Weekly Digests

Weekly Digest

Week of February 23 – 27

COMMISSION MEETINGS AND HEARINGS

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

ADMINISTRATIVE FINES

The Commission made public eight campaign finance enforcement matters that were resolved through its Administrative Fines (AF) program, as follows. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System.

AF 2486 – Rob Fisher for Congress and Office of Treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $60.

AF 2683 – Oakland County Democratic Party and Ryan J. Gesund, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $7,562.

AF 2740 – Oakland County Democratic Party and Ryan J. Gesund, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $7,718.

AF 2743 – Oakland County Democratic Party and Ryan J. Gesund, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $2,412.

AF 2793 – Beale for Congress and Steven R. Burris, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $5,775.

AF 2797 – Friends of Clyde Holloway for Congress and Stephanie Holloway, in her official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed no civil penalty.

AF 2812 – Coyne for Congress 2014 and Office of Treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $125.

AF 2842 – Kaptur for Congress and Thomas Jaffee, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $6,460.

AUDITS

Final Audit Report on the Joe Walsh for Congress Committee, Inc. On February 27, the Commission issued the Final Audit Report on the Joe Walsh for Congress Committee, Inc., covering campaign finance activity between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2012. The Commission approved findings related to (1) the disclosure of contributor occupation and employer information, and (2) the receipt of excessive contributions. The report also addressed an additional issue related to the establishment of “best efforts” to obtain contributor occupation and employer information.

LITIGATION

Independence Institute v. FEC (Case 14-5249). On February 20, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued a Per Curiam Order.

Stop Reckless Economic Instability caused by Democrats, et al. v. FEC (Case 1:14-cv-00397-AJT-IDD). On February 24, the Commission filed its Suggestion of Mootness in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

OUTREACH

On February 24, Chair Ann M. Ravel spoke at the Public Affairs Council's National PAC Conference in Orlando, Florida. Speaking before the gathering of business and civic leaders, she updated conference attendees on FEC activities, contribution limit changes from the CRomnibus, and planned improvements to the Commission website.

On February 25, Commissioner Ellen L. Weintraub discussed the role of the Commission and U.S. campaign finance law with a multinational group of governmental, political and civic leaders as part of the State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program.

On February 26, Chair Ravel discussed Commission operations, campaign finance law, the American electoral system and U.S. political parties with a high-level South Korean delegation including party officials and academics, visiting the United States as guests of the State Department. 

UPCOMING COMMISSION MEETINGS AND HEARINGS

March 3 and 5: The Commission is scheduled to hold an executive session.

March 5: 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 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS    

March 25: Webinar for Member/Labor PACs. Additional information is available on the Educational Outreach page of the Commission website.

UPCOMING REPORTING DUE DATES

March 20: March Monthly Reports are due. For more information on monthly reporting dates, refer to the 2015 Monthly Reporting page of the Commission website.

April 15: April Quarterly Reports are due. For information on quarterly reporting dates, refer to the 2015 Quarterly Reporting page of the Commission website.

April 20: April Monthly Reports are due. For more information on monthly reporting dates, refer to the 2015 Monthly 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 2014 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 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.

The Commission has published the 2015 Record Index page. An index to previously published Record news articles 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 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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