Week of June 28 - July 2, 2010
Weekly Digest Week of June 28 – July 2
COMMISSION MEETINGS On July 1, the Commission held an Open Session. Agendas and related documents for Open Meetings are here. Audio recordings of meetings, hearings and presentations are here. ADVISORY OPINIONS Comment Received AOR 2010-11 (Commonsense Ten). On June 28, the Commission received a comment on Advisory Opinion Request 2010-11. Commonsense Ten asks whether it may solicit and accept contributions from corporations and labor organization. Commonsense Ten is a Federal nonconnected political committee that intends to make only independent expenditures. The Commission must issue a response no later than 60 days after receipt of the complete request, or by August 16. Advisory Opinions and Requests are available here.
ENFORCEMENT The Commission made public five closed cases this week. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System. MUR 6221 – Transfund PAC and Rod B. Kassir, in his official capacity as treasurer; Kilpatrick for United States Congress and Carl Safford, in his official capacity as treasurer; Dan Seals for Congress and Harry Pascal, in his official capacity as treasurer; and Arthur Blackwell. The Commission found no reason to believe the respondents violated the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act). MUR 6230 – Wynn for Congress and Curt Clifton, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission agreed to accept a conciliation agreement providing for the respondents to pay a civil penalty of $8,000. MUR 6242 – J.D. Hayworth 2010 and Kelly Lawler, in her official capacity as treasurer; and Clear Channel Communications, Inc. The Commission found no reason to believe the respondents violated the Act.
MUR 6244 – Charlie Crist for U.S. Senate and Frederick Carroll III, in his official capacity as treasurer; Richard J. Heffley; Heffley and Associates, Inc.; Strategic Direction.com, Inc.; and Republican Party of Florida and Joel Pate, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission found no reason to believe the respondents violated the Act.
MUR 6299 – National Republican Congressional Committee and Keith Davis, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission agreed to accept a conciliation agreement providing for the respondents to pay a civil penalty of $10,000.
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
The Commission made public one campaign finance enforcement matter that was resolved through its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) program. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System. ADR 523 – SEFCU and SEFCU Insurance Agency. The respondents agreed to implement compliance measures. The Commission made a final determination and assessed no civil penalty.
AUDIT REPORTS The Commission approved issuance of and made public four Audit Reports. A summary of the findings is below. AFL-CIO COPE PCC. The Commission voted to include a finding in its Final Audit Report that the AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education Political Contributions Committee (AFL-CIO COPE PCC) had followed appropriate reporting practices for transfers received from the Communications Workers of America Committee on Political Education Political Contributions Committee (CWA-COPE PCC) and another separate segregated fund. The Commission’s Final Audit Report will also confirm that AFL-CIO COPE PCC had filed amended reports to correct a misstatement of cash on hand and disbursements. CWA-COPE PCC. The Commission voted to include a finding in its Final Audit Report that the Communications Workers of America Committee on Political Education Political Contributions Committee (CWA-COPE PCC) had followed appropriate reporting practices for transfers made to AFL-CIO COPE PCC.
Tennessee Republican Party Federal Election Account. The Commission approved three recommended findings concerning (1) misstatement of receipt, disbursement, and cash on hand amounts, (2) acceptance of contributions from unregistered political organizations, which may have been received from impermissible sources, and (3) failure to maintain employee timesheet documentation for the purpose of determining if staff salaries were properly allocated between the federal and non-federal accounts as administrative expenses. The Commission did not approve a recommended finding regarding a possible coordinated contribution to the authorized committee of a U.S. Senate candidate.
Washington State Democratic Central Committee. The Commission approved two recommended findings concerning (1) failure to adequately disclose disbursement information on its campaign finance reports and (2) misstatement of Levin Fund activity including receipt, disbursement, and cash on hand amounts. The Commission did not approve two recommended findings on (1) excessive contributions made to the authorized committees of federal candidates and (2) reporting of independent expenditures on the incorrect disclosure schedules.
General information about final audit reports is here.
LITIGATION
Republican National Committee v. FEC. On June 29, the Supreme Court summarily affirmed the judgment of a three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in Republican National Committee v. FEC. The text of the Supreme Court’s order may be found here. RULEMAKING AND AGENCY PROCEDURES PRESS RELEASES Supreme Court Summarily Affirms Judgment of U.S. District Court In Republican National Committee v. FEC (issued June 29)
CONFERENCES June 30, Washington, DC. The FEC hosted Roundtable Workshops on Reporting and Electronic Filing.
OUTREACH
On June 29, the FEC welcomed five young political leaders from Spain on a visit sponsored by the U.S. Department of State''''s International Visitor Leadership Program. The group met with Communication Specialist Zainab Smith for an introduction to the FEC and an explanation of the agency''''s role in administering and enforcing federal campaign finance laws
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS
July 1: Alabama Pre-Runoff Reports were due. For information on reporting dates for this election, click here.
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