Committees fail to file pre-primary reports

Four campaign committees failed to file the Pre-Primary report required by the Federal Election Campaign Act (the Act) for primary elections on September 9, 2008, in Minnesota, New York and Wisconsin; three campaign committees failed to file the Pre-Primary report required for the August 26, 2008, primary election in Florida; and two campaign committees failed to file the Pre-Primary report required for the August 19, 2008, primary election in Wyoming.

As of 5 p.m. September 5, 2008, the required disclosure report had not been received from the following committees active in the September 9 primary elections:

• Barb Davis White for Congress, principal campaign committee for Barbara Davis White, a candidate in Minnesota’s 5th district. The committee
  treasurer is Ly’neys Rita Hill.
• Higgins for Congress, the principal campaign committee for Brian Higgins in New York’s 27th district. The committee treasurer is Gary M. Kanaley.
• Friends of Graham Long, the principal campaign committee for Graham E. Long in New York’s 3rd district. The committee treasurer is Anita Long.
• Stark for Congress, the principal campaign committee for Paul Stark in Wisconsin’s 3rd district. The committee treasurer is John Sackett.

This report was due on August 28, 2008. If sent by registered or certified mail, the report should have been postmarked by August 25, 2008.

As of 5 p.m. on August 21, 2008, the required disclosure report had not been received from the following committees active in the August 26, 2008, primary election in Florida:

• Carol Castegnero for Congress, the principal campaign committee for Carol Castegnero, a candidate in Florida’s 5th district. The committee treasurer
  is Carol Castegnero.
• Jay McGovern for Congress, the principal campaign committee for James Joseph “Jay” McGovern, a candidate in Florida’s 4th district. The
  committee treasurer is Justin Spiller.
• Principal Campaign Committee James E. Bryan, the principal campaign committee for James Edward Bryan, a candidate in Florida’s 1st district. The
  committee treasurer is James E. Bryan.

This report was due on August 14, 2008. If sent by certified or registered mail, the report should have been postmarked by August 11, 2008.

As of 5 p.m. August 14, 2008, the required disclosure report had not been received by the following committees active in the August 19, 2008, primary election in Wyoming:

• Committee to Elect Nick Carter for United States Senate, the principal campaign committee for Nicholas H. Carter. The committee treasurer is John
  E. Henry.
• Rothfuss for Senate, the principal campaign committee for Christopher J. Rothfuss. The committee treasurer is H. Brant Rothfuss. This report was
  due on August 7, 2008.

If sent by certified or registered mail, the report should have been postmarked by August 4, 2008.

The FEC notified committees involved in these primaries of their potential filing requirements. Those committees who did not file on the due date were notified that reports had not been received and that their names would be published if they did not respond within four business days.

Some individuals and their committees have no obligation to file reports under federal election law, even though their names may appear on state ballots. If an individual raises or spends less than $5,000, he or she is not considered a “candidate,” subject to reporting under the Act.

Other political committees that support Senate and House candidates in elections, but are not authorized units of a candidate’s campaign, are also required to file pre-primary reports, unless they report monthly. Those committee names are not published by the FEC.

Further Commission action against non-filers and late filers is decided on a case-by-case basis. Federal law gives the FEC broad authority to initiate enforcement actions, and the FEC has implemented an administrative fine program with provisions for assessing monetary penalties.