Weekly Digest Week of February 7 – Feburary 11, 2011
COMMISSION MEETINGS
No Commission Executive Sessions or Open Meetings were scheduled this week. ADVISORY OPINIONS Drafts
AO 2011-01 (Robin Carnahan for Senate). On February 11, the Commission made public a draft of Advisory Opinion 2011-01. The requester asks if a separate legal defense fund may be established to defray Robin Carnahan for Senate's costs of defending against a copyright infringement lawsuit. The requester also asks whether donations to the legal defense fund must comply with the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act). Comments on the draft are due by noon on February 16, 2010. Requests Received
AOR 2011-03 (DSCC, DCCC, RNC, NRSC, and NRCC). On February 10, the Commission made public Advisory Opinion Request 2011-03. The DSCC, DCCC, RNC, NRSC, and NRCC ask whether they may use their recount funds to pay legal fees and judgment or settlement costs arising from a lawsuit filed against them seeking the disgorgement of certain contributions and donations. The Commission must issue a response no later than 60 days after receipt of the complete request, that is, by April 8, 2011.
Advisory Opinions and Requests are available through the Advisory Opinions search page in the Law and Regulations section of the FEC website. ENFORCEMENT The Commission made public one closed case. MUR 6325 – Hartline for Congress 2010 and Phillip W. Meadows, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission dismissed the matter. For information regarding each of the above matters, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System.
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION The Commission made public three campaign finance enforcement matters that were resolved through its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) program. ADR 545 – Schiff for Senate and Andrew Schiff, in his official capacity as treasurer. The respondents agreed to send a representative to an FEC conference and work with Commission staff to terminate the Committee. ADR 548 – Baldwin Title Company LLC PAC and Barry J. Palmer, in his official capacity as treasurer. The respondents agreed to implement compliance measures and pay a civil penalty of $3,000. ADR 552 – Campaign for Change and Nickolai Bobrov, in his official capacity as treasurer. The respondents agreed to implement compliance measures and pay a civil penalty of $1,500. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System. OUTREACH On February 8, 2011, Commissioner Donald F. McGahn discussed the history of campaign finance law and recent legal developments with a group of students from American University.
UPCOMING COMMISSION MEETINGS February 16: The Commission is scheduled to hold an Executive Session. February 17: The Commission is scheduled to hold an Open Session. The Open Session agenda is available on the FEC website. UPCOMING REPORTING DUE DATES February 20: February Monthly Reports are due. For more information on monthly reporting dates, refer to the 2011 Monthly Reporting page of the FEC website. April 15: April Quarterly Reports are due. For information on quarterly reporting dates, refer to the 2011 Quarterly Reporting page of the FEC website. UPCOMING EVENTS April 6, 2011, Washington, DC. FEC Seminar for House and Senate Campaign Committees. Registration information and schedule are on the 2011 Conference/Seminar Schedule page of the FEC website. OTHER RESOURCES The February 2011 issue of The Record is in the Publications section of the FEC website. Sign up to receive email notification when a new issue of the Record is posted. The February 2011 Supplements to the FEC’s Campaign Guides are on the Campaign Guides page of the FEC website.
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