Week of May 12 - May 16, 2014

Weekly Digest

Week of May 12 – 16

COMMISSION MEETINGS AND HEARINGS

No Commission open meetings or executive sessions were scheduled this week.

ENFORCEMENT

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

MUR 6599
COMPLAINANT: Scott Laster, executive director of the North Carolina Republican Party
RESPONDENTS: North Carolina Democratic Party – Federal and Muriel K. Offerman, in her official capacity as treasurer
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that the North Carolina Democratic Party – Federal and Offerman, in her official capacity as treasurer, (NCDP) paid the salary of a person who was employed by a “federal electioneering entity” and who engaged in federal activities from its non-federal account.
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter in light of the fact that any overlap between the federal and non-federal payments at issue appeared to be de minimis and was possibly attributable to NCDP using different pay periods for its federal and non-federal employees.

MUR 6634
COMPLAINANT: Roberta M. “Bonnie” Girard
RESPONDENTS: Forbes for Congress and Cheryl L. Freauff, in her official capacity as treasurer; Republican Party of Virginia, Inc. and Robert S. Fitzsimmonds III, in his official capacity as treasurer; and Various 4th District of Virginia Republican Party Committees
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that Forbes for Congress and Freauff, in her official capacity as treasurer (the Committee), the Republican Party of Virginia, Inc. and Fitzsimmonds, in his official capacity as treasurer (RPV), and various 4th District of Virginia Republican Party Committees (Local Committees) failed to disclose in-kind contributions and expenditures related to a phone system purchased by the Committee and allegedly donated to RPV and its Local Committees.
DISPOSITION: The Commission found no reason to believe the respondents failed to report in-kind contributions and expenditures in connection with the phone system at issue because the available information, including respondents’ sworn statements, supports the respondents’ contention that the Committee acquired and used its own telephone system and did not make an in-kind gift of this system, or provide for its use by other entities.

MUR 6759 
COMPLAINANT: FEC-Initiated
RESPONDENTS: California Real Estate Political Action Committee/Federal – California Association of Realtors and M. Iqbal Bholat, in his official capacity as treasurer
SUBJECT: In the normal course of carrying out its supervisory responsibilities, the Commission initiated proceedings to determine whether there was reason to believe the California Real Estate Political Action Committee/Federal – California Association of Realtors and Bholat, in his official capacity as treasurer, (the Committee) failed to disclose $363,223.69 in receipts in the Committee’s 2011 mid-year report.
DISPOSITION: The Commission entered into a conciliation agreement providing for the Committee to pay a civil penalty of $8,000.

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

The Commission made public one campaign finance enforcement matter that was resolved through its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) program, as follows. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System.

ADR 710 – Poliance Surgeons, Inc., Poliance Surgeons PAC and Philip Lloyd, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission dismissed the case.

AUDITS AND COMMISSIONERS’ STATEMENT

Final Audit Report on the Democratic Executive Committee of Alabama. On May 12, the Commission made public the Final Audit Report on the Democratic Executive Committee of Alabama, covering campaign finance activity between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010. The Commission approved a finding related to recordkeeping for employees. The report also included an additional issue addressing recordkeeping for employees paid exclusively from a non-federal account. Vice Chair Ann M. Ravel and Commissioner Ellen L. Weintraub issued a Statement.

LITIGATION

Combat Veterans for Congress PAC v. FEC(Case 13-5358). On May 13, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued a Per Curiam Order.

OUTREACH

On May 12, Commissioner Ellen L. Weintraub discussed the role of the Commission with a group of government and civic leaders from Mexico as part of a program coordinated by The Washington Center.

On May 12, Vice Chair Ann M. Ravel discussed campaign finance law and civic engagement at a forum hosted by the Eden Area League of Women Voters and California State University East Bay in Hayward, California.

On May 14, Communications Specialist Zainab Smith discussed campaign finance law with a group of students from the University of North Carolina, Pembroke.

UPCOMING COMMISSION MEETINGS

May 20: The Commission is scheduled to hold an executive session.

June 5: The Commission is scheduled to hold an open meeting.

UPCOMING EVENTS

June 4: FEC Chairman Lee E. Goodman and Vice Chair Ann M. Ravel will host an informal public forum to discuss agency operations that affect local, state, and national political parties with Commissioners and senior staff.  If you would like to attend the forum in person or participate via webcast, or if you are unable to attend but would like to submit written comments, please email us at politicalpartyforum@fec.gov. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact either of our offices at 202-694-1000.

UPCOMING REPORTING DUE DATES

May 20: May Monthly Reports are due. For more information on monthly reporting dates, refer to the 2014 Monthly Reporting page of the Commission website.

UPCOMING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

May 21, Federal Election Commission, Washington, D.C. Seminar/Webinar for Trade Associations, Labor Organizations, Membership Organizations and their PACs. Additional information is available on the Educational Outreach page of the Commission website.

OTHER RESOURCES

The 2014 edition of the Combined Federal State Disclosure and Election Directory is available in the Public Records section of the Commission website. 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 2014 edition of Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations can be downloaded from the website.  To order printed copies, call (800) 424-9530 (press 6) or send an email to info@fec.gov.

The 2013 Legislative Recommendations are available on the Commission’s website.

The August 2013 edition of the Federal Election Commission Campaign Guide for Political Party Committees is available on the Commission’s website.

The Official 2012 Presidential General Election Results are available in the Library section of the website. This listing was compiled from the official election results published by state election offices.

An index to the Record news articles published in 2013 is available on the Commission website. The Record news page is available in the Publications section of the Commission website. Sign up to receive email notification when new articles are posted.

The FEC Annual Reports from 1975-2006 are now available on the website. Beginning in 2007, the Commission consolidated its Annual Report with its Performance and Accountability Report (PAR) to provide a single account of the agency''''s activities for each fiscal year.

Instructional videos are available on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/FECTube?feature=watch. These videos are also available on the Commission''''s E-Learning resources page at http://www.fec.gov/info/elearning.shtml.

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