FEC Takes Final Action on Six Cases

For Immediate Release

Contact:  

Judith Ingram

December 29, 2009

Mary Brandenberger

MUR 6075

RESPONDENTS:

Friends of Bill Zedler; Bill Zedler; Congressman Joe Barton; and Congresswoman Kay Granger

COMPLAINANT:

Betty Tumlinson Fischer

SUBJECT:

The complaint alleged that Reps. Barton and Granger, as well as Zedler and his campaign committee, illegally solicited contributions outside the federal limits. Zedler was a candidate in 2008 for the Texas State House of Representatives. Rep. Barton represents Texas’ 6th Congressional District and Rep. Granger represents Texas’ 12th Congressional District.

OUTCOME:

The Commission found no reason to believe that the respondents violated the Act because it determined that the two U.S. Members of Congress did not appear to have approved, authorized, agreed or consented to the use of their names to solicit contributions on Zedler''''s behalf.

MUR 6196

RESPONDENTS:

Christopher G. Kennedy

COMPLAINANT:

Brian P. Daley

SUBJECT:

The complaint alleged that Kennedy became a federal candidate for the 2010 Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate for the State of Illinois but failed to designate a principal campaign committee.

OUTCOME:

The Commission found no reason to believe Kennedy violated the Act or Commission regulations because there was no information indicating he had gone beyond testing the waters for a candidacy.

MUR 6163

RESPONDENTS:

Houghton County Democratic Committee

COMPLAINANT:

Jeff Timmer and the Michigan Republicans

SUBJECT:

The complaint alleged that the Houghton County Democratic Committee, a local party committee of the Michigan Democratic Party, failed to register with and report to the FEC as a federal political committee despite exceeding the threshold for federal political committee status by making expenditures of more than $1,000 for a flyer, newspaper advertisement and radio ads that supported the election of several federal candidates and that these public communications failed to include the proper disclaimers.

OUTCOME:

The Commission found no reason to believe the Houghton County Democratic Committee violated the Act by failing to register and report as a political committee because the federal portion of its expenditures did not exceed the $1,000 threshold. The Commission dismissed the remaining allegations due to the low dollar amount of the possible violation.

MUR 5996

RESPONDENTS:

Education Finance Reform Group; and Tim Bee for Congress and David Katsel, in his official capacity as treasurer

COMPLAINANTS:

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

SUBJECT:

The complaint alleged the Act was violated when the Education Finance Reform Group (EFRG) made and Tim Bee for Congress and Katsel, in his official capacity as treasurer, accepted an excessive and prohibited in-kind contribution in the form of a television advertisement, which expressly advocated the candidate’s election and was coordinated with Bee. The complaint further alleged that EFRG failed to register and report as a political committee and did not include disclaimer information on the advertisement. Bee was a candidate in 2008 for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District.

OUTCOME:

The Commission found no reason to believe that the EFRG failed to register or report as a political committee or that it failed to include a disclaimer on the advertisement.  The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the allegation that EFRG made and the Committee accepted a prohibited or in-kind contribution in the form of a coordinated communication. 

MUR 6170

RESPONDENTS:

Tuscola County (Michigan) Democratic Committee

COMPLAINANTS:

Michigan Republican Party, by Jeff Timmer

SUBJECT:

The complaint alleged the Tuscola County Democratic Committee violated the Act by failing to register as a political committee after it made contributions to and expenditures in support of candidates for federal office that exceeded the $1,000 registration threshold amount. The complaint alleged further that the Committee failed to provide adequate disclaimer information on public communications that expressly advocated the election of federal candidates and failed to file independent expenditure reports with the Commission.

OUTCOME:

MUR 6113

RESPONDENTS:

Kirby Hollingsworth and Kirby Hollingsworth for State Representative

COMPLAINANTS:

Frank Long and Chad Cable

SUBJECT:

The complaint alleged that Kirby Hollingsworth, a candidate for Texas State representative, and Kirby Hollingsworth for State Representative failed to register with and report to the FEC as a political committee after sending a mailer and making an expenditure to air a radio advertisement that advocated the election of John McCain and Sarah Palin for President and Vice President and the defeat of Barack Obama in the 2008 Presidential election. The complainants further alleged that Kirby Hollingsworth used funds for these communications that were permitted under Texas state law but prohibited or excessive under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (“the Act”), and that the respondents failed to report the public communications as independent expenditures and include the proper disclaimers.

OUTCOME:

The Commission closed the file.

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent regulatory agency that administers and enforces federal campaign finance laws. The FEC has jurisdiction over the financing of campaigns for the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, the Presidency and the Vice Presidency. Established in 1975, the FEC is composed of six Commissioners who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

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