FEC cites committees for failure to file 12-Day Pre-Primary Financial Report

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Election Commission cited 13 campaign committees today for failing to file the 12-Day Pre-Primary Report required by the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act), for primary elections being held on August 28, 2018.

As of August 23, 2018, the required disclosure report had not been received from:

- Wheeler for Congress (AZ-02)

- Pierson for Congress (AZ-03)

- Friends of Jose Torres (AZ-05)

- Miranda for Arizona (AZ-07)

- Irina Baroness Von Behr for US Congress (AZ-09)

- Selmont4Congress (FL-04)

- Tager for Congress (FL-12)

- Dave Cummings for Congress (FL-18)

- Sheila Cherfilus McCormick for Congress, Inc. (FL-20)

- Eddison Walters Campaign (FL-22)

- Angie Chirino for Congress (FL-27)

- Committee to Elect Maria Peiro (FL-27)

- Stephen Marks for Congress (FL-27)

The pre-primary report was due on August 16, 2018, and should have included financial activity for the period July 1, 2018, through August 8, 2018. If sent by certified or registered mail, the report should have been postmarked by August 13, 2018.

Some individuals and their committees have no obligation to file reports under federal campaign finance law, even though their names may appear on state ballots. If an individual raises or spends $5,000 or less, he or she is not considered a "candidate" subject to reporting under the Act.

The Commission notified committees involved in these primary elections of their potential filing requirements on July 23, 2018. Those committees that did not file by the due date were sent notification on August 17, 2018, that their reports had not been received and that their names would be published if they did not respond within four business days.

Other political committees that support Senate and House candidates in elections, but are not authorized units of a candidate's campaign, are also required to file quarterly reports, unless they report monthly. Those committee names are not published by the FEC.

Further Commission action against non-filers and late filers is decided on a case-by-case basis. Federal law gives the FEC broad authority to initiate enforcement actions, and the FEC has implemented an Administrative Fine program with provisions for assessing monetary penalties.