On Friday, February 3, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) published its price index adjustments for expenditure limitations and the federal lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold.

The lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold has increased for 2017 from $17,600 to $17,900. This threshold amount is adjusted annually. Federal law requires authorized committees of federal candidates, leadership political action committees (PACs), and political party committees to disclose contributions bundled by lobbyists and lobbyists’ PACs.

Additionally, the FEC published its adjusted Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for political parties for 2017.

Today, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) published the 2017-2018 election cycle contribution limits, which have been indexed for inflation. As required by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, the FEC must adjust certain contribution limits every two years.

The individual and nonmulticandidate PAC contribution limit to federal candidates will remain at $2,700 for both primary and general elections, allowing for a total of $5,400 for a federal candidate. The limits on contributions by individuals to national party committees has increased from $33,400 to $33,900 per calendar year.

Individuals may now contribute $101,700 per calendar year to committees of a national political party for presidential nominating conventions, to committees of a national political party for preparation for and the conduct of election recounts and contests and other legal proceedings, and to committees of a national political party for the construction, purchase, renovation, operation, and furnishing of one or more buildings for party headquarters.

The new limits are effective retroactively to January 1, 2017.

On September 22, Lisa J. Stevenson was named acting general counsel for the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Stevenson is replacing Daniel A. Petalas, who is leaving the FEC join the Washington, D.C., law firm Garvey Schubert Barer.

Because the FEC has not been able to agree on a general counsel since 2013, the appointments have been designated as acting general counsel.

On September 15, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) was unable to agree on a policy to clarify when and if a U.S. domestic subsidiary corporation of a foreign national is illegally involved in political activity.

Federal law prohibits foreign nationals from directly or indirectly making contributions, donations, expenditures, independent expenditures, and disbursements in connection with federal, state, or local elections. FEC regulations also prohibit foreign nationals from directing, controlling, or participating in the decision-making process of any person, such as a corporation, with regards to decisions concerning the making of contributions, donations, expenditures, or disbursements in connection with elections in the U.S.

Additionally, the FEC was unable to reach an agreement on the creation of a safe harbor for political committees to accept corporate contributions deemed not to have come from foreign national sources.

Two delegates to the 2016 Republican National Convention are permitted to receive free legal services from corporate nonprofit organizations thanks to a legal settlement between the delegates and the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

On July 22, in Two Unnamed Plaintiffs v. FEC, the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming issued an order consenting to the settlement between the parties. The case arose from concerns that presidential candidate Donald Trump would bring litigation against those supporting delegate autonomy at the Republican National Convention, according to a press release from Pillar of Law Institute.

Benjamin Barr, lead counsel in the case, believes this settlement provides precedent for future convention delegates, including delegates at this week’s Democratic National Convention. “With this win, conscientious delegates now and for conventions to come are not alone. Non-profit corporations are free to help fund their efforts and donate legal services, breathing new life into the convention process,” said Barr in the press release.

Campaign Finance

“Super PAC Spending Becoming More Bipartisan” by Llewellyn Hinkes-Jones for Bloomberg BNA

“Koch-Backed ‘Dark Money’ Groups Fined for Failing to Disclose Donors” by John Dunbar for Center for Public Integrity

California: “Oakland: Company laundered campaign donations to mayoral, council candidates” by Matthias Gafni for East Bay Times

New Jersey: “Jail for Birdsall Exec in Pay-to-Play Scheme” by Andrew Ford for Asbury Park Press

Ethics

South Carolina: “SC Supreme Court Rules for Pascoe, Against Wilson” by Tim Smith for Greenville News

Tennessee: “Jeremy Durham Had Sexual ‘Interactions’ with 22 Women, Report Says” by Dave Boucher and Joel Ebert for The Tennessean

Elections

“Sidewire: The chatter site for political junkies who haven’t already maxed out” by Ben Terris for Washington Post

“Americans Really Dislike Trump, Clinton. So Why Aren’t Third Parties Doing Better?” by Danielle Kurtzleben for National Public Radio

“Justice Ginsburg Doesn’t Let Up on Trump, Who Fires Back” by Robert Barnes for Washington Post

Florida: “Florida Mosque Is Removed as a Polling Site after Complaints and Threats” by Mary Hui for Washington Post

A bipartisan majority of lawmakers is calling for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution overturning the Supreme Court’s 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.

In the Citizens United decision, the Court ruled corporations and unions should be considered individuals for purposes of political contributions; therefore, restricting their donations to candidates is a violation of their First Amendment right to free speech.

New York is now one of 16 states—and the first with a Republican-controlled chamber—supporting an amendment in response to the decision.

Earlier this month, the Federal Election Commission dismissed complaints against two North Dakota Republican leaders regarding foreign campaign contributions received from a Canadian businessman.

The Federal Election Campaign Act bars foreign nationals from making financial donations in connection with federal, state or local elections.

The politicians claim they accepted the contributions based on incorrect advice received from the North Dakota Secretary of State’s Office. The FEC ultimately dismissed the complaints because the contributions were refunded within the 30-day time period allowed by commission regulations.

Campaign Finance

“FEC Republicans Explain Dropping Gingrich, Murray Cases” by Kenneth Doyle for Bloomberg BNA

California: “Ex-California Lawmaker Tom Calderon Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering” by David Siders and Alexei Koseff for Sacramento Bee

Florida: “Florida AG Asked Trump for Donation before Nixing Fraud Case” by Jeff Horwitz, Gary Fineout, and Michael Biesecker for The Associated Press

Missouri: “On the Trail: St. Louis aldermen will take another look at campaign contribution limits” by Jason Rosenbaum for St. Louis Public Radio

Ethics

Pennsylvania: “Kathleen Kane’s Administration Hit with Discrimination Complaint from Her Twin Sister” by Steve Esack for Allentown Morning Call

Elections

“Exclusive: Trump’s 3,500 lawsuits unprecedented for a presidential nominee” by Nick Penzenstadler and Susan Page for USA Today

“Clinton Celebrates Victory, Declaring: ‘We’ve reached a milestone’” by Anne Gearan, Robert Costa, and John Wagner for Washington Post

Virginia: “Supreme Court Will Weigh in On Whether Va. Districts Are Racially Gerrymandered” by Robert Barnes and Laura Vozzella for Washington Post

Legislative Issues

Rhode Island: “RI Assembly Reworks ‘Community-Service’ Grants Program” by Katherine Gregg for Providence Journal

Campaign Finance

“Sanders Is Biggest Spender of 2016 So Far – Generating Millions for Consultants” by Matea Gold and Anu Narayanswamy for Washington Post

Colorado: “House Votes for Disclosure of Independent Spending on Ads Touting Political Parties” by Jeff Roberts (Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition) for Colorado Independent

Colorado: “Groups May Take Aim at Denver Campaign Finance, Ethics Rules” by Jon Murray for Denver Post

New York: “De Blasio’s Office Gets Subpoenas as Inquiries into Fund-Raising Continue” by J. David Goodman for New York Times

North Carolina: “FEC Resets Campaign Donation Limits for NC Congressional Races” by Colin Campbell for Raleigh News & Observer

Ethics

Alabama: “Henry to File New Impeachment Articles against Bentley” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser

Connecticut: “Questions Raised About Sale of Famous Political Collection” by Edmund Mahony for Hartford Courant

South Carolina: “Senate Passes Bills Aimed at Reforming State Ethics Laws” by Maya Prabhu for Charleston Post & Courier

Utah: “Donor Speed-Dating with Guv Doesn’t Sit Well with Some” by Robert Gehrke for Salt Lake Tribune

Elections

“Voters in Eastern Seaboard Primaries Embrace Trump” by Philip Rucker and Jose DelReal for Washington Post

“Clinton Decisively Wins Democratic Primaries in 4 States” by Abby Phillip, John Wagner, and Anne Gearan for Washington Post

“How the Other Fifth Lives” by Thomas Edsall for New York Times

Texas: “Justices Leave Texas Voter ID Law Intact, with a Warning” by Adam Liptak for New York Times

On April 14, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) considered a motion to open a rule-making concerning whether to require entities accepting political contributions from corporations to verify those corporations are associations of United States citizens who are eligible to contribute. Commissioner Ellen L. Weintraub had previously submitted the motion contending there is “no framework in place to assist entities accepting political contributions or making independent expenditures and electioneering communications in complying with existing law.” Federal law prohibits foreign nationals from making political contributions and expenditures. Federal contractors are also prohibited from making certain political contributions and expenditures.

The commission also discussed a motion for rule-making regarding political funding from foreign nationals. The motion asks the commission to make a regulation requiring those making independent expenditures to certify no resources owned or controlled by foreign nations were used. The FEC has tentatively scheduled to meet at the FEC headquarters on June 23 to discuss corporations and foreign money.

On March 31, the Federal Election Commission may consider a motion to open a rule-making concerning whether to require entities accepting political contributions from corporations to verify those corporations are associations of United States citizens who are eligible to contribute.

On March 24, Commissioner Ellen L. Weintraub submitted the motion contending there is “no framework in place to assist entities accepting political contributions or making independent expenditures and electioneering communications in complying with existing law.” Federal law prohibits foreign nationals from making political contributions and expenditures. Federal contractors are also prohibited from making certain political contributions and expenditures.

Weintraub is further requesting the commission direct the Office of General Counsel to draft a rule-making document requiring those making independent expenditures and electioneering communications certify resources used are not owned or controlled by foreign nationals.

Today, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall is introducing the Federal Election Administration Act, a bill intended to replace the Federal Election Commission. The legislation is supported in letters to U.S. Senators from several reform groups, including the Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, Democracy 21, Issue One, People for the American Way, Public Citizen, Rootstrikers, and U.S. PIRG. According to the letter, a five-member Federal Election Administration will be created to enforce election laws and “will consist of a chairman and four other members, all of whom are to be appointed by the president, with the advice and consent of the Senate.” No more than two members of the agency can be from the same political party. The letter can be found here.

Today, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) published its price index adjustments for expenditure limitations and lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold in the Federal Register. The lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold remains unchanged for 2016 and continues at the 2015 rate of $17,600. This threshold amount is adjusted annually. Federal law requires authorized committees of federal candidates, leadership political action committees (PACs), and political party committees to disclose contributions bundled by lobbyists and lobbyists’ PACs. Additionally, the FEC published its adjusted Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for political parties for 2016.