Category Archives: federal election commission

What to do with campaign funds after retiring or passing away

January 7, 2020, 3:01 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, federal election commissionJustin Levitt

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”

January 6, 2020, 2:15 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionJustin Levitt

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)

November 15, 2019, 4:02 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

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

Why Didn’t DOJ Share Whistleblower Complaint with FEC, and What About the Timing of FEC Commissioner Petersen’s Departure?

November 7, 2019, 8:41 amchicanery, Department of Justice, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Empty Wheel ponders.

“Empower the FEC to Fight Election Crime; A depleted commission faces threats from Russia and beyond.”

November 6, 2019, 7:21 amcampaign finance, chicanery, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Bloomberg editorial.

FEC Chair Weintraub: “Don’t abolish political ads on social media. Stop microtargeting.”

November 2, 2019, 12:43 pmfederal election commissionRick Hasen

Ellen Weintraub WaPo oped. She has also posted this State of the Commission report, as the FEC continues without a quorum.

“Halloween’s Over. The FEC? Still a Zombie”

November 1, 2019, 9:47 amcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

CPI: These are dark times at the Federal Election Commission, which has now gone two months without enough commissioners to enforce federal campaign finance laws. That’s because U.S. senators and President Donald Trump have failed to strike an agreement to… Continue reading

Would a Fully Staffed FEC Take on Claims of Trump’s Solicitation of Foreign Interference in US Elections?

October 23, 2019, 10:23 amfederal election commissionRick Hasen

Interesting CEPR blog post.

FEC Commissioner Hunter Pens Oped Attacking Fellow Commissioner Weintraub, Calls for Both of Them to Be Replaced

October 22, 2019, 6:37 amfederal election commissionRick Hasen

Politico oped.

“Power Up: FEC chair warns charges against Giuliani associates ‘just the tip of the iceberg'”

October 14, 2019, 8:11 amcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

WaPo reports.

FEC Chair Ellen Weintraub Facing New IG Complaint from Member of Congress: “I Will Not Be Silenced”

October 10, 2019, 7:04 pmfederal election commissionRick Hasen

Start here: I will not be silenced. The independence of the United States Federal Election Commission will not be compromised. /1 pic.twitter.com/T5XfjvQWNw— Ellen L. Weintraub (@EllenLWeintraub) October 10, 2019

“Trump’s Ukraine Call Might Violate Election Laws, But No One’s Enforcing Them”

October 7, 2019, 8:12 amcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

NPR reports.

Aprill: “A Tax Lesson for Election Law”

October 7, 2019, 7:52 amcampaign finance, federal election commission, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

Ellen Aprill has an important new piece at Tax Notes building off the Price for Congress request for an advisory opinion, and lucky for us you can get it from behind the paywall: An August 22 deadlock by the Federal… Continue reading

FEC Commissioner Hunter Responds to FEC Chair Weintraub’s Attempt to Put Foreign Interference Draft in FEC Digest, Confirms FEC Foreign Contribution Ban (Without Opinion on Whether Opposition Research is a Thing of Value)

October 1, 2019, 5:50 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Statement: Late last week, my colleague, Ellen Weintraub, unilaterally and without advance notice, made public a draft interpretative rule regarding the Act’s foreign national ban and placed it on the agenda for the open meeting of October 17, 2019. Approval… Continue reading