FEC cites committees for failure to file 12-day pre-primary reports
On February 26, 2016, the Federal Election Commission cited seven campaign committees for failing to file the 12-Day Pre-Primary Election Reports required by the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act), for the Alabama, Arkansas and Texas primary elections to be held on March 1, 2016.
As of February 25, 2016, the required disclosure report had not been received from:
- Gigliotti for Congress (TX-04)
- Gonzales for Congress (TX-18)
- Citizens for Xavier Salinas (TX-15)
- Curry for Congress (AR-02)
- John Martin for Senate 2016 (AL)
- Friends of Dominique Garcia (TX-29)
- McMichael for Congress 2016 (TX-08)
The reports were due on February 18, 2016, and should have included financial activity for the period January 1, 2016, through February 10, 2016. If sent by certified or registered mail, the report should have been postmarked by February 15, 2016.
The Commission notified committees involved in the Alabama, Arkansas and Texas primary elections of their potential filing requirements on January 25, 2016. Those committees that did not file on the due date were sent notification on February 19, 2016 that their reports had not been received and that their names would be published if they did not respond within four business days.
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.
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.
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