Weekly Digest
Week of November 23 – 27
COMMISSION MEETINGS AND HEARINGS
No Commission open meetings or executive sessions were scheduled this week.
ADVISORY OPINIONS
Extension of Time Received
AOR 2015-11 (FYP, LLC). On November 23, the Commission received an Extension of Time until December 2 on Advisory Opinion Request 2015-11. The requestor, FYP, LLC, asks several questions about a proposed app, MyChange, that would allow users to round up spare change from the user''''s credit or debit card transactions and contribute those amounts to designated political committees or nonprofit organizations.
Request Received
AOR 2015-15 (WeSupportThat.com). On November 23, the Commission made public Advisory Opinion Request 2015-15, submitted by WeSupportThat.com. The requestor, a for-profit corporation, proposes to operate a web-based platform that would allow users to contribute to federal candidates according to the candidates’ association with a particular issue or legislation. It asks whether its business proposal is consistent with the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act), and, more specifically, whether any portion of its proposed processing fees would constitute a contribution. The Commission must issue a response no later than 60 days after receipt of the complete request, that is, by January 19, 2016.
ENFORCEMENT
The Commission made public three closed cases, as follows. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System.
MUR 6778
COMPLAINANT: John J. Rosetto
RESPONDENTS: David Hale for Congress and David Hale, in his official capacity as treasurer
SUBJECT: The complainant alleged that David Hale for Congress and Hale, in his official capacity as treasurer (the Committee), distributed door hangers with inadequate disclaimers. Hale was a 2014 primary candidate for Illinois’s 16th Congressional District.
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter. The Commission observed that the disclaimers provided sufficient identifying information so that the public likely would not have been misled as to who paid for the door hangers.
MURs 6799 and 6842
COMPLAINANTS: Avi Z. Fertig; and Theresa Gaffney
RESPONDENTS: Frank Scaturro for Congress and Nancy Collier, in her official capacity as treasurer; and Frank Scaturro
SUBJECT: The complaints alleged that Frank Scaturro for Congress and Collier, in her official capacity as treasurer (the Committee), failed to include appropriate disclaimers on the Committee’s flyers, emails and website. Scaturro was a 2014 candidate for New York’s 4th Congressional District.
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matters as to the Committee. The Commission found no reason to believe Scaturro violated the Act. The Commission observed that the communications and website at issue were unlikely to have misled readers due to the identifying information they included, and that there was evidence suggesting the failure to include a disclaimer on a mailing was due to inadvertence on the part of campaign volunteers.
LITIGATION
Republican Party of Louisiana, et al. v. FEC (Case 1:15-cv-01241-CRC). On November 25, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia issued a Memorandum Opinion and Order.
Stop Hillary PAC v. FEC (Case 1:15-cv-01208-GBL-IDD). On November 23, the Commission filed its Answer in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
UPCOMING COMMISSION MEETINGS AND HEARINGS
December 10: The Commission is scheduled to hold an executive session.
December 15: The Commission is scheduled to hold an executive session.
December 17: 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
December 2: Nonconnected PAC Webinar for Treasurers and staff of nonconnected political committees, including Super PACs, Hybrid PACs & Leadership PACs. Additional information is available on the Educational Outreach page of the Commission website.
UPCOMING REPORTING DUE DATES
December 20: December Monthly Reports are due. For more information on monthly reporting dates, refer to the 2015 Monthly Reporting page of the Commission website.
January 31, 2016: Year-End Reports are due. For information on general election reporting dates, refer to the 2015 Reporting Dates page of the Commission website.
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.
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