Weekly Digests

Weekly Digest

Week of October 13 – 17

COMMISSION MEETINGS AND HEARINGS

No Commission open meetings or executive sessions were scheduled this week.

ADVISORY OPINIONS

Advisory Opinions Issued

AO 2014-14 (Trammell). On October 10, the Commission approved an advisory opinion in response to a request from Professor Jack Trammell, a candidate for the United States House of Representatives. The Commission concluded that the requestor’s employer, Randolph-Macon College, may continue to pay its share of his fringe benefits while he is on unpaid leave in order to campaign for federal office.

AO 2014-15 (Brat). On October 10, the Commission approved an advisory opinion in response to a request from Professor David Brat, a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives. The Commission concluded that the requestor’s employer, Randolph-Macon College, may continue to pay its share of his fringe benefits while he is on unpaid leave in order to campaign for federal office.

Comments Received

AOR 2014-16 (Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee). The Commission received comments on Advisory Opinion Request 2014-16. The requestor, the Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee, asks whether a proposed mailing is “federal election activity” and if so, if state law concerning allocation of federal election activity costs is preempted by federal law.

COMMISSIONERS’ STATEMENTS

On October 15, a Statement was issued by Chairman Lee E. Goodman regarding the Citizens United v. FEC and McCutcheon v. FEC Rulemakings.

On October 17, a Statement was issued by Vice Chair Ann M. Ravel and Commissioner Steven T. Walther regarding Advisory Opinion 2014-11 (Health Care Service Corporation Employees' PAC).

LITIGATION

Kuhn for Congress v. FEC (Case 2:13-cv-03337-PMD). On October 16, the plaintiff filed Written Objections to Magistrate Judge's Report and Recommendation in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina.

RULEMAKING

McCutcheon v. FEC Interim Final Rule. On October 17, 2014, the Commission published an Interim Final Rule in the Federal Register. Comments may be submitted on or before November 17, 2014.

McCutcheon v. FEC Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM). On October 17, 2014, the Commission published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register.   Comments may be submitted on or before January 15, 2015.

OUTREACH

On October 14, Vice Chair Ravel participated in a town hall discussion about campaign finance law and policy hosted by the University of Chicago Law School and the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago in Chicago, IL.   

On October 16, Commissioner Ellen L. Weintraub participated in a public forum on elections, campaign finance and democracy hosted by the North Carolina Voters for Clean Elections at the North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC.

On October 16, Vice Chair Ravel and Commissioner Caroline C. Hunter participated in a roundtable discussion on campaign finance and political polarization hosted by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation at the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, DC.

PRESS RELEASES

FEC Approves Two Advisory Opinions (issued October 10)

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS

October 15: Quarterly Reports were due. For information on quarterly reporting dates, refer to the 2014 Quarterly Reporting page of the Commission website.

UPCOMING COMMISSION MEETINGS

October 21: The Commission is scheduled to hold an executive session.

October 23: The Commission is scheduled to hold an open meeting.

Meeting dates are subject to change. Please contact the Press Office the week of the scheduled meeting for confirmation.

UPCOMING REPORTING DUE DATES

October 20: October Monthly Reports are due. For more information on monthly reporting dates, refer to the 2014 Monthly Reporting page of the Commission website.

October 23: Pre-General Reports are due. For information on general election reporting dates, refer to the 2014 General Election Reporting page of the Commission website.

OTHER RESOURCES

The 2014 edition of the Combined Federal State Disclosure and Election Directory is available in the Public Records section of the Commission website. This publication identifies the federal and state agencies responsible for the disclosure of campaign finances, lobbying, personal finances, public financing, candidates on the ballot, election results, spending on state initiatives and other financial filings.

The 2014 edition of Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations can be downloaded from the website.  To order printed copies, call (800) 424-9530 (press 6) or send an email to info@fec.gov.

The 2013 Legislative Recommendations are available on the Commission’s website.

The 2014 edition of the Federal Election Commission Campaign Guide for Congressional Candidates and Committees is now available on the Commission’s website.

The August 2013 edition of the Federal Election Commission Campaign Guide for Political Party Committees is available on the Commission’s website.

The Official 2012 Presidential General Election Results are available in the Library section of the website. This listing was compiled from the official election results published by state election offices.

An index to Record news articles published is available on the Commission website. The Record news page is available in the Publications section of the Commission website. Sign up to receive email notification when new articles are posted.

The FEC Annual Reports from 1975-2006 are now available on the website. Beginning in 2007, the Commission consolidated its Annual Report with its Performance and Accountability Report (PAR) to provide a single account of the agency’s activities for each fiscal year.

Instructional videos are available on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/FECTube?feature=watch. These videos are also available on the Commission’s E-Learning resources page at http://www.fec.gov/info/elearning.shtml.

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