FEC cites committee for failure to file 12-Day Pre-Convention financial report

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Election Commission cited a campaign committee today for failing to file the 12-Day Pre-Convention Report required by the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act), for the convention being held on April 18, 2020 in Utah.

As of April 14, 2020, the required disclosure report had not been received from:

• Team Jonia 2020 Campaign (UT-04)

The pre-convention report was due on April 6, 2020, and should have included financial activity for the period January 1, 2020, through March 29, 2020. If sent by certified or registered mail, the report should have been postmarked by April 3, 2020.

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 March 27, 2020. Those committees that did not file by the due date were sent notification on April 7, 2020, 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.