This file contains archived live captions of the open meeting of the Federal Election Commission held on January 25, 2017. This file is not a transcript of the meeting, and it has not been reviewed for accuracy or approved by the Federal Election Commission. Commissioner raive very well, are you with us? >> I'm here. I was on mute. >> I've been here for 15 minutes. >> Gutted morning, everyone. First item on the ascwhren is a correction of the approval of minutes. Madam vice chair, do you have a motion? >> The commission add to the agenda consideration of memorandum an approval for payment of travel expenses and that the commission determine pursuant to 11CFR section 2.7D that business are required no earlier public announcement was possible. I further move to suspend the rules on the timely submission of agenda documents in order to consider the late submission of the following document, memorandum on approval for payment of travel expenses, Agenda Document No. 17-07-A. >> Okay. Thank you very much. Do I have a motion to add these to the agenda? >> (Away from microphone). >> Thank you very much. [ PAUSE ] >> I think we had a motion for both to suspend the rules on timely admission of agenda documents. That includes the memorandum on approval of payment for travel expenses. All in favor of the motion. Opposed? >> Aye. Do I hear a hesitant aye? >> (Away from microphone). We have these two matters before us on open session. Should we start with those first? Take your matter up with that. >> No question, Mr. Chair, and illuminate also be asking that we are awaiting State Department approval today, and so -- we can decide the close of the other two matters that I will be asked that open session be kept open until after the close to be able to consider this matter in its entirety with information from the State department. >> We'll start with the first and then discuss how to proceed. >>K 2000. >> So we'll do that. >> Thank you. Yes, of course. Thank you, sir. >> >> Mr. Chairman, I move to approve the minutes for the meeting of December 1st, 2016, Agenda Document 17-five-A. >> Thanks. To that. All in favor? >> Aye. >> Opposed? Hearing none, six to zero unanimous. So now we're to the party of Florida agenda item 17-0-4-A. >> Thank you chairman, good morning commissioners. Before you is agenda 17-four-A, draft advisory opinion responding to a request from the Green Party of Florida. The requester seeks a determination from the commission that the requester qualifies as the state party committee of a national political party under the act and commission regulations. The draft concludes that the requester qualifies as a state committee of a national political party because the Green Party of the United States quality identifies as a political party, the requester is part of the official structure of the Green Party of the United States and the requester is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Green Party of the United States at the state level. We did not receive any comments on the request or draft. Thank you and I would be happy to address any questions that you may have. >> Thank you, counsel. Any questions? Prepared for a motion. >> Mr. Chairman, I move approval of Agenda Document No. 17-four-A. >> Thank you. Any discussion? All in favor? >> Aye. >> Opposed? None. The motion passes six to zero. Thank you, counsel. Next matter is Mike pens for Indiana, Agenda Document 17-03-A. >> Thank you Chairman Walther, good morning commissioners. Agenda Document 17-three-A is a draft response to an advisory opinion request submitted by Mike pens for Indiana. The requester asks whether under the act and commission regulations it may spend nonfederal funds in its campaign account for certain expenses related to winding down the campaign. Draft concludes that they may use nonfederal funds in the account to pay for storage of campaign assets legal or accounting expenses necessary to comply with state disclosure requirements applicable to committees and legal or accounting expenses for winding down the state campaign provided that such spending is consistent with state law. We did not receive any comments on the request or on the draft and I'm happy to answer any questions you might have. >> Thank you, counsel. Any questions? >> Further requester is on the phone. >> Mr. shapeple are you on the phone? >> I am. I just wanted to point out to the commission that we totally agree with the advisory opinion. It's wholly consistent with analysis of the law and we have no issues with it whatsoever. We thought it was well drafted and responded to our questions. >> Thank you very much for that. >> I move approval of 17-03-A. >> Thank you. All in favor? >> Aye. >> And myself. All opposed? Passes six to zero. Thank you very much, sir. >> Thank you. >> >> We have now the next item that was new on the agenda, the memorandum on approval for payment of travel expenses, commissioner Ravel, do you want to discuss this and tell us what procedure you're interested in following? >> Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair I'm asking that we hold this until after the next scheduled session after this meeting because related on the objections was a concern that the State Department had not yet approved this travel and of course I too am very interested in knowing that because if the State department does not approve the travel obviously I would not go to eke door. I think for us to discuss this matter it would be prudent and I would request that we -- whenever the claim session terminatenates so that we have an opportunity to have full information. >> How do we resume an open meeting after a recess without public notice? I'm just wondering mechanically how we resume this public meeting after -- >> my impression is if we resume if to a time certain we can do that. My thought would be to start at 1:30. >> Are we going to take up our exec session this afternoon? >> My thought is to start right now. >> Okay. And then resume in public session at 1:30 today. >> 1:30. Just a suggestion. I think. >> (Away from microphone). >> Anybody have a motion on that? >> I don't think we need it. Just recess at 1:30. >> We'll recess this particular part of the open session until 1:30 this afternoon. >> Thank you very much. Do I need to ask if there's anything -- we consider this meeting closed. >> Recess. >> We're ready to begin the open session, resume the open session. Electronically, Commissioner Ravel. This is your consideration on the item on blue. Would you like to open up the discussion on that? >> Well, I would. We certainly can have a fuller discussion, but we just -- and I'm sorry. I'm on a train to San Francisco where I'm speaking, so there's overhead noise. We just received some information, some types that the state department is having a fuller discussion with the proposal of the ambassador to Ecuador to the respect to the issue whether or not to attend and has not made a decision at this point. And it may take a few days. So I think that while there may be other issues, but other commissioners have within the state department, we certainly can discuss if there's such issues that would seem as if this may be a premature conversation. Because you know, if it's problematic, then I would respect the request of the state department [Static Interference] and not accept the invitation. So it's my request that it would be, perhaps for some reasons, but perhaps we could continue, or reset a open meeting which others can attend and I'll be in D.C. But that would be perhaps next Thursday or Friday. Just for this purpose? Unless people want to approve it entirely. And if it's okay, and if they do not, then I will withdrawal this request. >> You wanted to -- >> Are you there? >> Yeah. Just to clarify, your suggestion is we table this for a week to see whether the state department says on this? >> Exactly. Yeah. >> When's our next meeting? >> Next meeting I believe is [Static Interference]. In February. >> February 9th? >> Right. >> February 9. >> Yes. >> All right. So if we tabled it to our meeting on November 9th, -- >> Yes. February 9. It will be quite a ways for it to be -- I'm looking at my calendar right now, to be able to make the arrangements and to give them the information. To be able to determine. I believe that it's, umm, the date -- well. The date that I was planning to go is and accepted the invitation is a lot longer. I was planning to go on the 16th [Static Interference] [Echo Resonating] you know, that would be, if that's the will of the Commission, it could probably work. >> So the 9th would be the best next time to bring it to your attention? >> Yes. That's fine. >> And we have an exec session that day? An open session that day? >> Open session. Open meeting will be the 9th. >> So the final day to check with the commissioners. Any thought on this? Anybody want to discuss? I'm willing to hold this over until our next meeting on February 9th, and we can start that after any formal issues take place on that day. >> Excuse me? >> I wanted some comments. >> Okay. There's no objection, this meeting will be held over until -- >> [Away from mic] >> Okay. Well, procedurally, I think you can do that. I don't care. >> I'm sorry? >> I mean, procedurally you can do it either way. That's fine with me. We can terminate this meeting and start up again. We can do that. This way you don't lose control of it. >> I don't think any commissioner is going to lose control over the matter if it's brought up for the new agenda. For sunshine purposes, it's cleaner to have this meeting if it's going to be on the agenda nor the next public meeting. >> All right, let's do it that way. We're going conclude this meeting, and then we will reconvene with a new meeting on February 9 at 10 o'clock. Is that agreeable? In the meantime, if you get word where they authorize you and it's satisfactory, let us know and we'll cancel that position. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. >> Thanks a lot. Take care. >> Thank you. >> Chairperson Walter, we still have the remaining management and administrative matters. >> Any remaining matters? [Chuckles] >> There are none. >> Next. >> Okay. Meeting is adjourned.