Category Archives: federal election commission

“F.E.C. Asks Congress to Ban Prechecked Recurring Donation Boxes”

May 6, 2021, 10:29 amcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

NYT: The Federal Election Commission voted unanimously on Thursday to recommend that Congress ban political campaigns from guiding donors by default into recurring contributions through prechecked boxes, a month after a New York Times investigation showed that former President Donald… Continue reading

FEC Republican Commissioners Pave Way for More Foreign Corporate Influence in U.S. Campaigns

May 4, 2021, 7:04 amcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Free Speech for People: The Federal Election Commission divided 3-3 on Free Speech For People’s 2017 complaint against the oil company Citgo, its Venezuelan state-owned parent company, and President Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee. The FEC’s general counsel agreed with Free… Continue reading

“Democrats Aim to Revive a Campaign Finance Watchdog”

April 19, 2021, 7:39 amcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

NYT: Yet as the Senate prepares to begin work on a sweeping voting rights and elections overhaul bill, the two parties are bitterly divided over a proposal to restructure the enforcer of campaign finance rules, a central plank of the… Continue reading

New Republican FEC Commissioners Vote Against Disclosure of Funding Backing Fundraising Letters Containing Express Advocacy

April 16, 2021, 3:09 pmfederal election commissionRick Hasen

The Democratic commissioners issued a statement on the 3-3 deadlock.

Shana Broussard, First African-American Member of the Federal Election Commission, Elected Its New Chair; Allen Dickerson, Formerly of the Institute for Free Speech, Elected Vice Chair

December 22, 2020, 11:38 amfederal election commissionRick Hasen

Congratulations!

“Senate confirms three FEC commissioners, restoring full slate for the first time since 2017”

December 9, 2020, 7:59 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

WaPo: The Senate on Wednesday confirmed three members to the Federal Election Commission, restoring the agency’s ability to conduct official business after months without a voting quorum and bringing the panel to its full slate of six members for the… Continue reading

“The Nation’s Top Election Official Has Overdosed on the Trump Kool-Aid”

November 18, 2020, 10:14 amfederal election commission, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

Lachlan Markay for the Daily Beast: The good news is that the nation’s top campaign finance watchdog may soon be functional again. The bad news is that its current chairman has gone off the rails.Trey Trainor may not be a… Continue reading

“Election Panel Set to Be Revived But Likely to Remain Deadlocked”

November 17, 2020, 8:13 amfederal election commissionRick Hasen

Ken Doyle for Bloomberg Government: The Federal Election Commission is set to be revived after being sidelined during the most expensive election in U.S. history.Senate Rules and Administration Committee Chairman Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) scheduled a confirmation hearing for Wednesday for… Continue reading

“Trump announces intention to nominate two individuals to serve as FEC members”

October 28, 2020, 4:17 pmfederal election commissionRick Hasen

The Hill: President Trump on Wednesday announced his intent to nominate Sean Cooksey and Shana Broussard to serve as members of the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The potential nominations come four months after Republican FEC Commissioner Caroline Hunter resigned, … Continue reading

“Top FEC Official’s Undisclosed Ties to Trump Raise Concerns Over Agency Neutrality”

October 28, 2020, 8:23 amcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Quite a story in ProPublica today: Debbie Chacona oversees the division of the Federal Election Commission that serves as the first line of defense against illegal flows of cash in political campaigns. Its dozens of analysts sift through billions of… Continue reading

“Reforming The FEC: Rulemaking Obligations Must Be Fulfilled”

October 26, 2020, 8:14 amcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Karl Sandstrom at Law360.

FEC Chair Trey Trainor Calls U.S. Catholic Bishops Corrupt for Directives Limiting Church Political Activity (Trainor Also Attacks Mail Balloting)

September 16, 2020, 7:12 amfederal election commissionRick Hasen

Church Militant interviews Trey Trainor on video: The Marxist Left is going to have a complete and total meltdown over this. Church Militant sat down recently in our studios with the chairman of the Federal Election Commission, Trey Trainor… Continue reading

“Trump’s New Election Law Pitbull Goes to War With Transparency Groups; Trey Trainor is accusing groups like Common Cause and CREW of trying to force the FEC into enacting a liberal agenda.”

September 4, 2020, 8:56 amfederal election commissionRick Hasen

Daily Beast: Donald Trump’s first addition to the nation’s top election regulator has launched a broadside against anti-corruption groups that, he claims, are trying to advance a left-wing agenda by attempting to spur enforcement of federal election laws.Trey Trainor,… Continue reading

Is Kanye West Going to Break the Law and Not File FEC Reports?

August 23, 2020, 7:03 pmfederal election commissionRick Hasen

Some thoughts: The @kanyewest candidacy may seem like a joke to some, but getting this filing would tell us a lot more about who is paying and who is benefitting. Have we ever seen a presidential candidate spend this much… Continue reading