FEC - Federal Election Commission
11/15/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/15/2024 14:28
Week of November 11 – 15, 2024
Commission meetings and hearings
On November 13, the Commission met in executive session.
The Commission voted to cancel the open meeting scheduled for November 14.
Enforcement
The Commission made public 11 closed cases, as follows. For more information, see the Enforcement Search System.
COMPLAINANT: Campaign Legal Center and Catherine Hinckley Kelley
RESPONDENTS: Correct the Record and Elizabeth Cohen, in her official capacity as treasurer (CTR); and Hillary for America and Elizabeth Jones, in her official capacity as treasurer (HFA)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that CTR made impermissible in-kind contributions to HFA by coordinating on CTR's activities in support of Clinton.
DISPOSITION: The Commission previously considered the matter and closed the file. On September 12, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia remanded the matter to the Commission for further action. On October 10, 2024, the Commission dismissed the matter. Chairman Sean J. Cooksey, Vice Chair Ellen L. Weintraub, and Commissioners Shana M. Broussard, Allen J. Dickerson, Dara Lindenbaum, and James E. "Trey" Trainor, III issued Statements of Reasons.
COMPLAINANT: National Republican Senatorial Committee
RESPONDENT: Warnock for Georgia and Christopher Koob, in his official capacity as treasurer (the Committee); and Raphael G. Warnock
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that Warnock and the Committee converted campaign funds to personal use when the Committee paid for litigation expenses to defend a 2021 lawsuit naming Warnock as a defendant.
DISPOSITION: The Commission dismissed the complaint.
COMPLAINANTS: Tiffany Muller, End Citizens United PAC; and Angelo Carusone, Media Matters for America
RESPONDENTS: Make America Great Again PAC (f/k/a Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.) and Bradley T. Crate, in his official capacity as treasurer (MAGA PAC); Fox Corporation (Fox); Keith Rupert Murdock; and Jared C. Kushner
SUBJECT: The complaints alleged that MAGA PAC knowingly received a prohibited corporate contribution from Fox Corporation when Murdoch, Fox's chairman, gave Kushner confidential information about the upcoming campaign ads of Joseph "Joe" Biden, Jr., and "debate strategy." Trump and Biden were 2020 candidates for president and MAGA PAC was Trump's principal campaign committee. The complaint in MUR 8117 alleged that Kushner, too, knowingly received a prohibited corporate contribution from Fox.
DISPOSITION: The Commission closed the file. Chairman Cooksey, Commissioners Dickerson and Trainor, and Vice Chair Weintraub and Commissioners Broussard and Lindenbaum issued Statements of Reasons.
COMPLAINANT: Michael J. Trainor
RESPONDENTS: Sabatini for Congress and Elizabeth Curtis in her official capacity as treasurer (the Committee); and Anthony Sabatini
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that Sabatini and the Committee improperly sent an invitation to a dinner hosted by the Lake County Republican Committee, leaving the impression that the dinner was an event supporting his campaign. The complaint alleged further that Sabatini improperly solicited for the Lake County Republican Party and Save America, a Leadership PAC, funds that are not subject to the source and amount limitations of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act). Sabatini was a 2024 primary candidate for Florida's 11th Congressional District.
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter.
COMPLAINANT: Roy L. Perry-Bey
RESPONDENTS: Donald J. Trump; and Save America and Bradley T. Crate, in his official capacity as treasurer, and Trump Save America Joint Fundraising Committee, f/k/a Save America Joint Fundraising Committee, and Bradley T. Crate, in his official capacity as treasurer (collectively, the Save America Committees)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that Trump failed to timely file a Statement of Candidacy and designate a principal campaign committee and that the Save America Committees made excessive contributions to him. The complaint further asked the Commission to investigate whether Trump was constitutionally disqualified from federal office and if so, to reject his Statement of Candidacy.
DISPOSITION: The Commission dismissed the allegation that Trump was constitutionally disqualified from federal office. The Commission closed the file in connection with the remaining allegations. Chairman Cooksey and Commissioners Dickerson and Trainor issued a Statement of Reasons.
COMPLAINANT: Katie LeBlanc
RESPONDENTS: Lafazan for Congress and Alex Leibson, in his official capacity as treasurer (Federal Committee); Joshua Lafazan; and Josh Lafazan for Responsible Government (County Committee)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that (1) the Federal Committee impermissibly financed the County Committee; and (2) the County Committee made a prohibited transfer to the Federal Committee via a Lafazan Facebook account or the Federal Committee failed to report an in-kind contribution from Lafazan by allowing it to use his Facebook account. Lafazan was simultaneously a candidate for reelection to the Nassau County, New York Legislature and New York's 3rd Congressional District.
DISPOSITION: The Commission dismissed the matter.
COMPLAINANT: Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust
RESPONDENTS: Andrea Salinas for Oregon and Sue Jackson, in her official capacity as treasurer (Salinas Committee); Salinas Victory Fund and Sue Jackson, in her official capacity as treasurer (terminated) (terminated JFC); Salinas Victory Fund and Shayne Thoman, in his official capacity as treasurer (active JFC); Andrea Salinas; and La Mota, LLC
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that LaMota, LLC made and Salinas, the Salinas Committee and the two JFCs received a $1,000 prohibited corporate contribution if LaMota, LLC is a corporate LLC or that the committees failed to properly attribute the contribution if the LLC is treated as a partnership. Salinas was a 2022 candidate for reelection in Oregon's 6th Congressional District.
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter.
COMPLAINANT: John Padora
RESPONDENTS: McCorkle for Colorado and Brian Keith Izzolena, in his official capacity as treasurer (the Committee); and Isaac Ian McCorkle
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that McCorkle and the Committee converted campaign funds to personal use with respect to various vehicle, meal, and home office expenses. McCorkle was a 2022 and 2024 candidate for Colorado's 4th Congressional District.
DISPOSITION: The Commission dismissed the matter.
COMPLAINANT: Corinne Hoover Six
RESPONDENT: Republicans of Northeast Ohio (the Committee)
SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that the Committee, a state committee registered in Ohio, failed to provide an adequate disclaimer on a mailer it sent endorsing three candidates for federal office and 21 candidates for state office. The complaint also appeared to argue that the Committee should have registered with the Commission since it allegedly engaged in express advocacy.
DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter.
COMPLAINANT: FEC-Initiated
RESPONDENT: Orange County Republican Executive Committee and Wade Bailey, in his official capacity as treasurer (the Committee)
SUBJECT: In the normal course of carrying out its supervisory responsibilities, the Commission initiated proceedings to determine whether there was reason to believe the Committee knowingly accepted excessive contributions totaling $15,600, knowingly accepted a corporate contribution of $350, and accepted a contribution of $20,000 from an unregistered organization without ascertaining whether the underlying funds complied with the limitations and prohibitions of the Act.
DISPOSITION: The Commission entered into a conciliation agreement providing for the Committee to pay a civil penalty of $5,000 and for the committee treasurer or other personnel responsible for complying with the Act to attend a Commission-sponsored training program for political committees.
Regulations and agency procedures
REG 2024-04 (Form 3-Z) Final Rule and Explanation and Justification On November 13, the Commission approved on tally vote a Final Rule that amends the Commission's regulations by removing the requirement that the principal campaign committee of a candidate with multiple authorized committees must report information on FEC Form 3-Z. The Final Rule is effective 30 legislative days after publication in the Federal Register.
REG 2024-08 Draft Notification of Availability of a Petition for Rulemaking (Untraceable Electronic Payment Methods) On November 13, the Commission approved on tally vote a Notification of Availability of a Petition for Rulemaking in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The Petition asks the Commission to amend regulations concerning the use of credit cards to make contributions, addressing the potential use of prepaid cards to circumvent contribution amount limitations and source prohibitions. The Commission seeks written comment on the Petition. The Notification will be published in the Federal Register at a future date along with the deadline for comments.
Public Funding
Jill Stein and Jill Stein for President 2024 - Date of Ineligibility This week, the Commission approved a Determination of Date of Ineligibility (DOI) for payments from the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account (Matching Payment Act) to Dr. Jill Stein, the Green Party presidential candidate, and Jill Stein for President 2024 (the Committee), determining that the DOI is August 22, 2024, the date of the last major party convention, which was later than the Green Party's convention. The Commission also approved notification to Stein and the Committee of the DOI determination with an instruction to submit a statement of net outstanding campaign obligations (NOCO) within 15 calendar days.
Outreach
On November 14, Chairman Cooksey was the keynote speaker at NABPAC's 2024 Biennial Post-Election Conference in Palm Beach, FL.
Employment opportunities
The Commission is accepting applications for the position of Assistant General Counsel for Administrative Law through November 22, 2024.
The Commission is accepting applications for the position of Campaign Finance Analyst through November 22, 2024.
The Commission is accepting applications for the position of Attorney-Adviser (Administrative Law) through November 30, 2024.
Upcoming Commission meetings and hearings
December 10, 2024: The Commission is scheduled to meet in executive session.
December 12, 2024: The Commission is scheduled to hold an open meeting.
Upcoming educational opportunities
November 20, 2024: The Commission is scheduled to host a webinar on Winding Down the Campaign and Post-General Reporting.
For more information on upcoming training opportunities, see the Commission's Trainings page.
Upcoming reporting due dates
December 5: 30-Day Post-General Reports are due. For more information, see the 2024 Pre- and Post-General Reporting schedule.
Additional research materials
Contribution Limits. In addition to the current limits, the Commission has posted an archive of contribution limits that were in effect going back to the 1975-1976 election cycles.
Federal Elections 2020: 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.
FEC Notify : Want to be notified by email when campaign finance reports are received by the agency? Sign up here.
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 Presidential Election Campaign Fund Tax Checkoff Chart provides information on balance of the Fund, monthly deposits into the Fund reported by the Department of the Treasury, payments from the Fund as certified by the FEC, and participation rates of taxpayers as reported by the Internal Revenue Service. For more information on the Presidential Public Funding Program, see the Public Funding of Presidential Elections page.
The FEC Record is available as a continuously updated online news source.
Other election-related resources
Videos on protecting U.S. elections. The FBI's Protected Voices initiative provides videos designed to help political campaigns protect themselves from foreign influence. The 2019 videos offer guidance on ransomware, business email compromise, supply chain, social media literacy, and foreign influence operations. Other videos, released in 2018, include cyber hygiene topics such as social engineering, patching, router hardening, and app and browser safety.
Join the FEC on X and YouTube
Follow @FEC on X 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. The use of the agency's logo, name, and likeness on other media has not been authorized by the FEC.