FEC TAKES FINAL ACTION ON SIX MATTERS
WASHINGTON – The Federal Election Commission recently made public its final action on six matters under review (MURs). In three matters, the Commission dismissed the complaint and closed the file. In two matters, the Commission found no reason to believe a violation occurred. The Commission closed the file in the other matter.
Under the law, the FEC must attempt to resolve its enforcement cases, or MURs, through a confidential investigative process that may lead to a negotiated conciliation agreement between the Commission and the individual or group.Additional information regarding MURs can be found on the FEC web site at http://www.fec.gov/em/mur.shtml.
This release contains only summary information.For additional details, please consult publicly available documents for each case in the Enforcement Query System (EQS) on the FEC web site at http://eqs.nictusa.com/eqs/searcheqs.
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MUR 5934 |
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RESPONDENTS: |
Fred Thompson Political Action Committee and Richard Roberts as treasurer; and Senator Fred D. Thompson |
COMPLAINANT: |
T. Lane Hudson |
SUBJECT: |
The complaint alleged that Thompson, Fred Thompson Political Action Committee and Richard Roberts, in his official capacity as treasurer, improperly applied the “testing the waters” exemption to the requirement to register with the FEC as a candidate for federal office. |
OUTCOME: |
The Commission did not believe that Thompson's public statements established that he had definitively decided to become a federal candidate before he filed his Statement of Candidacy. The Commission dismissed the complaint and closed the file.
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MUR 5930 |
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RESPONDENTS: |
Citizens for Schuring Congressional Exploratory Committee and Thomas W. Schervish as treasurer; and J. Kirk Schuring |
COMPLAINANTS: |
Ohio Democratic Party and Chris Redfern |
SUBJECT: |
The complaint alleged that Kirk Schuring failed to register with the FEC as a candidate for federal office, yet raised funds in excess of what could be reasonably expected for “testing the waters” of a campaign. |
OUTCOME: |
The Commission concluded that Schuring’s public statements did not indicate that he had definitively decided to become a federal candidate before he filed a Statement of Candidacy form with the FEC on Oct. 17, 2007. Schuring formed the Citizens for Schuring Congressional Exploratory Committee in order to determine whether he should seek election to the U.S. House of Representatives, and he explicitly stated that his decision would depend upon whether the incumbent retired. The Commission dismissed the complaint and closed the file.
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MUR 5945 |
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RESPONDENTS: |
Kieran Michael Lalor 2008 and Christine Chisholm as treasurer; and Kieran Michael Lalor |
COMPLAINANT: |
Anthony Scannapieco |
SUBJECT: |
In a third case involving the “testing-the-waters” exemption, the complaint alleged that Lalor, Kieran Michael Lalor 2008, and Chisholm, in her official capacity as treasurer, failed to file Statement of Candidacy and Statement of Organization forms. It also alleged the respondents failed to file quarterly reports. |
OUTCOME: |
The Commission closed the file.
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MUR 5987 |
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RESPONDENTS: |
Hillary Clinton for President and Shelly Moskwa as treasurer; Senator Hillary Clinton and Sir Elton John |
COMPLAINANT: |
American Right to Life Action; Judicial Watch; Steve Curtis; Thomas J. Fitton and Al Westcott |
SUBJECT: |
The complaints alleged that Hillary Clinton for President, Moskwa, in her official role as treasurer, and Senator Clinton accepted an in-kind contribution from a foreign national, Sir Elton John, through a fundraising performance. The complaint further alleged that Sir Elton John, through the Committee, sent out a mass email announcing the concert and soliciting support for Senator Clinton’s presidential campaign. |
OUTCOME: |
The Commission determined that Sir Elton John’s performance at the fundraiser constituted a volunteer service that is exempted from the definition of “contribution” under the Federal Election Campaign Act (the Act). The Commission found no reason to believe that a violation occurred and closed the file.
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MUR 6029 |
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RESPONDENTS: |
Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal and Richard C. Peerson as treasurer |
COMPLAINANT: |
Robert Hillman |
SUBJECT:
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The complaint alleged that the Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal and Peerson, in his official capacity as treasurer, violated various disclosure and disclaimer provisions of the Act in communications surrounding a congressional district convention.
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OUTCOME: |
The Commission found no reason to believe that a violation occurred because the case involved activities that centered around a local party convention, and it closed the file. |
MUR 6028 |
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RESPONDENT: |
W. A. Drew Edmondson, Attorney General of Oklahoma |
COMPLAINANT: |
Richard Engle |
SUBJECT: |
The complaint alleged that Edmondson, Attorney General of Oklahoma, violated the Act by making contributions in the name of another person to federal candidates in the amount of $350 and knowingly permitted his name to be used to effect prohibited contributions. |
OUTCOME: |
The alleged amount in violation, $350, is a low dollar amount relative to other pending matters before the FEC. Using its prosecutorial discretion, the Commission dismissed the complaint and closed the file.
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