FEC cites committees for failure to file April Quarterly and 12-Day Pre-Primary Financial Reports

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Election Commission cited five campaign committees today for failing to file the April Quarterly Report or 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 May 3, 2022 in Ohio.

As of April 29, 2022, the April Quarterly disclosure report had not been received from:

- James for Arkansas (AR)

- Aja Smith for Congress 2022 (CA-41)

- Jen for Congress (NC-09)

The April Quarterly Report was due on April 15, 2022, and should have included financial activity for the period January 1, 2022, through March 31, 2022. If sent by certified or registered mail, the report should have been postmarked by April 15, 2022.

The Commission notified committees of their potential April Quarterly filing requirements on April 1, 2022. Those committees that did not file by the due date were sent notification on April 22, 2022, that their reports had not been received and that their names would be published if they did not respond within four business days.

As of April 29, 2022, the 12-Day Pre-Primary Report for Ohio had not been received from:

- Mark Pukita for US Senate 2022 (OH)

- Heberling for Ohio (OH-05)

The 12-Day Pre-Primary Report was due on April 21, 2022, and should have included financial activity for the period April 1, 2022, through April 13, 2022. If sent by certified or registered mail, the report should have been postmarked by April 18, 2022.

The Commission notified committees involved in these primary elections of their potential filing requirements on April 1, 2022. Those committees that did not file by the due date were sent notification on April 22, 2022, 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.