Week of March 24 – 28, 2025
Commission meetings and hearings
On March 25 and 27, the Commission met in executive session.
On March 27 the Commission held an audit hearing and an open meeting.
Chair Election
On March 27, Commissioner Allen J. Dickerson nominated Commissioner Shana M. Broussard for the position of Chair. Following the motion, the Commission held over consideration of this agenda item to a future meeting.
Advisory Opinions
Opinions Issued
Advisory Opinion Request 2025-02 (Democratic Party of Puerto Rico) On March 27, the Commission approved an advisory opinion in response to a request from the Democratic Party of Puerto Rico, concluding that the requestor qualifies as a state committee of a political party.
Advisory Opinion 2025-03 (American Samoa Democratic Party) On March 27, the Commission approved an advisory opinion in response to a request from the American Samoa Democratic Party, concluding that the requestor qualifies as a state committee of a political party.
Request Discussed
Advisory Opinion 2025-04 (Government Accountability Institute) On March 27, the Commission discussed an advisory opinion request from the Government Accountability Institute (GAI). The requestor asks whether television and radio appearances by its staff and members, and its publication of books, articles, editorials, investigative reports, documentaries, a weekly podcast, short reels, and websites, qualify for the “media exemption” under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act), and Commission regulations. The Commission discussed and voted on two draft advisory opinions (Draft A and Draft B), but neither draft received the required four affirmative votes. The Commission directed the Office of General Counsel to prepare an alternative draft for Commission consideration to be voted on by tally vote in two weeks.
Request Received
Advisory Opinion Request 2025-05 (PoliticalMeetings.com) On March 24, the Commission made public an advisory opinion request from Politicalmeetings.com. The requestor asks whether a proposed website that will provide information about candidate and political committee events to users and subscribers and will allow subscribers to contribute to candidates and national political party committees, complies with the Act and Commission regulations. The Commission will accept written comments on the request during the 10-day period following publication of the request (no later than April 3) and must issue a response no later than 60 days after the receipt of the complete request, that is, by May 20, 2025.
Enforcement
The Commission made public six closed cases, as follows. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Search System.
COMPLAINANT: Roger G. Wieand, Campaign Legal Center
RESPONDENTS: The Freedom Forward Fund and Mike McCauley in his official capacity as treasurer (the Freedom Forward Fund); Teeter Jay, LLC (Teeter Jay); Kimberly A. Skaggs; Joseph R. Skaggs; and Terryl Jay Skaggs
SUBJECT: This matter involved two contributions received by the Freedom Forward Fund, which it reported as being made by Teeter Jay. The complaint alleged that Kimberly A. Skaggs, Joseph R. Skaggs, and Terryl Jay Skaggs were the true source of those contributions and used Teeter Jay as a conduit to avoid disclosure, in violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act).
DISPOSITION: On February 27, 2024, the Commission found reason to believe that Teeter Jay violated the Act by failing to provide required attribution information, and that the Freedom Forward Fund failed to report attribution information. The Commission dismissed the allegation that the respondents violated the Act by making, allowing one’s name to be used, or knowingly accepting a contribution in the name of another. The Commission entered into conciliation agreements providing for the Freedom Forward Fund to amend its reports to correctly report attribution information with respect to Teeter Jay’s contributions and providing for both the Freedom Forward Fund and Teeter Jay to cease and desist from further violations. The Commission did not seek civil penalties in this matter but noted that it reserves its right do so in future matters concerning this violation. Commissioners Shana M. Broussard, Allen J. Dickerson, Dara Lindenbaum, and James E. “Trey” Trainor, III issued a Statement of Reasons and a Supplemental Statement of Reasons.
COMPLAINANT: Campaign Legal Center
RESPONDENT: Snow Goose, LLC (Snow Goose); Curtis R. Richardson; and Wyoming Values and Paul Kilgore, in his official capacity as treasurer (Wyoming Values)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that in February 2022, Snow Goose allowed its name to be used to effect a $50,000 contribution to Wyoming Values on behalf of a true contributor or contributors, in violation of the Act. The complaint based the allegation on the temporal proximity between Snow Goose’s formation and its contribution to Wyoming Values (approximately two months), its lack of apparent assets or business operations, and its lack of a public or online presence. In its response to the complaint, Snow Goose maintained that it provided attribution information to Wyoming Values at the time the contribution was made as to Richardson, the single member of Snow Goose.
DISPOSITION: On February 27, 2024, the Commission found reason to believe that Wyoming Values violated the Act by failing to report attribution information and dismissed the allegations concerning Snow Goose and Richardson. The Commission entered into a conciliation agreement providing for Wyoming Values to correctly report attribution information with respect to Snow Goose’s contribution and to cease and desist from further violations. The Commission did not seek a civil penalty in this matter but noted that it reserves its right do so in future matters concerning this violation. Commissioners Broussard, Dickerson, Lindenbaum, and Trainor issued a Statement of Reasons and a Supplemental Statement of Reasons.
COMPLAINANT: Amy Reichert
RESPONDENT: New San Diego
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that New San Diego, a political committee registered with the City of San Diego, California, violated the Act by distributing a mailer supporting 2024 Presidential candidate Donald J. Trump and U.S. Senate candidate Steve Garvey with nonfederal funds and including a disclaimer on the mailer that did not meet the requirements set forth in the Act.
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter.
COMPLAINANT: Benjamin Drill
RESPONDENT: Friends of Sherrod Brown and Judith Zamore, in her official capacity as treasurer (the Committee)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that an unknown person made, and the Committee knowingly accepted, prohibited contributions in the name of another. The complaint made this allegation as to two contributions the Committee reported as made from Carol Ann Baker aggregating $350 in May 2024 that could not have been made by that individual because Baker died in December 2023.
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the complaint.
COMPLAINANTS: Patrick J. Hughes, Center for American Rights; and Donald J. Trump for President 2024, Inc. and Bradley Crate, in his official capacity as treasurer
RESPONDENTS: The Washington Post; and Harris for President and Keana Spencer, in her official capacity as treasurer (the Committee)
SUBJECT: The complaint in MUR 8342 alleged that The Washington Post, a daily print and online newspaper, made a prohibited in-kind corporate contribution or excessive individual contribution, depending on its tax status, apparently to 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris, when it purchased advertising on social media that boosted news reporting that was critical of her general election opponent, Donald J. Trump, and was neutral in tone regarding Harris, in violation of the Act. The complaint in MUR 8343 made the same allegations as to The Washington Post, but also alleged that the Committee, Harris’s principal campaign committee, knowingly accepted the prohibited contribution, or alternatively the advertisements were an unreported independent expenditure made by The Washington Post with the purpose of promoting Harris’s candidacy. The complaints both argued that the advertisements did not fall with the Act’s so-called “press exemption.”
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matters.
Audits
Draft Final Audit Report on John Curtis for Utah On March 25, the Commission made public a Draft Final Audit Report on John Curtis for Utah covering campaign finance activity from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022. The Draft Final Audit Report contains findings related to Receipt of Apparent Prohibited Contributions and Receipt of Contributions in Excess of the Limit. On March 27, the Commission held an audit hearing regarding the proposed findings in the Draft Audit Report.
Litigation
Campaign Legal Center v. FEC (Case No. 24-2585) On March 25, Plaintiff filed a Combined Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Opposition to Defendant’s Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment and Reply in Support of Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Democratic National Committee, et al. v. Donald J. Trump, et al. (Case No. 25-587) On March 21, the Federal Election Commission Defendants filed a Motion to Dismiss and a Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support of Their Motion to Dismiss, and on March 25, the Commission filed an Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. On March 26, Ellen L. Weintraub filed an Amended Motion for Leave to File Brief as Amicus Curiae in Support of Neither Party and an Amended Brief of Amicus Curiae, and on March 27, America First Legal Foundation and Texans for Ronny Jackson filed a Motion to Intervene as Defendants in the District Court.
Outreach
On March 25-26, the Commission held a webinar for membership and labor organizations and their PACs.
Press releases
FEC approves two advisory opinions, holds audit hearing (issued March 27)
Upcoming Commission meetings and hearings
April 29, 2025: The Commission is scheduled to meet in executive session.
May 1, 2025: The Commission is scheduled to hold an open meeting.
May 20, 2025: The Commission is scheduled to meet in executive session.
May 22, 2025: The Commission is scheduled to hold an open meeting.
Upcoming educational opportunities
April 2, 2025: The Commission is scheduled to host a FECFile webinar for candidate committees.
April 8-9, 2025: The Commission is scheduled to host a webinar for trade associations and their PACs.
April 29-30, 2025: The Commission is scheduled to host a webinar for political party committees.
For more information on upcoming training opportunities, see the Commission’s Trainings page.
Upcoming reporting due dates
April 15: April Quarterly Reports are due. For more information, see the 2025 Quarterly Reporting schedule.
April 20: April Monthly Reports are due. For more information, see the 2025 Monthly Reporting schedule.
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.
Federal election results 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.
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.
Join the FEC on X and YouTube
Follow @FEC on X 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.
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- Myles Martin
- Deputy Press Officer
- Myles Martin