Week of July 25 - July 29, 2011

Weekly Digest

Week of July 25 – 29

COMMISSION MEETINGS

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

ADVISORY OPINIONS

Supplement Received

AOR 2011-14 (Utah Bankers Association). On July 25, the Commission made public a Supplement to Advisory Opinion Request 2011-14.  The requestor asks whether its separate segregated fund may set up a website and an email list that would ask individuals to contribute directly to particular Federal candidates.

Request Received

AOR 2011-16 (Dimension4, Inc. PAC).  On July 26, the Commission made public Advisory Opinion Request 2011-16 (Dimension4, Inc., PAC).  In August, 2010, the PAC loaned $26,000 to its connected organization, Dimension4, Inc.  In its advisory opinion request, the PAC asks whether a fund formed by senior officers of the Corporation for the purpose of making charitable contributions may repay the loan, and then be reimbursed by the Corporation.  The Commission must issue a response no later than 60 days after receipt of the complete request, that is, by September 26.

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.

MUR 6412
RESPONDENTS:  Blumenthal for Senate and Judith Zamore, in her official capacity as treasurer; Richard Blumenthal; and Cynthia Blumenthal
COMPLAINANTS: Connecticut Republican Party and Christopher C. Healy, Chairman
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that (1) Cynthia Blumenthal made an excessive contribution to her husband’s campaign committee, Blumenthal for Senate (the Committee); (2) Richard and Cynthia Blumenthal made a contribution in the name of another; and (3) the Committee  knowingly filed false disclosure reports with the Commission. Specifically, the complaint alleged that Blumenthal did not have the personal funds necessary to make the approximately $2.5 million in candidate loans reported by the Committee and Zamore, in her official capacity as treasurer, because the loan amount exceeded the amount of personal funds Blumenthal had disclosed previously in his Personal Financial Disclosure Report. Blumenthal was a 2010 candidate for Connecticut’s U.S. Senate seat.
DISPOSITION: The Commission found no reason to believe respondents violated the Act in light of information confirming Richard Blumenthal had sufficient personal funds to make the loans.

For information regarding each of the above matters, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System.

ADMINISTRATIVE FINES

The Commission made public one campaign finance enforcement matter that was resolved through its Administrative Fines (AF) program.

AF 2267 – Alaska Republican Party and Glenn W. Clary, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $11,000.

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

LITIGATION

FEC v. Kazran (No. 3:10-cv-1155-J-RBD-JRK). On July 29, the Commission filed an Opposition to Defendant Sam Kazran''''s Request for Leave to Join Additional Parties in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

OUTREACH

On July 26, Chair Cynthia L. Bauerly spoke at a meeting of the National Association of Business Political Action Committees and answered questions on recent developments at the Commission.

On July 25, Chair Bauerly participated in a brown bag luncheon with Campaign Legal Center''''s summer interns about public interest careers and the Commission.

This week, the Commission replaced its monthly newsletter, the Record, with an online version that offers readers more timely and convenient access to information about the Commission and the law it administers. Readers who prefer a printed monthly can download a print-friendly compilation of articles at the end of each month.

UPCOMING COMMISSION MEETINGS

August 2: The Commission is scheduled to hold an Executive Session.

August 4: The Commission is scheduled to hold an Open Session. When the Commission releases an agenda, it will be available on Commission Meetings page of the Commission website.

UPCOMING REPORTING DUE DATES

July 31: Midyear reports are due. For more information on semiannual reporting dates, refer to the Semiannual Reporting page of the Commission website.

UPCOMING EVENTS

September 7-8, Minneapolis, MN – Regional Conference for House and Senate Campaigns, Party Committees and Corporate/Labor/Trade PACs.  Registration information and schedule are on the 2011 Conference Schedule page of the Commission website.

OTHER RESOURCES

The July 2011 Supplements to the Commission’s Campaign Guides are on the Campaign Guides page of the Commission website.

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