New FEC Commissioner Trey Trainor, Not Sure If He Will Recuse in Cases Involving Trump Campaign Despite Having Served as Lawyer for It, Expresses Skepticism About Existence of “Dark Money”
Revealing Dave Levinthal interview.
Category Archives: federal election commission
“FEC’s Prosecutorial Discretion Considered by Federal Court, Again”
Wiley analysis.
“Senate confirms Trump appointee to Federal Election Commission, restoring panel’s voting quorum for the first time since August”
WaPo:
The Senate on Tuesday confirmed a conservative Texas lawyer nominated by President Trump to the Federal Election Commission, restoring a voting quorum on the agency for the first time since August amid a mounting backlog of complaints and requests… Continue reading
“Senate committee advances nomination of FEC commissioner”
Washington Post:
Senate committee Thursday voted to advance President Trump’s nominee to fill a vacancy on the Federal Election Commission, which would restore the agency’s ability to conduct official business.The Senate Rules and Administration Committee voted along party lines… Continue reading
“Push to Revive FEC Could Curb Court Action on Campaign Finance”
Ken Doyle:
Advocates of stricter campaign finance law enforcement fear a Senate Republican push to restore a quorum on the Federal Election Commission could thwart their ability to pursue alleged violations in court.The Senate Rules and Administration Committee is expected… Continue reading
Trey Trainor’s Nomination to FEC Getting a Senate Hearing May 7; It Will Lead Us from a Period of Inaction to a Period of … Different Inaction
Gonna break some precedent to not confirm in party pairs, but it will restore a quorum if Trainor confirmed so the FEC can then defend itself when it is sued for inaction and partisan deadlock.
CREW Gets Default Judgment Against Quorum-Less FEC, Paving the Way for Private Litigation Against Campaign Finance Violators
This development is one to watch.
“Not an April Fools’ joke: Nation’s campaign finance watchdog is MIA as FEC endures longest period without a quorum in its history”
“Senate clashes over fate of embattled election watchdog”
Politico:
The Federal Election Commission — which is charged with policing federal campaign finance law — has been sidelined for months leading up to the presidential election because it lost its quorum. But a hearing Tuesday to fill a… Continue reading
“Trey Trainor’s nomination to the FEC will only make matters worse”
Issue One:
In response to the news that Senate Republicans will hold a confirmation hearing next week for Federal Election Commission (FEC) nominee Trey Trainor, Issue One Executive Director Meredith McGehee released the following statement:“It is unacceptable that the… Continue reading
FEC Commissioner Hunter Responds to Prof. Torres-Spelliscy’s Testimony About the FEC and the Foreign Money Ban
Dave Levinthal:
1/ NEW: Following today's House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on campaign finance, @FEC Chair Caroline Hunter sends pointed letter to @ProfCiara regarding her testimony about foreign spending in U.S. elections. pic.twitter.com/rfgnMwfvYw— Dave Levinthal (@davelevinthal) February 7, 2020
What to do with campaign funds after retiring or passing away
Two
stories today about campaign funds active longer than their campaigners.
One
focuses on FEC
requests for explanation from retired officeholders still spending from
campaign accounts. The other describes
the plans
that Rep. Cummings had for his unspent campaign money… Continue reading
“Election experts urge Trump, congressional leaders to end stalemate at FEC”
The Hill:
Lobbyists and lawyers who specialize in U.S. elections wrote to President Trump and congressional leaders on Monday, urging the confirmation of another federal election commissioner to end “an untenable situation.”The Federal Election Commission (FEC), the government’s campaign… Continue reading
Campaign Legal Center Unsuccessfully Fights Effort to Allow Clinton Campaign and Allied Super PAC to Defend Itself in Federal Court (Comment from Marc Elias)
Court order.
Comment from Marc Elias via email: “The idea that a so called good government group would use the fact that the FEC is shorthanded to try to score a victory in court and not let the case… Continue reading