A curious situation presented itself two weeks ago within the FEC reports and required filings of 2016 election Super-PACS. A direct phone inquiry confirmed a noted decrease in the number of required “24-hour expenditure reports” from some Super-PAC’s currently active and engaged in the 2016 presidential election.
Perhaps the decrease in filing activity was just coincidental to several recent revelations which were discovered and discussed relating to the payments to media groups and various media-created LLC’s who are beneficiaries of Super-PAC funding.
They could just be spending less, and being less involved in the last 10 days. A key deadline for monthly summary filings is only five days away.
However, it could also be that THIS SUNLIGHT is expanding exponentially.
Super-PACS are required to file a detailed monthly list of donors (contributions) and expenditures (payments) for the preceding month on/before the 20th day of the current reporting period. Meaning contributions and expenditures for “March 2016” are due by April 20th – TODAY.
Cruz super PAC Keep the Promise III collected $770k in March, almost entirely from another Cruz super PAC, Trusted Leadership.
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) April 20, 2016
It would appear that contact, from ordinary researchers who dig through the sometimes overwhelming reporting, with the FEC, can actually deliver results. Since our initial research into Katie Packer’s group “Our Principles”, the FEC requested clarification of expenditures for media payments made in opposition to candidate Donald J Trump.
Sunlight is always the best disinfectant.
I’m asking anyone who has a little time to help, to please keep an eye on the FEC Portal – Available Here – and help dig through the reports from the many Super-PAC’s that are currently active in this election cycle.
Specifically focus on going through the monthly reports noting contributions and expenditures.
Examples:
- Keep The Promise I
- Keep The Promise II
- Keep the Promise III
- Our Principles (Packer)
- Trusted Leadership (now active in NY primary) (origin)
- Stand For Truth (Lycan/McConnell)
- Make America Awesome (Mair)
There are many more…
If you have questions about how to use the FEC portal, please ask them in the comments below. It’s not hard, once you learn to navigate the page.
- =>FEC Homepage
- => Campaign Finance Portal
- => Under “Searchable Presentations” select either:
“Candidate and Committee Viewer” for Super-PAC search
-or- “Independent Expenditure Search” for beneficiary of expenditure.
Or => Using the left side tab select “Individual Contribution Search” to put in a donor name and see how much they are giving to any candidate, or which organization.
For those already familiar with the process, and for those who begin to assist in the crowdsourcing effort, please highlight anything you find of interest and help draw attention to it.
