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  • Weekly Digests

Week of July 26 - July 30, 2010

July 30, 2010

 

For Immediate Release

Contact

Judith Ingram

July 30, 2010

Julia Queen
  Christian Hilland
  Mary Brandenberger
   
 

ISSUE 2010-30

                       

Weekly Digest

Week of July 26 – 30

COMMISSION MEETINGS

On July 27, the Commission held an Executive Session. Sunshine Act Notices for Executive Sessions are here.

On July 29, the Commission held an Open Meeting. Agendas and related documents for Open Meetings are here. Audio recordings for selected meetings, hearings and presentations are here.

ADVISORY OPINIONS

Advisory Opinions Issued

AO 2010-13 (Libertarian Party of Florida). On July 29, the Commission approved Advisory Opinion 2010-13 (Libertarian Party of Florida).  The Commission concluded that the Libertarian Party of Florida (LPF) qualifies as a State committee of a political party because the national Libertarian Party qualifies as a political party, the LPF is part of the official Libertarian Party structure, and the LPF is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Libertarian Party at the State level.

Requests Received

AOR 2010-16 (EmblemHealth Services Company LLC). On July 30, the Commission made public Advisory Opinion Request 2010-16. EmblemHealth Services Company LLC, a wholly corporate owned subsidiary, asks whether it may act as a connected organization for the separate segregated fund (SSF) of one of its corporate members and whether the SSF may be renamed as "EmblemHealth Services Company LLC Federal Political Action Committee," abbreviated as "EmblemHealth PAC". The Commission must issue a response no later than 60 days after receipt of the complete request, or by September 27, 2010.

Advisory Opinions and Requests are available here.

ENFORCEMENT

The Commission made public two closed cases this week. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System

MUR 5955 – Dr. Jose Valdez; Steve Melody; Joan Melody; Mike Ramseier; Janie Ramseier; and Rosario Chavez. The Commission agreed to accept a conciliation agreement providing for Valdez to pay a civil penalty of $30,000. The Commission closed the file in connection with the other respondents.

MUR 6290 – Project Vote. The Commission agreed to accept a conciliation agreement providing for the respondent to pay a civil penalty of $2,200.

LITIGATION

Beam v. FEC. (formerly Beam v. Gonzales). On July 27, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois issued an order granting the Commission’s motion in limine. The Commission asserts that the plaintiffs have failed to uncover evidence of a violation of the Right to Financial Privacy Act, the sole claim remaining in the case.

SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission. On July 23, the plaintiffs filed a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari with the United States Supreme Court, following the decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

RULEMAKING AND AGENCY PROCEDURES

On July 26, the Commission published an Announcement of the Effective Date of Travel Rules for Certain Presidential Candidates in the Federal Register.  This announcement affects only travel by certain publicly-funded presidential candidates.  The remaining travel rules, which affect other campaign travelers, went into effect on January 6, 2010.  The new rules governing campaign travel on non-commercial aircraft were published by the Commission in the Federal Register on December 7, 2009, and can be found here.

PRESS RELEASES

FEC Approves Advisory Opinion (issued July 29)

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS

July 29: Colorado Pre-Primary Reports were due.  For information on reporting dates for this election, click here.

July 29: Connecticut Pre-Primary Reports were due.  For information on reporting dates for this election, click here.

July 29: Georgia Pre-Runoff Reports were due.  For information on reporting dates for this election, click here.

UPCOMING REPORTING DUE DATES

August 4:  Wyoming Libertarian Pre-Convention Reports are due.  For information on reporting dates for this election, click here.

August 4:  Washington Pre-Primary Reports are due.  For information on reporting dates for this election, click here.

August 4:  Wyoming Pre-Primary Reports are due.  For information on reporting dates for this election, click here.

UPCOMING EVENTS

September 15, Washington, DC.  FEC Roundtable Workshop on Pre-Election Communications. Registration information and schedule are here.

OTHER RESOURCES

The July issue of The Record is here. Sign up here to receive email notification when a new issue of the Record is posted.

The monthly supplements to the FEC’s Campaign Guides are here.