Larry Norton and Friends:

So is anything different now? Yes and no. The current crop of 3-3 votes, while split along party lines, certainly cannot be characterized as protecting party members and loyalists. The three Democrats are repeatedly voting to proceed in these cases, while the three Republicans are voting to shut each matter down. In the current Commission, votes are cast regardless of whose ox is being gored.
But certain things are quite different now. Many of the stalemates depart from recent precedent in a wide range of important issues, such as regulation of political activity by 501(c) and 527 organizations, rules for candidates’ testing the waters, coercion of campaign contributions, and liability for false reports stemming from embezzlement. In fact, statements issued recently by the Republican Commissioners give little deference to the FEC’s determinations in prior enforcement matters and in many instances reflect a profound unease with using the Commission’s investigative powers. There’s also been a much sharper tone in statements released by both the Democratic and Republican sides that reveal a growing sense of frustration.