Week of March 14-18, 2022

Commission meetings and hearings

No open meetings or executive sessions were scheduled this week.

Advisory Opinions

Request Received

Advisory Opinion Request 2022-02 (Congressman W. Gregory Steube). On March 18, the Commission made public an advisory opinion request from Congressman W. Gregory Steube asking whether he may use campaign funds to purchase and/or install a locking security gate at the end of the driveway at his personal residence. Public comments will be accepted on the request until March 28. The 60-day deadline for the Commission to make a determination on this request is May 6, 2022.

Enforcement

The Commission made public five closed cases, as follows. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System.

MUR 7562

COMPLAINANT: Former U.S. Senator Doug Jones
RESPONDENTS: Popily, Inc. d/b/a Yonder f/k/a New Knowledge; Jonathon Morgan; and Investing in US
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that New Knowledge, a cybersecurity and research firm, its founder Morgan, and Investing in US, a political investment fund, conducted an impermissible social media campaign during the 2017 special election for U.S. Senate in Alabama. In particular, the complaint referenced a news story that alleged that New Knowledge supported and endorsed Mac Watson, a write-in candidate in that race.
DISPOSITION: The Commission dismissed the allegation that Popily, Inc. d/b/a Yonder f/k/a New Knowledge made corporate in-kind contributions because Watson likely did not qualify as a candidate under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act). The Commission also dismissed the allegations that the respondents violated the Act in connection with the activities associated with their broader social media campaign, as the payments at issue likely were neither coordinated communications nor independent expenditures as defined by the Act.

MUR 7569

COMPLAINANT: Campaign Legal Center
RESPONDENTS: 3M Company (3M); and Congressional Leadership Fund and Caleb Crosby, in his official capacity as treasurer (Congressional Leadership Fund)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that 3M violated the federal contractor prohibition of the Act and Commission regulations when it made a prohibited contribution in 2018 to Congressional Leadership Fund, an independent expenditure-only political committee. The complaint also alleged that Congressional Leadership Fund violated the Act by knowingly soliciting a contribution from a federal contractor.
DISPOSITION: Based on the available information, the Commission found reason to believe 3M Company violated the Act and Commission regulations by making a contribution to Congressional Leadership Fund. The Commission entered into a conciliation agreement providing for 3M to pay a civil penalty of $4,500. The Commission dismissed the allegation that Congressional Leadership Fund solicited a prohibited federal contractor contribution.

MUR 7842

COMPLAINANT: Campaign Legal Center
RESPONDENTS: TonerQuest, Inc.; and America First Action, Inc. and Jon Proch, in his official capacity as treasurer (the Committee)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that TonerQuest, Inc. violated the federal contractor prohibition when it made a prohibited contribution in 2019 to the Committee, an independent expenditure-only political committee. The complaint also alleged that the Committee knowingly solicited a contribution from a federal contractor.
DISPOSITION: The Commission entered into a conciliation agreement providing for TonerQuest, Inc. to pay a civil penalty of $4,700. The Commission dismissed the allegation that the Committee solicited a prohibited federal contractor contribution.

MUR 7843

COMPLAINANT: Campaign Legal Center
RESPONDENTS: Marathon Petroleum Company LP (Marathon); Senate Leadership Fund and Caleb Crosby, in his official capacity as treasurer (Senate Leadership Fund); and Congressional Leadership Fund and Caleb Crosby, in his official capacity as treasurer (Congressional Leadership Fund)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that Marathon violated the federal contractor prohibition when it made two prohibited contributions in 2020 to two independent expenditure-only political committees, Senate Leadership Fund and Congressional Leadership Fund. The complaint also alleged that the two committees knowingly solicited a contribution from a federal contractor.
DISPOSITION: The Commission entered into a conciliation agreement providing for Marathon to pay a civil penalty of $85,000. The Commission dismissed the allegation that Senate Leadership Fund and Congressional Leadership Fund solicited a prohibited federal contractor contribution.

MUR 7948

COMPLAINANT: FEC-Initiated
RESPONDENTS: Grassroots Victory PAC and Heather Kashner, in her official capacity as treasurer (the Committee)
SUBJECT: In the normal course of exercising its supervisory responsibilities, the Commission initiated proceedings to determine whether the Committee failed to accurately report disbursements on its original campaign finance reports during the 2017-2018 election cycle.
DISPOSITION: The Commission entered into a conciliation agreement providing for the Committee to pay a civil penalty of $7,000.

Administrative Fines

The Commission made public 28 closed cases, as follows. For more information, see the case documents in the Administrative Fine search system.

AF 4203 Brad Barron for US Senate and Jill M. Barron, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $6,735.

AF 4204 Brigid for South Jersey and Brigid Callahan Harrison, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $351.

AF 4205 Bryan Berghoef for Congress and Amy Aukema, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed no civil penalty.

AF 4206 Dr Jay for Congress, Inc. and James C. Thomas, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed no civil penalty.

AF 4207 Emily Robinson for Congress and Emily Robinson, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $8,418.

AF 4208 Foster for Kansas and Adrienne Foster, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $351.

AF 4209 Friends for Mike Webb and Mike Webb, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $9,727.

AF 4210 George Mitris for Congress and Thomas Costa, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $6,735.

AF 4211 Greg Lirette for Congress and Kevin Kitchen, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $6,735.

AF 4212 Hank Gilbert for Congress and Peyton Gilbert, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $704.

AF 4213 Jessica Cisneros for Congress and Edward Hanlon, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $351.

AF 4214 Jimmy Rodriguez for Congress and Jimmy Rodriguez, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $14,966.

AF 4215 Jineea for Congress and Anita Meador, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed no civil penalty.

AF 4216 Nate McMurray for Congress and Catherine M. Campbell, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $422.

AF 4217 Reba for Congress and Bryon Fredrick McComb, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $13,468.

AF 4218 Wilske for Congress and Larry Wilske, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed no civil penalty.

AF 4222 West Virginia Republican Party, Inc. and Ben Anderson, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $190.

AF 4226 Brad Barron for US Senate and Jill M. Barron, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $8,418.

AF 4227 Chambers for Louisiana and Ronaldo Hardy, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $422.

AF 4228 Emily Robinson for Congress and Emily Robinson, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $11,786.

AF 4229 Foster for Kansas and Adrienne Foster, in official capacity as Treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed no civil penalty.

AF 4230 Friends for Mike Webb and Mike Webb, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $9,727.

AF 4231 George Mitris for Congress and Thomas Costa, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $8,418.

AF 4232 Greg Lirette for Congress and Kevin Kitchen, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $6,735.

AF 4233 Hank Gilbert for Congress and Peyton Gilbert, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $422.

AF 4234 Jimmy Rodriguez for Congress and Jimmy Rodriguez, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $22,449.

AF 4235 Jineea for Congress and Anita Meador, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed no civil penalty.

AF 4236 Reba for Congress and Bryon Fredrick McComb, in official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $16,835.

Litigation

Free Speech for People v. FEC (Case No. 22-666) On March 10, Plaintiffs filed a Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenging the Commission’s dismissal of an administrative complaint that the Plaintiffs filed in 2016 as contrary to law.

Outreach

On March 16, the Commission hosted a webinar on independent expenditures.

Upcoming Commission meetings

March 22, 2022: The Commission is scheduled to meet in executive session.

March 24, 2022: The Commission is scheduled to hold an open meeting.

Upcoming educational programs

March 23, 2022: The Commission will host a webinar for candidate committees.

March 30, 2022: The Commission will host FECFile webinars for candidates, PACs, and party committees.

April 6, 2022: The Commission will host a webinar for political party committees.

May 11, 2022: The Commission will host a webinar for corporate PACs.

For more information on upcoming training opportunities, see the Commission’s Trainings page.

Upcoming reporting due dates

March 20: March Monthly Reports are due. For more information, see the 2022 Monthly Reporting schedule.

April 15: April Quarterly Reports are due. For more information, see the 2022 Quarterly Reporting schedule.

Updated Campaign Guide

The Commission recently updated its Campaign Guide for Congressional Candidates and Committees. The new Guide, which replaces the 2014 edition, provides an overall summary of the federal campaign finance laws that apply to candidates for the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate and their campaign committees. Printed versions of the Guide are now available for order from the Commission’s Information Division.

Additional research materials

Contribution Limits. In addition to the current limits, the Commission has posted an archive of contribution limits that were in effect going back to the 1975-1976 election cycles.

2020 Presidential General Election Results and Federal Elections 2018: Election Results for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are available. The data was compiled from the official vote totals published by state election offices.

FEC Notify: Want to be notified by email when campaign finance reports are received by the agency? Sign up here.

Additional research materials about the agency, campaign finance information, and election results are available through the Library section of the Commission website.

The Combined Federal State Disclosure and Election Directory is available. 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 Presidential Election Campaign Fund Tax Checkoff Chart provides information on balance of the Fund, monthly deposits into the Fund reported by the Department of the Treasury, payments from the Fund as certified by the FEC, and participation rates of taxpayers as reported by the Internal Revenue Service. For more information on the Presidential Public Funding Program, see the Public Funding of Presidential Elections page.

The FEC Record is available as a continuously updated online news source.

Other election-related resources

Videos on protecting U.S. elections. The FBI’s Protected Voices initiative provides videos designed to help political campaigns protect themselves from foreign influence. The 2019 videos offer guidance on ransomware, business email compromise, supply chain, social media literacy, and foreign influence operations. Other videos, released in 2018, include cyber hygiene topics such as social engineering, patching, router hardening, and app and browser safety.

Join the FEC on Twitter and YouTube

Follow @FEC on Twitter to receive the latest information on agency updates, news releases, and weekly activity. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, FECTube: FECConnect on Demand, to watch instructional videos that have been designed to help candidates and committees comply with federal campaign finance laws. Note that the FEC is not currently available through other social media platforms. The use of the agency’s logo, name, and likeness on other media has not been authorized by the FEC.