Week of November 12 – November 16, 2018

Commission meetings and hearings

• On November 14 and 15, the Commission met in executive session.
• On November 15 the Commission held an open meeting.

Advisory Opinions

Advisory Opinion Request 2018-13 (OsiaNetwork LLC).

On November 13, the Commission made public a draft of AO 2018-13. On November 14, requestor OsiaNetwork LLC granted the Commission an extension of time until December 19, 2018. OsiaNetwork LLC asks whether individuals’ use of the processing power of their internet-enabled devices to mine cryptocurrency for the benefit of political committees is considered a volunteer activity under Commission regulations.

Advisory Opinion 2018-15 (Wyden).

On November 15, requestor Senator Ron Wyden granted the Commission anextension of time until December 6, 2018. Wyden asks whether Members of Congress may use excess campaign funds for cybersecurity-related expenses for their personal devices and accounts.

Enforcement

The Commission made public one closed case, as follows. For more information, see the case documents in the Enforcement Query System.

MUR 7346

• COMPLAINANT: Daren Peters
• RESPONDENTS: Dr. Richard A. Johnson, III and Sabrina Yves Lewis-Jones, in her official capacity as treasurer (the Committee); and Richard A. Johnson
• SUBJECT: The complaint alleged that (1) Johnson’s campaign exceeded the $5,000 threshold in raising or spending that triggers the candidate registration requirement, (2) the Committee received illegal contributions and made illegal expenditures, and (3) Johnson failed to file a Statement of Candidacy and the Committee failed to register and report with the Commission as a political committee. Johnson registered for 2018 primary ballot access in Texas’s 18th Congressional District.
• DISPOSITION: The Commission exercised its prosecutorial discretion and dismissed the matter in consideration of Commission priorities. The Commission observed that the available information was insufficient to determine whether or when Johnson became a federal candidate. The Commission reminded Johnson and the Committee of the filing and reporting requirements for federal candidates and principal or authorized campaign committees.

Audits

Audit Division Recommendation Memorandum on Friends of Erik Paulsen.

On November 15, the Commission discussed the Audit Division Recommendation Memorandum on Friends of Erik Paulsen. The Commission did not approve the proposed finding pertaining to the receipt of contributions in excess of the limit by the required four affirmative votes. That issue will be include in the Additional Issues section of the Proposed Final Audit Report (PFAR), which the Audit Division will prepare within 30 days.

Litigation

• CREW, et al. v. FEC (Case No. 18-5136). On November 13, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued a Mandate.

Public Disclosure

• On November 16, the Commission’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) made public the Audit of the FEC’s FY 2018 Financial Statements.

Outreach

• On November 14, the Commission held a webinar on winding down the campaign and Post-General reporting.

Upcoming Commission meetings and hearings

• December 4, 2018: The Commission is scheduled to meet in executive session.
• December 6, 2018: The Commission is scheduled to hold an open meeting.
• December 13, 2018: The Commission is scheduled to hold an open meeting.

Meeting dates are subject to change. Please contact the Press Office the week of the scheduled meeting for confirmation.

Upcoming reporting due dates

• December 6: 30-Day Post-General Election Reports are due.

Additional research materials

Additional research materials about the agency, campaign finance information, and election results are available through the Library section of the Commission website.

Printed copies of the 2018 edition of Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) are now available. Contact the Commission's Information Division at (202) 694-1100 or (800) 424-9530 (press 6, when prompted) to order printed copies of the CFR at no charge. You may also email the Information Division to place an order at info@fec.gov.

The 2017 Campaign Guide for Corporations and Labor Organizations is available. Other Campaign Guides are available, as well.

The 2018 Congressional Primary Election Dates list is available.

Federal Elections 2016: Election Results for the U.S. President, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives is available. The data was compiled from the official vote totals published by state election offices. To order a printed copy, please contact the FEC’s Public Records Office at 800/424-9530 (option 2) or 202/694-1120, or send an email to pubrec@fec.gov.

The Combined Federal State Disclosure and Election Directory is available. This publication identifies the federal and state agencies responsible for the disclosure of campaign finances, lobbying, personal finances, public financing, candidates on the ballot, election results, spending on state initiatives and other financial filings.

The FEC Record is available as a continuously updated online news source.

Join the FEC on Twitter and YouTube

Follow @FEC on Twitter to receive the latest information on agency updates, news releases, and weekly activity. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, FECTube: FECConnect on Demand, to watch instructional videos that have been designed to help candidates and committees comply with federal campaign finance laws. Note that the FEC is not currently available through other social media platforms at this time. The use of the agency’s logo, name, and likeness on other media has not been authorized by the FEC