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For Immediate Release
March 23, 2004
Contact: Kelly Huff
Bob Biersack
Ian Stirton
George Smaragdis
COMPLIANCE CASES MADE PUBLIC

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Election Commission has recently made public its final actions on two matters previously under review (MURs). This release contains only disposition information.

1. MUR 5316  
     
  RESPONDENTS: Torricelli for U.S. Senate, Inc., Timothy S. Jackson, treasurer
  COMPLAINANTS: Alex N. Vogel, General Counsel, National Republican Senatorial Committee
  SUBJECT: Use of general election funds when candidate was not participating in general election
  DISPOSITION: No reason to believe*

The complaint stated that due to the fact the Senator Torricelli withdrew from the general election, he was required to refund, redesignate or reattribute all contributions designated for the general election raised prior to his withdrawal. The Commission found that Senator Torricelli had been a candidate for the general election for several months preceding his withdrawal from the race and was not required to refund contributions designated for that election.

  DOCUMENTS ON PUBLIC RECORD: Documents from this matter are available from the Commission’s web site at fec.gov by entering 5316 under case number. They are also available in the FECs Public Records Office at 999 E St. NW in Washington.
     
2. MUR 5342  
     
  RESPONDENTS: (a) Chamber of Commerce of the United States (a/k/a U.S. Chamber of Commerce)

(b) National Beer Wholesalers Association, Inc.

(c) BIPAC’s Institute for Political Analysis

(d) Business-Industry Political Action Committee (a/k/a BIPAC Action Fund), Allan D. Cors, treasurer

(e) Household International, Inc.

  COMPLAINANTS: Carmen Balber, on behalf of Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights
  SUBJECT: Corporate contributions
  DISPOSITION: (a-e) No reason to believe*

The complaint alleged that the respondents made prohibited corporate expenditures by directing "partisan" communications to corporate employees. The Commission found that there was no reason to believe the ads represented partisan communications.

  DOCUMENTS ON PUBLIC RECORD: Documents from this matter are available from the Commission’s web site at fec.gov by entering 5342 under case number. They are also available in the FECs Public Records Office at 999 E St. NW in Washington.

*There are four administrative stages to the FEC enforcement process:

1. Receipt of proper complaint 3. "Probable cause" stage
2. "Reason to believe" stage 4. Conciliation stage

It requires the votes of at least four of the six Commissioners to take any action. The FEC can close a case at any point after reviewing a complaint. If a violation is found and conciliation cannot be reached, then the FEC can institute a civil court action against a respondent.

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