Week of February 26 – March 2, 2018

Commission meetings and hearings

No Commission meetings or executive sessions were scheduled this week.

 Advisory Opinions

Advisory Opinion Request 2018-02 (Alabama Academy of Radiology and ALRAD PAC)

On March 1, the Commission made public Advisory Opinion Request 2018-02. Requestors ask whether 1) the Academy is a “membership organization” under Commission regulations; 2) ALRAD PAC may convert itself into a joint federal and non-federal committee; 3) ALRAD PAC may retain its current cash on hand following registration, with certain adjustments; and 4) the Academy may use its existing payroll deduction program to process contributions from its members.  The Commission will accept written comments on the request during the 10-day period following publication of the request (no later than March 12, 2018) and shall issue a response no later than 60 days after receipt of the complete request, specifically by April 30, 2018.

Advisory Opinion Request 2018-03 (Committee to Elect Michael Gilmore)

On March 1, the Commission made public Advisory Opinion Request 2018-03 (Committee to Elect Michael Gilmore).  Requestor asks whether it may use campaign funds to pay for a lawsuit asserting the rights of voters seeking to move up the date of a special election, and whether individual attorneys’ volunteer work on the lawsuit is subject to reporting and limitation requirements.  The Commission will accept written comments on the request during the 10-day period following publication of the request (no later than March 12, 2018) and shall issue a response no later than 60 days after receipt of the complete request, specifically by April 30, 2018.

Administrative Fines

The Commission made public 19 campaign finance enforcement matters that were resolved through its Administrative Fines (AF) program, as follows. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System.

AF 3153

Wright 2016 and Charlette Mimiasie, in her official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $3,716.

AF 3184

Brent Waltz for Congress and Mark Steven Collins, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $7,144.

AF 3185

Charlene for Congress and Mr. Roberto Albarran, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $5,137.

AF 3233

Bill McClure for Congress and Shawn Silva, in her official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $5,556.

AF 3320

Bergman for Congress and Horn Hardin II, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $8,513.

AF 3321

Friends of Roy Blunt and Gordon A. Elliott, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $7,671.

AF 3323

Jill Stein for President and Steven Welzer, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $4,814.

AF 3326

Ron Johnson for Senate Inc. and James J. Malczewski, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $10,480.

AF 3335

Yoder for Congress, Inc. and Christopher Coulson, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $3,217.

AF 3337

Mary Thomas for Congress and Roxane Nickeo, in her official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $5,386.

AF 3338

Ricardo4Congress and Suzan R. Korth, in her official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $3,280.

AF 3339

Katie McGinty for Senate and Roberta Golden, in her official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $10,077.

AF 3340

Taylor Griffin for Congress and Taylor Griffin, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $7,815.

AF 3341

America Comes First PAC and David W. Schamens, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $13,371.

AF 3342

BLAKPAC and Sandra Lopez, in her official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $5,183.

AF 3343

It Starts Today and Jonathan Zucker, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $11,114.

AF 3344

National Treasury Employees Union Advocacy Committee and Deborah Jansen, in her official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed no civil penalty.

AF 3345

Phyllis Schlafly’s Eagle PAC and Ed Martin, in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $326.

AF 3346

United States Peanut Political Action Committee (US Peanut PAC) and Robert L. Redding Jr., in his official capacity as treasurer. The Commission made a final determination and assessed a civil penalty of $6,252.

Litigation

• Holmes, et al. v. FEC. On February 26, Plaintiffs filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court.
  

Outreach

• On February 25-26, Vice Chair Ellen L. Weintraub participated in the Next Generation Democracy North America Roundtable in San Francisco, CA.
  
• On February 27, Communication Specialist Myles Martin spoke with a delegation from Europe about the role of the Commission. The group is visiting the United States as part of the State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program.
  

Upcoming Commission meetings and hearings

• March 6, 2018: The Commission is scheduled to meet in executive session.
  
• March 8, 2018: The Commission is scheduled to hold an open meeting.
  

Meeting dates are subject to change. Please contact the Press Office the week of the scheduled meeting for confirmation.

Upcoming reporting due dates

March 20: March Monthly Reports are due. For more information on monthly reporting dates, refer to the 2018 Monthly Reporting page of the Commission website.

Additional research materials

Additional research materials about the agency, campaign finance information, and election results are available through the Library section of the Commission website.

The 2017 Campaign Guide for Corporations and Labor Organizations is available. Other Campaign Guides are available, as well.

The 2018 Congressional Primary Election Dates list is available.

Federal Elections 2016: Election Results for the U.S. President, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives is available. The data was compiled from the official vote totals published by state election offices.

The 2017 edition of the Combined Federal State Disclosure and Election Directory is available. This publication identifies the federal and state agencies responsible for the disclosure of campaign finances, lobbying, personal finances, public financing, candidates on the ballot, election results, spending on state initiatives and other financial filings.

The FEC Record is available as a continuously updated online news source.

The 2017 edition of Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations can be downloaded from the website.  To order printed copies, call (800) 424-9530 (press 6) or send an email to info@fec.gov.

The FEC is moving.

In March 2018, the Commission will be moving from its current location at 999 E Street, NW, Washington, DC to 1050 First Street, NE, Washington, DC. The Commission will begin receiving mail at its new address on March 19, 2018. 

 Join the FEC on Twitter and YouTube

 Follow @FEC on Twitter to receive the latest information on agency updates, news releases, and weekly activity. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, FECTube: FECConnect on Demand, to watch instructional videos that have been designed to help candidates and committees comply with federal campaign finance laws. Note that the FEC is not currently available through other social media platforms at this time. The use of the agency’s logo, name, and likeness on other mediums has not been authorized by the FEC.