Week of November 10 - November 14, 2014

Weekly Digest

Week of November 10 – 14

COMMISSION MEETINGS AND HEARINGS

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

ENFORCEMENT

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

MUR 6701
COMPLAINANT: Mark Knoop, Executive Director, Republican Party of New Mexico
RESPONDENT: Independent Source PAC and Michael Corwin, in his official capacity as treasurer
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged a discrepancy between cash on hand balances in two consecutive reports filed by Independent Source PAC and Corwin, in his official capacity as treasurer.
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter in consideration of Commission priorities.

MUR 6752
COMPLAINANT: Timothy Urling
RESPONDENTS: Simpson for Congress and T. Layne Van Orden, in his official capacity as treasurer; and Idaho Association of REALTORS®, Inc.
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that the Idaho Association of REALTORS®, Inc. (IAR) made and facilitated the making of impermissible corporate contributions to Simpson for Congress and Van Orden, in his official capacity as treasurer (the Committee), and the Committee received such contributions when IAR used its corporate name and logo on an invitation for a fundraiser for Rep. Mike Simpson. Simpson was a 2014 candidate for Idaho’s 2nd Congressional District.
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter in light of the likely de minimis amounts at issue and sent letters reminding the respondents of the prohibition on corporate contributions to candidate committees.

AUDITS

Final Audit Report on Canseco for Congress. On November 12, the Commission made public the Final Audit Report on Canseco for Congress, covering campaign finance activity between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010. The Commission approved findings related to (1) the receipt of apparent prohibited contributions, (2) the receipt of contributions that exceed limits, and (3) the misstatement of financial activity.

Final Audit Report on the Nebraska Democratic Party. On November 10, the Commission made public the Final Audit Report on the Nebraska Democratic Party, covering campaign finance activity between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010. The Commission approved findings related to (1) recordkeeping for employees, (2) reporting of debts and obligations, and (3) excessive coordinated party expenditures.  The report also addressed an additional issue related to coordinated party expenditures. Vice Chair Ann M. Ravel and Commissioners Ellen L. Weintraub and Steven T. Walther issued a Statement.

LITIGATION 

Holmes, et al. v. FEC (Case 1:14-cv-01243-RMC). On November 12, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia issued a Certification of Questions of Constitutionality of Federal Election Campaign Act.

Stop This Insanity, Inc., et al. v. FEC (Case 14-391). On November 5, the Coolidge-Reagan Foundation filed a Brief of Amicus Curiae in Support of Petition for Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court.

FEDERAL REGISTER

On November 14, the Commission published the Notice of Availability of a Petition for Rulemaking on Amendment of 11 C.F.R. 110.13(c) in the Federal Register.  Comments may be submitted on or before December 15, 2014.

UPCOMING COMMISSION MEETINGS

November 18: The Commission is scheduled to hold an executive session.

November 20:  The Commission is scheduled to hold an open audit hearing on the Republican Party of Orange County (Federal).

November 20: The previously scheduled open meeting was cancelled.

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

UPCOMING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

November 19, 2014, Federal Election Commission, Washington, DC. Roundtable/Webinar and In-Person Workshop on Post-General Reporting & Winding Down the Campaign. Additional information is available on the Educational Outreach page of the Commission website.

UPCOMING REPORTING DUE DATES

December 4: Post-General Reports are due. For information on general election reporting dates, refer to the 2014 General Election Reporting 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 2014 edition of the Federal Election Commission Campaign Guide for Congressional Candidates and Committees is 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 Record news articles published 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 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.

Follow us on Twitter - http://twitter.com/fec

Users of smartphones and other mobile devices may access our mobile interface at http://www.fec.gov/mobile/