v. O’Donnell, et al. (Case 1:15-cv-00017-LPS). On July 20, the Defendants filed an Answering Brief in Opposition to Plaintiff''''s Motion to Dismiss Counterclaims in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware.
OUTREACH
On July 20, Commissioner Steven T. Walther participated in an election seminar hosted by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe / Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights in Vienna, Austria.
On July 21, Chair Ravel gave a continuing legal education presentation about campaign finance and ethics to attorneys from the Legislative Division of the New York City Council in New York, New York.
On July 22, Chair Ravel gave the keynote address on campaign finance reform at a conference entitled “American Elections at the Crossroads” hosted by the Brennan Center and the New York City Campaign Finance Office in New York, New York.
On July 23, Chair Ravel discussed the role and work of the Commission with interns and fellows at Campaign Legal Center in Washington, D.C.
On July 23, Chair Ravel spoke and participated in a panel discussion entitled “Money, Politics and Transparency” hosted by the Sunlight Foundation in Washington, D.C.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS
July 20: July Monthly Reports were due. For more information on monthly reporting dates, refer to the 2015 Monthly Reporting page of the Commission website.
UPCOMING COMMISSION MEETINGS AND HEARINGS
August 11: The Commission is scheduled to hold an open meeting and an executive session.
August 13: The Commission is scheduled to hold an executive session.
Meeting dates are subject to change. Please contact the Press Office the week of the scheduled meeting for confirmation.
UPCOMING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
August 25-26, Chicago, IL, Regional Conference for House & Senate Campaigns, Political Party Committees and Corporate/Trade/Labor PACs. Additional information is available on the Educational Outreach page of the Commission website.
UPCOMING REPORTING DUE DATES
July 31: Mid-Year reports are due. For more information on semiannual reporting dates, refer to the Semiannual Reporting page of the Commission website.
August 20: August Monthly Reports are due. For more information on monthly reporting dates, refer to the 2015 Monthly Reporting page of the Commission website.
OTHER RESOURCES
The 2015 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 2015 edition of the Federal Election Campaign Finance Laws is available on the Commission website and in print. The compilation contains all federal campaign finance laws (including a conversion table showing the recent changes from Title 2 U.S.C. to Title 52 U.S.C.). To order a copy at no charge, contact the Commission''''s Information Division at (800) 424-9530 (press 6, when prompted) or email info@fec.gov.
The 2015 edition of Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations can be downloaded from the website. To order printed copies, call (800) 424-9530 (press 6) or send an email to info@fec.gov.
The 2014 Legislative Recommendations are available on the Commission’s website.
The 2014 edition of the Federal Election Commission Campaign Guide for Congressional Candidates and Committees is available on the Commission’s website.
The August 2013 edition of the Federal Election Commission Campaign Guide for Political Party Committees is available on the Commission’s website.
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 Commission has published the 2015 Record Index page. An index to previously published Record news articles 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 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.
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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