News Releases

FEC Cites Committees for Failure to File Florida Pre-Primary Report

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Election Commission cited three campaign committees today for failing to file the Pre-Primary report required by the Federal Election Campaign Act (the Act) for a primary election on August 26, 2008, in Florida.

As of 5 p.m. on August 21, 2008, the required disclosure report had not been received from the following committees:

• Carol Castagnero for Congress, principal campaign committee for Carol Castegnero, a candidate in Florida’s 5th district.  The committee treasurer is Carol Castegnero.
• Jay McGovern for Congress, principal campaign committee for James Joseph “Jay” McGovern, a candidate in Florida’s 4th district. The committee treasurer is Justin Spiller.
• Principal Campaign Committee James E. Bryan, principal campaign committee for James Edward Bryan, a candidate in Florida’s 1st district. The committee treasurer is James E. Bryan.

The reports were due on August 14, 2008.  If sent by certified or registered mail, the report should have been postmarked by August 11, 2008.

Some individuals and their committees have no obligation to file reports under federal election law, even though their names may appear on state ballots. If an individual raises or spends less than $5,000, he or she is not considered a "candidate" subject to reporting under the Act.

The FEC notified committees involved in these primaries of their potential filing requirements on July 21, 2008. Those committees who did not file on the due date were notified on August 15, 2008, that reports had not been received and that their names would be published if they did not respond within four business days.

Other political committees that support Senate and House candidates in elections, but are not authorized units of a candidate's campaign, are also required to file pre-primary reports, unless they report monthly. Those committee names are not published by the FEC.

Further Commission action against non-filers and late filers is decided on a case-by-case basis. Federal law gives the FEC broad authority to initiate enforcement actions, and the FEC has implemented an administrative fine program with provisions for assessing monetary penalties.

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent regulatory agency that administers and enforces federal campaign finance laws. The FEC has jurisdiction over the financing of campaigns for the U.S. House, the U.S. Senate, the Presidency and the Vice Presidency. Established in 1975, the FEC is composed of six Commissioners who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

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