Weekly Digest Week of February 8 – 12
COMMISSION MEETINGS The Commission did not hold an Executive Session or Open Meeting this week. Sunshine Act Notices for Executive Sessions are here. Agendas and related documents for Open Meetings are here. Audio recordings for selected meetings, hearings and presentations are here. LITIGATION Republican National Committee v. FEC. On February 10, the Commission filed its Supplemental Brief in Republican National Committee v. FEC in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The RNC complaint challenges the constitutionality of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act’s limits on the use of nonfederal funds by political party committees. The Republican National Committee alleges that the nonfederal fund provisions as applied to their intended activities are overly broad and unconstitutional under the First Amendment guarantees of free speech and association, and are outside of Congress’s authority to regulate elections. The Commission contends that those provisions are constitutional contribution limits for the reason that they prevent corruption and the appearance of corruption. RULEMAKING AND AGENCY PROCEDURES On February 10, the Commission published a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Coordinated Communications (SNPRM) in the Federal Register. The SNPRM supplemented a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Coordinated Communications, which was published in the Federal Register on October 21, 2009, presenting possible alternatives to the regulations that govern communications made in coordination with federal candidates, their authorized committees or political parties but paid for by other persons. The NPRM also proposes to define “promote, support, attack, or oppose.” The Commission will hold a hearing on March 2 and 3, 2010. Comments are due on February 24. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE The Commission has posted an updated version of “PACRONYMS,” its unofficial, alphabetical list of acronyms, abbreviations, initials, and common names of federal Political Action Committees (PACs). The list is intended to help researchers readily identify committees when their full names are not disclosed on campaign finance reports. UPCOMING EVENTS
February 24, Washington, FEC Travel Rules Workshop. The program flyer is here. March 9-10, Washington, Conference for Corporations and their PACs. The conference registration information and agenda are here. April 7, Washington, Seminar for Nonconnected Committees. The seminar registration information and agenda are here. New Orleans, LA. The Regional Conference for Campaigns, Party Committees and Corporate/Labor/Trade PACs scheduled for February 9-10 has been postponed due to inclement weather. No date has been set for the rescheduled conference. For more information, click here.
UPCOMING REPORTING DUE DATES
February 18: Massachusetts Post-General reports are due. For information on reporting dates for this election, click here. For information on campaign finance data concerning the special election, click here. February 18: Texas Pre-Primary reports are due. For information on reporting dates for this election, click here. For information on campaign finance data concerning the special election, click here. February 20: Disclosure reports for monthly filers are due. Click here for information on electronic filing. OTHER RESOURCES The February issue of The Record is here. Sign up here to receive email notification when a new issue of the Record is posted.
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