Week of May 30 – June 3, 2016

Commission meetings and hearings

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

Advisory opinions

Request received

Advisory Opinion Request 2016-06 (Internet Association PAC)

On June 1, the Commission made public Advisory Opinion Request 2016-06 (Internet Association PAC). The requestors, a trade organization representing members of the Internet industry and its separate segregated fund, ask a number of questions about their proposal to launch an online candidate interaction and fundraising platform. The Commission will accept written comments on the request during the 10-day period following publication of the request (no later than June 13) and must issue a response no later than 60 days after receipt of the complete request, that is, by August 1.

Enforcement

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

MUR 6907

• COMPLAINANT: American Democracy Legal Fund and Brad Woodhouse
• RESPONDENTS: Mike Huckabee; and America Takes ACTION, Inc. (ATA)
• SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that ATA, a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, made and Huckabee accepted in-kind corporate contributions in the form of salary payments to employees who performed testing-the-waters activities on Huckabee’s behalf.
• DISPOSITION: The Commission closed the file.

MUR 7026

• COMPLAINANT: FEC-Initiated
• RESPONDENT: Democratic Executive Committee of Florida and Judy Mount, in her official capacity as treasurer (the Committee)
• SUBJECT: In the normal course of carrying out its supervisory responsibilities, the Commission initiated proceedings to determine whether there was reason to believe the Committee failed to disclose the receipt of Levin Funds totaling $232,457.33 on its 2014 12-Day Pre-General Report.
• DISPOSITION: The Commission entered into a conciliation agreement providing for the Committee to pay a civil penalty of $7,500.

MUR 7051

• COMPLAINANT: Self-Initiated
• RESPONDENT: Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
• SUBJECT: The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (the Alliance) notified the Commission that it failed to (1) timely file an electioneering communication report for an advertisement and (2) include a complete disclaimer in the ad in question.
• DISPOSITION: The Commission entered into a conciliation agreement providing for the Alliance to pay a civil penalty of $19,000.

MUR 6661

Robert E. Murray; Murray Energy Corporation; Murray Energy Corporation PAC and Michael G. Ruble, in his official capacity as treasurer. 

• On June 3, Chairman Matthew S. Petersen and Commissioners Caroline C. Hunter and Lee E. Goodman issued aStatement of Reasons.
  

MUR 6518

New Gingrich; Callista Gingrich; Newt 2012, Inc. and Lisa Lisker, in her official capacity as treasurer; and Gingrich Productions, Inc.

• On June 3, Chairman Matthew S. Petersen and Commissioners Caroline C. Hunter and Lee E. Goodman issued a Statement of Reasons.
  

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 789

Hawaii Democratic Party and Florence L. Kong Kee, in her official capacity as treasurer. The respondent agreed to (1) develop and certify implementation of a revised and updated compliance operations manual that includes internal controls consistent with the Commission’s Internal Controls and Political Committees advisory document and the Best Practices for Committee Management, as well as a process to track receipt of, and response to, communications with the Commission, (2) certify that two representatives of the Committee participated in an FEC conference, webinar, or other program developed in consultation with the FEC’s Information Division, and (3) pay a civil penalty of $6,375.

Audits

Final Audit Report of the Commission on the Majority Committee PAC

On June 3, the Commission issued the Final Audit Report of the Commission on the Majority Committee PAC covering campaign finance activity between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2012. The Commission approved findings related to excessive contributions to candidates.

Litigation

• Republican Party of Louisiana, et al. v. FEC (Case 1:15-cv-1241-CRC-SS-TSC). On June 1, the Commission filed its Reply Memorandum in Support of Its Motion for Summary Judgment in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Rulemaking and agency procedures

Civil Monetary Penalties Inflation Adjustments Draft Interim Final Rules

On May 27, the Commission made public a draft of interim final rules which adjust for inflation the civil monetary penalties established under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended, the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act, and the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account Act. These interim final rules are required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015.

Federal Register

• On June 1, the Commission published the Final Rules and E&J on Technical Amendments to 2015 CFR in the Federal Register.

Public disclosure

• On June 1, the Commission’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) made public its March 2016 Semiannual Report to Congress covering October 31, 2015 through March 31, 2016.

Press releases

• FEC Cites Committees for Failure to File 12-Day Pre-Primary Financial Report(issued June 3)

Upcoming forum

• June 23, 10 a.m.: Forum hosted by Commissioner Weintraub at the FEC: Corporate Political Spending and Foreign Influence.

Upcoming Commission meetings and hearings

• June 14: The Commission is scheduled to hold an executive session.
• June 16: The Commission is scheduled to hold an open meeting.

Meeting dates are subject to change. Please contact the Press Office the week of the scheduled meeting for confirmation.

Upcoming educational programs

• June 8: Webinar for Membership and Labor Organizations and their PACs. Additional information is available on the Educational Outreach page of the Commission website.
• June 22: Webinar on Reporting for Candidate Committees. Additional information is available on the Educational Outreach page of the Commission website.
• June 22: Webinar on FECfile for Candidate Committees. Additional information is available on the Educational Outreach page of the Commission website.
• June 29: Webinar on FECfile for PACs and Party Committees. Additional information is available on the Educational Outreach page of the Commission website.

Upcoming reporting due dates

• June 20: June Monthly Reports are due. For more information on monthly reporting dates, refer to the 2016 Monthly Reporting page of the Commission website.
• July 15: July Quarterly Reports are due. For more information on quarterly reporting dates, refer to the 2016 Quarterly Reporting page of the Commission website.
• July 20: July Monthly Reports are due. For more information on monthly reporting dates, refer to the 2016 Monthly Reporting page of the Commission website.

Disclosure initiatives

Commission staff, together with our partners at 18F, continue to add new features to the agency's beta.fec.gov website. The Commission encourages website visitors to submit comments and questions by clicking on the “Feedback” tab at the bottom of each page.

Additional research materials

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

The 2016 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 Commission has published the June Record newsletter. Sign up to receive email notification when new Record articles are posted.

The 2016 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.