News Releases

FEC to Meet on August 21 to Consider Advisory Opinion Requests and Other Matters

Washington – The Federal Election Commission (FEC/ the Commission) will meet on Thursday, August 21, 2008, to consider:

• An Advisory Opinion Request (AOR) by Chris Dodd for President, Inc., regarding the ability to seek redesignations from contributors and transfer funds to a future Senate campaign;
• An AOR from the Democratic Party of Virginia regarding whether the costs to prepare and distribute party slate cards would be exempt from the definition of “contribution” and “expenditure”;
• An AOR from Senator David Vitter, R-La., and David Vitter for U.S. Senate regarding the committee’s ability to pay and reimburse Senator Vitter for expenses incurred in connection with legal proceedings;
• An AOR from Senator Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., and Lautenberg for Senate regarding whether post-election repayments of loans made by Senator Lautenberg to his authorized committee would still be restricted following the Supreme Court decision in Davis v. FEC. In July, the Court found the “Millionaires’ Amendment” to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 violated the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution; and
• A recommendation from the Office of General Counsel regarding Senator John McCain and the Matching Payment Program.

Drafts of the documents to be considered can be found on the FEC website. The meeting will be held at 10 a.m. in the 9th floor hearing room at the Commission’s offices located at 999 E Street N.W. in Washington.

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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