FEC cites committees in Michigan, Missouri and Washington for failure to file 12-day Pre-Primary reports (2014)
On August 1, 2014, the Federal Election Commission cited four campaign committees for failing to file their 12-Day Pre-Primary Election Report required by the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act), for primary elections being held on August 5, 2014.
As of August 1, 2014, the required disclosure report had not been received from:
- Committee to Elect George Brikho (MI-09);
- Skinner for Congress '14 (MI-11);
- John Webb for Congress (MO-04); and
- Marty McClendon for Congress Committee (WA-06);
The reports were due on July 24, 2014, and should have included financial activity for the period of July 1, 2014 through July 16, 2014.
The Commission notified committees involved in these primary elections of their potential filing requirements on June 30, 2014. Those committees that did not file on the due date were sent notification on July 25, 2014, 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, may also need to file pre-primary reports if they make previously undisclosed contributions or expenditures within the coverage dates for the report. 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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